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Cindy asked: How do I clean an oil spill on a leather sofa? I have spilled an oil-based air freshener on my daughter’s leather sofa. The run appears to be showing lighter than the rest of the cushion, and it feels sticky. I washed it with a mild dish soap, Dawn, and a bit of water. What else can I do?
Leather is an absorbent material that does not mix well with oil spills. Once the oils are absorbed by the leather, it will require a degreaser to pull the oil back out so it can be removed. Although there are some home remedies, it’s best to choose a quality cleaning product to protect the leather and get the stain removed.
You Will Need:
- Leather Master Leather Degreaser
- Paper
- Scissors
- Vacuum
Steps to Remove the Oil:
- This degreaser is designed to absorb the oil and turn it into a powder form that can be vacuumed away. While it may take several applications for an oil spill, it is a quality product with good reviews.
- Protect the areas around the stain by cutting a hole, the same size as the stain, in a sheet of paper.
- Lay the paper over the stained area to expose the oil spill.
- Spray the degreaser onto the stain.
- Allow it to dry. It will whiten (or dry yellow if there’s lots of oil present) as it dries.
- Once completely dry, vacuum the powder away.
- Repeat until the powder dries white, or mostly white, and the oil has been removed from the leather.
Additional Tips and Advice
- Though quality leather products are often best, some have had success with absorbent powders such as talc powder or corn starch to absorb the oil. Use the same steps as above, allowing it to dry before vacuuming it away. Repeat the applications until the oil stain is removed.
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