How to Clean a Faux Leather Couch At Home

Is Faux Leather Easy to Clean?

Faux leather, also known as pleather feels and looks the same as leather but it is not the actual leather. In fact, if you are not careful, you will not be able to tell the difference between fake and genuine leather.

A faux leather couch has many advantages that make it compete with the genuine leather couch. For starters, faux leather is cheap, easy to maintain, and is soft and comfortable to lounge on. But because genuine leather is derived from real animal hides, they need to go through so many processes to make them as smooth and comfortable to lounge on.

The fact that faux leather is soft in nature makes it very easy to clean. Regularly wiping out the dust using a clean soft cloth will help prevent it from accumulating. Plus, faux leather is usually stain-resistant which is also another thing that makes it easier to clean.

How to Clean a Faux Leather Couch In 5 Different Ways

Cleaning and sanitizing your faux leather couch is very important, but making sure you use the right cleaning products to prevent ruining its aesthetic is just as important. In this article, you will learn both natural and heavy-duty products that you can use to clean your couch and leave them looking attractive and safe for many years.

1. Using Baking Soda

Baking soda is a natural cleaning solution and it is approved as one of the best cleaning solutions for tough stains including grease and inks regardless of the fabric type. If your faux leather couch has grease stains on it, follows these steps to tackle them:

• Sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda over the stain and let it sit for about 2hours. The more you let the baking soda sit the more effective it will work. Leaving it overnight if everyone is asleep then cleaning it at dawn is also a good idea, but 2hours is equally enough.
• Using a soft cloth, wipe away the excess baking soda
• Dampen a clean soft cloth (make sure you wring out to remove excess water) and wipe the area gently to get rid of all the dirt.
• If the grease is not gone, you can repeat this process one more time, make sure you dab the area while cleaning to prevent spreading grease to other clean areas.

2. Using Vinegar Solution

Vinegar is a solvent-based solution and you will need to test it in an inconspicuous area like at the back of your couch to determine if it is safe. Vinegar solution is best for removing stains. Follow these steps when using this method to clean your faux leather couch:

• Vacuum up your couch to remove all the dust, crumbs, and dirt including the back and into the crevices.
• Mix 2 cups of water and ½ cup vinegar in a spray bottle. Shake gently to form a perfect vinegar solution.
• If you are cleaning the whole couch, spray the vinegar solution generously in every part of the couch
• Using a soft white cloth, rub your couch gently for the vinegar solution to work effectively by removing all the stains lingering on your faux leather couch.
• Using a clean dry cloth, wipe your couch to get rid of excess vinegar solution and to fasten the drying process.
• Since faux leather is water-resistant, it will dry instantly and ready to be used the next minute.

3. Using Rubbing Alcohol

Rubbing alcohol is the best cleaning solution for ink stains and other tough stains. You will, however, need to test it first in an inconspicuous area of your faux leather couch to see if it is safe for use. follow these steps while using rubbing alcohol to clean your faux leather couch:

What you will need:

• Cotton ball
• Rubbing alcohol

Steps

• Apply a generous amount of rubbing alcohol to a cotton ball
• Dab the cotton ball on the ink stain gently (avoid rubbing to prevent spreading the ink to other areas.
• Repeat the process by applying rubbing alcohol to another cotton ball and dab the area until all the ink lifts.
• Pat the area dry with a soft cloth.

4. Using a Solution of Vinegar and Natural Oil

Vinegar works great on its own but is more effective when combined with a natural oil like flaxseed oil. Follow these steps to use vinegar to clean your faux leather couch:

• Mix equal amounts of vinegar and flaxseed oil (you can also use olive oil) in a bowl. Shake gently to form a perfect solution.
• Dip a soft white cloth in the solution and rub it over the stained area of your couch. If you are cleaning the whole couch, it will be easier to put the solution in a spray bottle then spray it generously in every part of the couch, then rub it using a cloth.
• After rubbing and making sure the stain is covered with the vinegar and natural oil solution, let it sit for about 2hrs (you can even leave it overnight) then use a clean damp cloth to rub the area to get rid of the excess vinegar and oil.
• Use a clean cloth to pat dry the couch

5. Use of Dish Liquid Soap

Minor stains like a spill of tea or wine can be cleaned immediately using a mild detergent like dishwashing soap. Follow these steps:

• Mix water and mild dish soap in a spray bottle and shake gently to mix
• Spray the solution on the stained area of your faux leather couch
• Use a soft white cloth to dab the area gently, avoid rubbing to prevent the stain from spreading to the clean areas.
• Repeat the process if necessary until all the stain comes out
• Use a dry cloth to wipe excess water and soap.

Conclusion

faux leather is soft in nature making it very easy to clean. In this article, you have learned 5 ways in which you can clean your faux leather couch depending on the type of stain on it. Each of the products is cheap, some of which you have at home or can be bought at an affordable price.

Check also: How to paint a leather couch