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Mark asked: How can I clean an “accident” from a leather sofa. One of my nephews was visiting recently and had an accident while sleeping on my couch. I thought I had cleaned it up sufficiently, but it was at night and given the darker color of the leather, I couldn’t see really well. The next morning, I could tell I hadn’t cleaned it well and now it’s a set in stain. Any ideas?
Whether 
it’s a small child or a pet, cleaning up “accidents” from a leather furniture piece can be a real chore. In most cases, these stains can be treated like other stains found on leather and treated with either a leather cleaner or leather stain remover. If you only have a lingering odor and luckily avoided a stain, the steps below will remove the odor as well.
You Will Need:
- Foaming leather cleaner (for pigment coated leather)
- Enzyme cleaner such as Em Clean (for pigment coated or aniline leather)
- Rubber or latex gloves
- Water
- Soft cloths or sponges
Steps to Remove the Stain:
- Apply the cleaning product following the manufacturer’s instructions.
- In most cases the cleaner will be applied to a dry surface and gently worked in with a soft cloth or sponge.
- Remove as much of the cleaner as possible by blotting with a clean cloth.
- Allow the area to dry completely.
Additional Tips and Ideas
- For additional stain removal tips, see our page How to Clean Leather Furniture.
- If the stain persists, it may be necessary to contact a professional cleaner who is experienced with cleaning leather upholstery.
How about the smell that lingers even after cleaning?
Al,
Try the methods in the guide How to Remove Cigarette Smell from Leather. Those products are natural deodorizers that can work on odors. The Em Clean is an enzyme product, which should also work to remove odors.