How to Clean and Condition a Leather Sofa

Here is my sofa beforehand. I just want to start out by saying that this sofa is over 15 years old and does have some natural discoloration and wear from over the years. This sofa gets TONS of daily use so I typically like to clean and condition it every few months.

Here is a good close up of what the leather on the seats looks like before. There are several stains, and the leather looks dry.

Every time my sofa starts looking like this it has me thinking that it might be time to replace it, but I am always pleasantly surprised by the end results!

Before I even get to cleaning the leather, I like to remove all of the cushions and give everything a good vacuum.

To make the leather cleaning solution, all you will need is a mild baby soap and warm water.

Fill a large bowl with warm water and add a few squirts (approximately 1 tsp) of baby soap. Give the water a little swish to make sure the soap is evenly incorporated.

The reason I like to use baby soap is that it is extremely gentle on the leather and the oils in it act as a conditioner. It also requires no rinsing!

Dip a clean microfiber cloth into the cleaning solution, and then wring out as much water as possible. It is important not to get the leather too wet as this will cause it to dry out.

After just a few wipes you can see how much dirt I was able to clean off. I like to use several microfiber cloths while cleaning my sofa to avoid dipping the dirty cloth into the clean bowl of water.

Once you have wiped down the entire couch, let it air dry and enjoy!

I am always amazed at how good the couch looks once I’m done. It looks completely revived, and I would almost say as good as new!