Cleaning a leather sofa doesn’t always require an expensive cleaning product. Sometimes, the items we already have in the home work just as well! One of those items is Fairy Liquid – one of the UK’s most well-known washing up liquids. Keep reading to find out how to clean a leather sofa with Fairy Liquid, in more ways than one!
What can Fairy Liquid be used for?
Before we look at how to use Fairy Liquid to clean a leather sofa, let’s see what problems it can be used for in the first place! Fairy Liquid is a great money-saver for leather sofa owners, but when is it time to invest in something a little stronger? Check out our list below to see if the washing-up liquid can be used for your problem.
- Small spills – Fairy Liquid is perfect for cleaning up small spills and stopping them from getting sticky. Most foods and drinks can easily be wiped away with a Fairy Liquid solution, and the best thing is that it will kill any bacteria that has landed on the sofa as a result.
- Stains that haven’t settled yet – If you’ve spilt a staining agent on your leather sofa, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to lift it with Fairy Liquid before it settles into the fabric.
- Freshening up a leather sofa – Fairy Liquid has the advantage of coming in several different scents to suit your preferences whilst washing the dishes. This also benefits those of us looking to clean our leather sofas, as the varieties can be used as different fragrances. We personally love the lemon-scented Fairy Liquid to freshen our leather sofas and rooms up, as the scent lingers for several days.
- To remove dog smell – Those of you with furry friends will know that the infamous ‘dog smell’ can imbed itself in a leather sofa. Not to worry though, Fairy Liquid does a very good job of neutralising doggy odours! Use Fairy Liquid as part of your regular cleaning routine (or just for when guests visit!) to keep the odours at bay.
Make sure to keep reading for some more home remedies that can be used to remove tougher stains and marks from your leather sofa!
How to clean a leather sofa with Fairy Liquid
Now you know that Fairy Liquid is suitable, it’s time to get cleaning your leather sofa! Read our easy guides below to find the method that’s right for you.
Before you start…
Before you make a start of cleaning your leather sofa, we recommend testing your Fairy Liquid solution on an inconspicuous area.
Testing the Fairy Liquid will make sure that it doesn’t react negatively with the leather. It’s better to find out if it does on an area of the sofa you can’t see rather than in an obvious place!
Mix a small drop of your chosen Fairy Liquid (one part) with lukewarm water (five parts) until it forms a liquid solution. Using a cloth, dab a small amount of this solution onto a patch of leather that isn’t easily visible. This can be underneath a cushion, behind one of the legs, or on the underside of the sofa.
Leave the solution on for a few minutes and then wipe it off. Leave the area for 24 hours to see if it has any negative impact on the leather, such as altering the colour or making it flake.
It’s very unlikely that it will alter the leather, but it’s worth being sure before you start covering your entire sofa! We recommend testing it out not long after getting your leather sofa, so you can act quickly if a spill occurs in the future.
How to clean stains and spills on a leather sofa with Fairy Liquid
If you are cleaning a small stain or spill, it’s important to get to it fast to stop it from settling into the material.
Start by using a clean, dry cloth to remove as much of the spill as possible. Try to dab it away rather than wipe it to prevent it from embedding into the material. Also, try your best to not allow the affected area to get any bigger during your initial clean.
Mix one part Fairy Liquid with five parts lukewarm water until it forms a soapy solution. Then use a softened, lint-free, white cloth to gently dab the affected area with the solution. Don’t rub it in too much, and don’t allow the area to get too wet.
Leave it for up to 10 minutes before wiping the area dry.
How to freshen up and remove odours from a leather sofa with Fairy Liquid
If you are simply looking to freshen up your sofa and remove unwanted odours, you will need a more watered down solution of Fairy Liquid.
Mix one part Fairy Liquid with 5-7 parts lukewarm water. Remember to make plenty of the solution, as you need to cover a large area of your sofa.
Top tip: Put this solution in a spray bottle! It will make it much easier to cover your leather sofa. Spray bottles can be bought from most supermarkets, or you can reuse one from an old cleaning product – make sure no traces of the old cleaning product remain though!
Lightly cover the leather sofa in the solution and leave it for 5-10 minutes before wiping it away with a dry, lint-free cloth.
Other home remedies for cleaning a leather sofa
Is Fairy Liquid not cut out for the stain you have on your leather sofa? We’ve listed some more of our favourite home remedies to try and save you some money. Make sure to test them all out on an inconspicuous part of your sofa before tackling the affected area!
- Ice cubes – Can be used to remove sticky substances such as chewing gum and nail polish. Put ice cubes in a zip-lock bag and hold them against the stain to freeze it. Once frozen, you should be able to gently pry the substance away with a knife.
- WD-40 – Ideal for sticky and waxy stains such as make-up. Spray some onto a clean, white cloth and blot the stain. Use small strokes with a light pressure to work the WD-40 into the fabric and help to lift it. Once done, remove the WD-40 from the leather with Fairy-Liquid. WD-40 is highly flammable so it’s important to make sure it is completely removed from your sofa.
- Vinegar – Vinegar is a firm favourite within the cleaning community as it is a natural stain remover. Be careful though, vinegar can remove some of the colours out of a leather sofa, depending on how it has been treated.
- Rubbing Alcohol – Rubbing alcohol is the best stain remover you can buy without actually buying a specialised leather cleaner. It can remove the toughest stains, including ink and marks that seem to have been there for years. Isopropyl and ethanol can be bought online or in a pharmacy. Once again, make sure you properly clean it off of your sofa once finished, as alcohol is highly flammable.
If home remedies are not working for you, there are many leather sofa cleaners available to suit your needs. Check out our list of recommendations for the best leather sofa cleaners here!
In summary
So, Fairy Liquid is a great cleaning agent to be used on leather sofas – just make sure to patch-test your solution on a hidden area before going all out!