Can You Use Heat or Hot Water on a Leather Sofa?

Leather is skin. It has been tanned and finished to make it last, but it still behaves like skin. It needs a little moisture to stay soft, and it does not cope well with heat or with being soaked. That is why the methods that work on a fabric sofa can do real damage to a leather one.

What heat and water do to leather

Leather holds natural oils that keep it soft and flexible. Heat draws them out. Hot water does the same and can also soak into the leather. As it dries, the leather can:

• go stiff and feel dry to the touch
• shrink or pucker, especially along seams and stitching
• crack, often on the seats and arms where it bends the most
• mark, leaving rings and dark patches where it got wet
• lose its finish, so it looks patchy or dull

Most of this cannot be cleaned away afterwards. Once leather has cracked or its finish has lifted, it needs a repair, not a clean.

Some leather is more at risk

Not all leather is the same. Most leather sofas have a protective coating on top, which copes better with everyday life. Some leathers have little or no coating. They feel very soft and natural, and they soak up water and mark easily. Suede and nubuck are softer again and mark with almost anything.

Not sure what yours is? Put one drop of water on a hidden spot. If it sits on top, the leather has a coating. If it soaks in and darkens the leather, treat the whole sofa with extra care.

Everyday things that do the same damage

You do not need a cleaning machine to dry leather out. Common causes are:

• a sofa against a radiator or in front of a fire
• strong sunlight through a window, which fades the colour too
• baby wipes, washing up liquid and household sprays, which can strip the finish
• spills scrubbed hard with a wet cloth

What to do about a spill

• Blot it straight away with a clean, dry cloth. Do not rub.
• For a sticky spill, use a cloth that is barely damp, then dry the area.
• Let it dry naturally. Never use a hairdryer or put a heater near it.
• If it leaves a mark, stop there and ask for advice before trying anything stronger.

How leather should be cleaned

Leather should be cleaned with a specialist leather cleaner and then conditioned. The cleaner lifts the body oils, dirt and grime that build up on the seats, arms and headrests. The conditioner puts back the moisture, so the leather keeps its texture, colour and strength.

That is how we clean leather suites. We check the leather first, clean it gently, and condition it so it stays soft. You can see a real before and after of a leather sofa here.

Keeping leather soft between cleans

• Keep it out of direct sunlight and away from radiators and fires.
• Dust it with a soft, dry cloth every week or two.
• Wipe up spills as soon as they happen.
• Use a conditioner made for leather now and then, following the maker's instructions.

The short answer

No. Heat and hot water dry leather out and can crack, shrink and mark it. Keep it cool, keep it dry, and clean it with products made for leather. If your suite needs a proper clean, have a look at our sofa and leather cleaning or send us a photo on WhatsApp for a price.