How to care for eco-leather furniture: rules and features of cleaning, disinfection, review of the best care products

Furniture made from eco-leather has excellent characteristics and costs much less than a similar option made from genuine leather.
During operation, abrasions, cracks, stains and snags may occur, which sooner or later will lead to the formation of bald spots and holes requiring expensive repairs.

If you think the only way to prevent this is to use protective covers. Then what is the point of spending money on such furniture, the beauty of which will always be hidden under the mask of bedspreads?

There are other ways to care for eco-leather furniture that will preserve its original appearance after many years of daily use.

A few important rules

Before buying eco-leather furniture, first of all think about practicality. The purchase will not be beneficial if:

There are animals in the house that like to sharpen their claws on the end of the wooden frame.

There are small children who love to draw with felt-tip pens.

There is a lot of traffic in the room during the day.

All this will lead to the fact that the furniture will be constantly exposed to negative influences and will quickly lose its attractive appearance. Therefore, if you have a sofa or chairs made of this material in your home, remember a few important rules:

Any dirt must be removed immediately using a soft damp cloth or rag - eco-leather is difficult to clean from old dirt, as the surface can easily be damaged, leaving scratches.
Furniture needs daily preventive cleaning - small debris accumulates in the joints and depressions, which will stick to clothes in a couple of days.
If the stain is old and dried, then you need to apply a damp soft cloth to it for 2-3 hours, waiting until it softens and moves away from the surface on its own without applying force.
It is better to install eco-leather furniture away from radiators and radiators, since they dry out the air, which will cause cracking of the coating if it is not treated with special moisturizing mixtures.
If there are animals in the house, then they should be weaned from sharpening their claws on the sofa. There are special products that emit an unpleasant odor, scaring the animal away from the furniture.
Before using a cleaning product, be sure to check whether it is suitable for eco-leather. Typically, the furniture manufacturer gives recommendations regarding care, indicating specific brands of detergents and cleaning products.

By following these rules, eco-leather furniture will last for many years, and it will look the same as after purchase.

How to clean leatherette from various contaminants?

In addition to traces of dust and dirt that fall on furniture with clothes or shoes, stains that are more difficult to remove may appear on the sofa. In order not to spoil the material, but to get rid of contamination, it is recommended to select the most gentle cleaning agent.

Traces from pens and felt-tip pens

If marks from a ballpoint pen or felt-tip pen appear on the furniture, you can try to remove them with warm water. You can additionally dissolve detergent in water. If this method does not help, or there are blurry traces of stationery dyes on the white sofa, you should use ethyl alcohol or vodka. Moisten a cotton pad with the product and begin to remove dirt.

If the furniture has been stained with a fat-based felt-tip pen, in this situation vegetable oil will be a good stain remover for leatherette. They moisten a napkin with it and treat the contaminated area. Oil does not always immediately and completely remove the mark from the felt-tip pen, but it changes its properties. For this reason, immediately after using the oil, it is necessary to wipe the upholstery with vodka or alcohol.

Another way to make cleaning easier is citric acid. The stain is moistened with water and citric acid is poured on top. After 10-15 minutes, the powder is washed off with soapy water and then wiped with a clean cloth.

If marks from a ballpoint pen or felt-tip pen are old, you can try to remove them with milk. A napkin is moistened in it and applied to the stain. After 4-5 hours the stain will disappear. All that remains is to wash off the remaining milk and wipe with a napkin.

Hairspray will help get rid of ink on white eco-leather upholstery. It is sprayed onto the stain and wiped with a dry cloth. If the ink does not immediately begin to wash off, it is recommended to re-spray the varnish and leave it for 3-4 hours. When the time is up, wipe the surface with a damp cloth. Along with the varnish, the ink will also be washed off.

Paint stains

You can try to remove traces of acrylic paint with laundry soap. It is grated on a fine grater and dissolved in cold water. The resulting liquid wipes away traces of dirt.

You can try to get rid of paint using products that are sold in cosmetic stores. These products are designed to remove stains from the body after hair coloring, so their use will be as safe as possible for artificial upholstery.

Drink and fruit stains

You can try using a steam generator to get rid of traces of wine or fruit juice. The use of this device does not imply the use of other chemicals. If all rules are followed, the steam generator will not damage the eco-leather upholstery.

After dust and other debris have been removed from the furniture, turn on the device. Use the nozzle to pass over the contaminated area and immediately wipe the upholstery material with a microfiber cloth.

How not to clean?

It’s paradoxical, but even the highest quality material can be ruined due to ignorance. To prevent this from happening, pay attention to the following points:

Do not use hard brushes to remove difficult stains. Abrasives will scratch the surface, which will later create a hole.
Avoid using gasoline, solvents and other aggressive compounds that can leave burn marks.
Do not use hot air from a hair dryer for drying. It deforms eco-leather and makes it vulnerable at the slightest tension.

Coarse cleaning powders, as well as salt and soda, scratch it upon contact with the surface, so you should also avoid using them in cleaning.
It is strictly forbidden to use bleach and other chlorine-containing products, as they destroy the structure of eco-leather and bleach the color. In addition, the material is capable of accumulating an unpleasant and pungent odor that lasts for several days.
Acetone and products containing it cannot be used to remove any types of stains.

Some “traditional craftsmen” advise using alcohol if there are persistent stains. This should not be done, since alcohol in its pure form can leave a burn at the site of application, which will soon cause the formation of cracks and holes.

Reasons for contamination of white eco-leather sofas

When buying furniture with light upholstery, especially a white leather sofa, you need to be prepared for regular cleaning. Such things look impressive in the interior, but even careful use does not guarantee perfect cleanliness.

How white eco-leather can get dirty:

organic matter, in particular dropped food;
dirt from pets' paws;
dust accumulating on the surface;
marks from felt-tip pens, fountain pens or pencils;
stains from paint, including contact with bright clothing.

Often you have to clean greasy seats and backrests and remove stains of unknown origin that have ingrained into the upholstery.

To clean white eco-leather effectively and safely, you should use tips on cleaning and caring for this type of furniture material.

Daily care

It is recommended to clean furniture once a day. No special detergents are needed for this.

You can do this in two ways:

Dry cleaning with a sofa vacuum cleaner - be sure to use a soft attachment on the vacuum cleaner that will not scratch the surface. Cleaning will help remove all the dust and dirt, as well as crumbs and small dirt.

Wet cleaning - a soft rag is moistened in warm water, completely wrung out and passed over the surface of the furniture. First, dirt is removed from the folds, after which the entire surface is wiped.

There is no need to apply any products, nor do you need to dry it. The furniture will dry on its own in 1 hour.

There are special microfiber cloths that have long pile and remove dirt well without having a negative impact on eco-leather.

Care method

The structure of the material consists of two layers:

microporous polyurethane film with a printed surface of natural composition on the top layer;
polyester base.

The combination ensures ventilation and moisture permeability. Therefore, product care is carried out quickly and without special costs.

You have these rules on how to care for eco-leather on furniture:

avoid strong friction of the upholstery, do not press intensely;
wipe with slightly damp towels so that excess moisture does not penetrate between the layers;
Place sofas and armchairs made of this material away from sources of heat and light.

On a note! Use soft rags for cleaning. Polishing is allowed with products intended for genuine leather. Rub the surface once a year with a water-repellent preparation.

Fighting stains

No matter how carefully you care for your furniture, stains will appear sooner or later.
Greasy and corrosive, they spoil the appearance of any, even the most expensive furniture, and the removal of each of them has its own characteristics.

Oily stains

The faster the fat is removed from the surface of the eco-leather sofa, the easier it will be to remove the stain.

The sequence of actions is as follows:

Quickly remove excess grease with a dry cloth without pressing on its surface, as the stain will penetrate deeper into the coating faster. Change the napkins until they no longer absorb grease particles.
Take a drop of dish detergent, apply evenly to the stain, and leave for 3-4 minutes.
Use a damp soft cloth to remove any remaining detergent in a circular motion.
Let it dry.

If you are unable to remove the stain the first time, you can try this method several more times. The contamination will become noticeably lighter, after which it will be completely unnoticeable.

In the event that a greasy stain was created a long time ago, but was not noticed immediately, the following improvised means will help:

Ammonia and warm water - take 1 tablespoon of ammonia per glass of warm water, dilute it, blot a rag and apply it to the stain. Press down lightly and hold for 3-5 minutes.

Hydrogen peroxide – take a cotton pad, soak it well in peroxide and place it on the stain. Cover with a rag and place a light weight (book, overturned chair). After 5 minutes, remove the cotton pad and let the stain dry.

Shaving foam - apply a thick layer of foam, leave for 5 minutes, then remove any remaining residue. There is no need to wash it off.

If all this does not give the desired result, then you can buy a special stain remover for eco-leather furniture. The instructions will indicate how and in what cases to use it.

Contamination from markers and pens

Traces from a ballpoint pen are among the most difficult types of stains to remove, which hopelessly stain eco-leather furniture. It is not always possible to completely remove contamination, and old stains will remain in place forever.

If this type of contamination occurs, you can try the following methods:

Hair fixing varnish - spray varnish onto the ink stain, wait 2-3 minutes, remove the residue with a cotton pad. Repeat until all dirt is gone.

Slaked soda works well with markers and felt-tip pens. Extinguish a tablespoon of baking soda with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, apply the paste to the stain, and after a minute wipe off the residue.

Nail polish remover - lightly wet a cotton pad and clean it with gentle, gentle movements in the direction of the stain.

Glass cleaner - apply to the stain, let sit for 5 minutes, then use gentle blotting movements to remove any remaining dirt.

The faster the action was taken, the greater the chance of completely getting rid of the ink and felt-tip pen stain.

Wine and juice stains

If an alcoholic drink, juice or compote gets on the surface of light-colored furniture, there is every chance that a colored stain will remain. It’s not easy to fight it, but you can try the following methods:

Liquid soap and citric acid - dissolve ¼ teaspoon of citric acid in 50 ml of water, add a tablespoon of any liquid soap. Apply the resulting mixture to the stain and gently wipe it off with gentle movements.

Dishwashing detergent and ammonia - take 1 drop of ammonia for 1 tablespoon of dishwashing detergent, apply to the stain, let stand for 10 minutes, then remove the excess.

Spilled drinks must be removed from the surface as quickly as possible before they are absorbed by the coating. The older and deeper the stain, the more difficult it is to deal with.

How to clean a white eco-leather sofa?

The disadvantage of white color is that such upholstery may show marks from faded clothing or bed linen. You can take care of an eco-leather sofa using not only expensive products. Many stains can be removed with substances that are present in the house.

In order not to damage the upholstery, it is not recommended to use sharp objects, rough brushes, metal brushes, etc. If you choose the right cleaning method, it will not be difficult to wash a leatherette sofa.

Soap solution

To clean a white sofa, you can try dissolving washing powder or soap in warm water. It is recommended to give preference to substances that are produced specifically for delicate fabrics. It is necessary to wet a soft cloth, for example, microfiber, in a soap solution, and then wipe the dirty areas. Wash off the detergent composition with clean warm water. After cleaning, wipe the sofa with a dry cloth to remove all moisture.

Ammonia and dishwashing detergent

You can clean the sofa from stains, for example, biological ones, using hydrogen nitride. To prepare the cleaning product, you will need to dissolve 1 tbsp in 250 ml of cold water. ammonia and add 0.5 tbsp. dishwashing detergents. Moisten a rag in the resulting liquid and begin to remove stains. If the stain is difficult to remove, you can try scrubbing the stained area with an old toothbrush. When the stain is removed, wipe the treated area with a clean wet cloth and then wipe it with a dry one.

Disinfection

Any surfaces in the house need periodic disinfection, which will help reduce the concentration of pathogenic microorganisms. And the eco-leather sofa is no exception. The following means can be used for this purpose.

How to properly wash a white sofa made of eco-leather or leatherette

The practicality and availability of leatherette allows you to buy a beautiful sofa model at a fraction of the price. But such upholstery is finicky to care for. If you do not take into account some of the nuances of handling such materials, you can easily damage the furniture.

How to wash a surface made of eco-leather or leatherette:

Do not get the upholstery too wet; if possible, use dry cleaning. Spilled liquid must be blotted up immediately, otherwise the skin may become deformed.
Fresh stains should be wiped with a soft sponge and a foamy solution of laundry or baby soap. The sooner the treatment is carried out, the higher the chances of removing the mark completely.
To remove stubborn stains, use non-aggressive detergents. If performance is low, switch to stronger formulations.
Do not use too hot water or ice, as eco-leather does not tolerate thermal effects well.

After using any cleaning products, be sure to rinse off the chemicals, then wipe the upholstery with a clean rag, which will absorb any remaining moisture.

You need to dry a white eco-leather sofa naturally. You cannot use improvised tools: hair dryer, iron, heater - this will hopelessly ruin the upholstery.

The best care products

Manufacturers of high-quality eco-leather furniture insist that owners use only specially developed products that do not harm the coating, remove dirt well and protect the surface from cracking. The best of them are the following:

Eco mist is a spray that does not require rinsing. It removes dirt well, is non-toxic, completely safe for children and pets. Gives furniture shine and gloss. Does not contain fragrances and is safe for allergy sufferers and asthmatics.

Glutoclean – removes dirt and debris well and has an antistatic effect. Does not cause allergic reactions, protects leatherette from the negative effects of ultraviolet radiation and dry air.

Unicum – gently cleanses and nourishes eco-leather, gives a beautiful, moderate shine. Does not require rinsing or wearing gloves.

Before using products, make sure that they are specifically approved for use on non-natural leather surfaces. Read the instructions first, as each of them has its own method of application, and some need to be rinsed off.

General tips and tricks

Caring for eco-leather furniture, although not easy, is worth it. The coating will have an attractive appearance that cannot be distinguished from real leather.

Follow these guidelines:

Do not cut off the dirt with a sharp object - this may lead to the formation of a hole.
Aggressive chemicals, even in small quantities, are prohibited.
It is better not to use a hairdryer and ice cubes - temperature changes will lead to damage to the integrity of the canvas.
If a stain appears, you need to remove it as quickly as possible before it gets stuck.

Expert opinion

Kokovin Dmitry Vasilievich

Furniture restorer

Furniture made from eco-leather in light colors is more whimsical, since over time it can darken and fade, and any dirt is clearly visible. Think before you make a purchase and evaluate its feasibility specifically for your home.

Name	Frequency	Sequencing
Baby liquid soap	1 time per month	Dissolve a teaspoon of soap in a glass of warm water until it foams. Moisten a soft cloth in soapy water, twist it well and walk over the entire surface. The cloth should be rinsed periodically in soapy water.
Water with lemon juice	Once every 2-3 months	For 1 liter of warm water you need to take 3 tablespoons of lemon juice. First, you should treat the armrests and headrests where there are visible areas of grease. Next, use a damp cloth to go over the remaining areas.
Water with ammonia	Once every 6 months as a preventive measure	You need to dissolve 4 tablespoons of ammonia in 1 liter of warm water, moisten a soft rag and walk over the entire sofa. If there are stains, you can linger on them and treat them several times
Special antibacterial wipes for leather furniture	Daily or as needed	Take the napkin out of the pack, unfold it and apply it to the recommended area. If there is a lot of furniture, then you need to use more than one napkin, but change them as they become dirty.