Banish Stains From Leather Sofas With An Ingredient From Your Kitchen

It's Friday night, you're bone tired, and you just want to binge that new show on Netflix. So, you change into your pajamas, order some delicious pepperoni and a soda, and plop down on your sumptuous leather sofa before hitting play. One moment, you're eating and enjoying the show. The next thing you know, part of your pizza landed on the sofa, and you're now frantically looking for a cleaner to freshen up leather furniture. If left untreated, the oil will permeate the surface and leave permanent stains. But don't panic. Simply walk into your kitchen and grab some cornstarch from the pantry to remove the unsightly, greasy stain.

Besides cooking, cornstarch has multiple uses around the house. It's an organically abrasive, yet gentle, powder with absorbent properties. Generously applying this on the grease stain will allow it to soak up the oil and accompanying smell from your sofa. However, before you sprinkle cornstarch, it's necessary to blot (don't rub, or you risk spreading the stain) as much of the grease as possible using a clean microfiber cloth.

Before you apply cornstarch on the stain, check the manufacturer's instructions and test in an inconspicuous area first to avoid damaging your leather sofa in the process. If the spot test is successful, cover the stain with a generous amount of cornstarch. Now, let the powder work its magic and leave it undisturbed for a couple of hours or overnight. Exercise patience, and don't rub the powder into the stain, or it'll worsen things.

After the time is up, use a clean microfiber cloth (a gentle brush works, too) to wipe the powder away from the stain. The stain should most likely be gone by now. However, if the stain is particularly stubborn and doesn't get lifted in one attempt, cover the stain again with cornstarch and rub the stain very gently with your fingers. The resultant heat will help draw out the remaining stain. Remember, if the stain has had time to set in, it'll take a couple of attempts to remove it completely. Once the stain is gone, apply a leather conditioner on the sofa, as the powder will dry out the surface. In case you don't have cornstarch handy and can't get it immediately, substitute it with talcum powder.