Mold is a type of fungus.
They are small organisms with colors such as black, white, orange, green, or purple.
Molds can live and grow almost anywhere. They grow in wet areas and produce spores that spread through the air.
This explains why they eventually spread all over your furniture.
Molds should be removed as they can cause you to have skin rash and sneezing.
In the context of your furniture, this should be dealt with as soon as possible. People with allergies and asthma are more likely to be affected by mold. [See Question 13 of the FAQ section.]
Another good reason to deal with molds is how awful they can make your furniture look.
Fortunately, you can deal with them using some of the recommended home-based solutions. Be sure to also read the FAQ section for more information.
This blog also discusses how to prevent mold growth. Remember, molds do not grow on your furniture-they can grow on walls, beds, and even in your boots.
Let’s read together How to Clean Mold off Leather Furniture.
NOTE: THESE SOLUTION WORK FOR FURNITURE WHOSE LEATHER IS MADE FROM “FINISHED LEATHER”. TO KNOW MORE ABOUT FINISHED LEATHER PLEASE SEE QUESTION 7 OF THE FAQ SECTION BELOW.
Take the leather furniture outside & stay safe when cleaning
Before you clean your leather furniture-try to take it outside to clean off the molds. As stated before, molds spread by air. So it is important to prevent mold from spreading one furniture to another.
Use a nylon brush to brush the leather furniture. Then use a vacuum cleaner to vacuum any particles from the mold.
I must stress the importance of cleaning outside because when cleaning with the solutions recommended below-the the molds will burst and spread their spores. So if these spores fall onto surrounding furniture, then that furniture will be infected with molds too.
If you do not get help to remove the furniture outside then remove any furniture close to the infected furniture until the leather furniture is all cleaned.
If you are allergic to molds and you have been prescribed any medicine then you may need to take them before you start cleaning.
Be sure to wear a mask and a pair of gloves when you are cleaning molds.
Clean molds off leather furniture using dish soap
- In a bowl of warm water, pour some dish soap, and mix it well.
- Dip a dishwashing sponge into the mixture and squeeze off excess liquid.
- Scrub gently in a circular motion over the surface of the leather furniture where the mold is thriving.
- Dip the sponge into the soap solution when needed but make sure to squeeze out excess water before rubbing.
- Clean the whole furniture to prevent the molds from spreading or thriving again.
- When you are done use a damp cloth to clean the soap.
- Next, use a dry cloth to dry any moisture from the water.
- Let the leather furniture dry. (I like to dry my leather furniture items under the sun but not for too long.)
- Use a LEATHER CLEANER to clean the furniture [see Question 3 of the FAQ section.]
- Now Apply a LEATHER CONDITIONER to restore the moisture. [see Question 3 of the FAQ section.]
Important note
- Use a dish soap that is mild and not too strong.
- Test a section of the leather furniture before cleaning the mold to test if the dish soap is safe to use on the leather. If there is no reaction then you can start cleaning.
Vinegar can remove mold from leather furniture
The vinegar water mix is best since it neutralizes mold and fungus spores.
- In a bowl, mix 50/50 amounts of water, and vinegar, and mix it well.
- Dip a cloth into the mixture and squeeze off excess liquid.
- Scrub gently in a circular motion over the surface of the leather furniture where the mold is thriving.
- Dip the cloth into the vinegar solution when needed but make sure to squeeze out excess water before rubbing.
- Use a new piece of cloth to clean a different section of the sofa. This will prevent the mold from spreading. Clean the whole furniture to prevent the molds from spreading or thriving again.
- When you are done use a damp cloth to clean your furniture.
- Use a dry cloth to dry any moisture from the water.
- Let the leather furniture dry. (I like to dry my leather furniture items under the sun but not for too long.)
- Use a LEATHER CLEANER to clean the furniture [see question 3 of the FAQ section.]
- Now Apply a LEATHER CONDITIONER to restore the moisture.
Important Note
- Test a section of the leather furniture before cleaning the mold to test if the dish soap is safe to use on the leather. If there is no reaction then you can start cleaning.
How to clean mold off leather furniture & maintain it
Leather furniture MUST be maintained if you want them to last long. Here are some tips to make your leather furniture last long. You should:
- Keep your leather furniture away from direct sunlight. Sunlight can dry leather leading to discoloration cracking.
- Keep leather furniture away from sharp objects.
- Get a professional to clean complex issues such as dark stains and heavy molds that are too difficult to clean on your own.
- Instantly address any stains or spills on your leather furniture to minimize the chances of damage. Bolt the stain as fast as possible with a leather furniture cleaner. Avoid wiping it or it will spread.
FAQ
Question 1: How often should I clean my leather furniture?
Answer: It is a good idea to clean your leather furniture every three months. Personally, I like to clean my leather furniture at least twice a year, and that works well for me.
Question 2: Why do I have to use a leather cleaner and leather conditioner after I remove the molds? What will happen if I do not use them?
Answer: Leather is just like your skin. Your skin needs to be washed with soap-but after you have dried your skin, you need to use a moisturizer to keep your skin soft and smooth. That way your skin looks young and fresh.
Similarly, soaps for furniture leathers are called leather conditioners. They keep the leather clean.
In the case of moisturizing, leather moisturizers are called leather conditioners.
The water/vinegar mix and the dish soap mixture used above will kill the mold/spores but won’t clean and preserve the leather. You will need to use a leather cleaner to keep the mold and fungus from coming back. And leather conditioners can keep leather furniture moisturized.
Question 3: What products did you use to clean and condition the leather ?
Answer: For cleaning, I have been using Leather Master Soft Cleaner for years. In the case of conditioning furniture leather, I like to use Leather Master 1 Liter Leather Protection Cream.
If you want to use a solution that does cleaning and conditioning at the same time then you can use TriNova Leather Conditioner and Cleaner.
It not only cleans your leather furniture but also conditions your leather furniture at the same time. Therefore, time is saved in treating leather furniture.
Question 4: Will the water and vinegar mixture preserve the leather?
Answer: The water/vinegar mix will kill the mold/spores but won’t CLEAN and PRESERVE the leather. You will need to clean the leather to keep the mold and fungus from coming back.
Use a leather cleaner for furniture such as Leather Master Soft Cleaner. It is one of many factors to prevent molds from growing back.
After you finish cleaning, you should always use a leather conditioner to preserve the leather longer. If you are searching for How to Clean Mold off Leather Furniture without any hassle, then you can use Leather Master 1 Liter Leather Protection Cream.
Question 5: I cannot take my furniture out to dry. How can I dry my leather furniture at home?
Answer: Open the windows to let air in. If you have a ceiling fan around the house then switch them on to allow more air to circulate.
If you cannot take your leather furniture outside in a well-ventilated area then use a dry cloth to dry your leather furniture.
Never use hair dryers as they can dehydrate the leather.
Question 6: What type of leather will this solution work on?
Answer: This article is for furniture whose leather is made from finished leather.
Question 7: What is finished leather?
Answer: Finished leather has a protected coating that has color. Most leather furniture is made of finished leather.
This blog addresses the removal of molds involving furniture that is made with finished leather. If you are not sure what type of leather your furniture is made of then you can look for the following features:
- It is easier to clean.
- If water is poured onto finished leather-it does not soak in the water(i.e it resists liquids).
- It does not easily stain.
- It has a colored coating not normally found in regular leather.
- The leather has a very protective coating that keeps it moisturized.
- By purchasing finished leather you don’t need to find ways How to Clean Mold off Leather Furniture.
Question 8: Can I use saddle soap for cleaning my leather furniture?
Answer: It is NOT recommended to use saddle soap on leather furniture as it can eventually damage the leather after a period of time.
Question 9: Is it a good idea to use baking soda to remove molds?
Answer: NEVER DO THIS. Baking soda has a pH of 9, whereas leather has a pH of 4.5.
A ph of 9 means baking soda is highly reactive. So it means the leather will deteriorate faster. The leather will also gradually rot under the leather as the backing soda will be absorbed by the leather.
Not only that, but the color will also start to come off and the leather will crack. You can not reverse this as the baking soda is now inside the leather and will now continue to rot forever.
The rotting will be slow but due to the high pH level of baking soda, the leather furniture will eventually be destroyed.
If you do not understand then let me make this more simple, every drop of baking soda water that gets in is as destructive to your leather as hydrochloric acid would be to a tomato. If you ever poured hydrochloric acid onto a piece of tomato then the tomato would be dissolved due to the high acidic reaction.
Question 10: What kind of chemical should I avoid to clean and removing molds for leather furniture ?
Answer: The following items are commonly used to clean and kill germs on household items. However, you must NEVER use them for cleaning leather furniture. These chemicals raise the chances of damaging leather furniture:
- Rubbing alcohol
- Ammonia
- Detergents
- Acetone
These chemicals would do a great job to remove mold on your leather furniture but they would damage the leather of your furniture and discolor it. The chemicals may also react to the leather and destroy the leather texture.
Question 11: Why wear gloves and a face mask for cleaning molds on leather furniture?
Answer: The gloves and face mask is not to protect you from the vinegar or dish soap but to protect you from the mold spores. When dealing with any type of fungus or mold you should protect your skin, lungs, and eyes (I wear glasses) when you are disturbing it or killing it.
Question 12: Why is it recommended to clean furniture Leathers with molds outside?
Answer: Mold spores spread easily so try to do this outdoors so you don’t spread the spores of the mold that bursts when cleaning molds.
Question 13: Who is likely to be affected by molds?
Answer:
- Patients with a low immune system due to HIV, liver or lung disease, and those with chemotherapy.
- Patient has chronic lung diseases.
- The elderly.
- Infants and children.
- People with mold allergies and asthma.
Question 14: How is conditioner applied to furniture?
To apply conditioner onto leather, grab a soft piece of cloth. Apply the conditioner onto the cloth.
Now apply this to the furniture in a circular motion all over the leather.
Apply more conditioner onto the cloth if you need more.
Wrapping up
Removing molds is not the end, maintaining your leather furniture is a must if you want them to last longer.
There are 3 steps to ensure your leather furniture lasts long: cleaning, conditioning, and maintenance.
Leather furniture is expensive and requires maintenance but the best thing is the sophisticated look and feels they give to transform the environment of your house.
Try to stick to leather furniture that is made from Finished Leather. This category of leather furniture is likely to last longer and they are easier to clean with the solutions mentioned above. And, most importantly you don’t have to search “How to Clean Mold off Leather Furniture” anymore.
If you feel any problems, let us know in the comment below. We are always there to help you.
There is a buying guide for pet friendly furniture for you. Take a sneak peek tour.