Care and maintenance of leather furniture

June 19, 2014

Leather furniture, it can be a beautiful addition to any home for a long time when it is properly cared for. Even as it ages, with the right maintenance, it seems to grow more attractive. However, some people are under the impression that leather furniture is tedious and even difficult to care for.

As the following steps will show, not only is leather furniture easy to care for, but it oftentimes outlasts fabric furniture due to its inability to immediately stain or soak up spills.

  1. Wipe the leather with a dry, lent free and clean cloth
  2. Vacuum any dust and debris that may be left behind
  3. Use leather conditioner on a regular basis
  4. Use a dry cloth to immediately remove spills
  5. Never soak you leather furniture in soap or water.
  6. If it is not made to be used on leather, don’t.
  7. Use a microfiber cloth to buff out scratches
  8. Always follow directions
  9. Keep your leather furniture out of sunlight

While some people think it is not something that would do well in their home with pets or a kid, the opposite is actually true. Leather furniture is easier to be cleaned than material would be. Spills and pet hairs wipe right off. Imagine red punch leaking from a sippy cup onto your sofa, would you want to clean that off of material when it wipes right away, or on material where it soaks right in?

If you know what to do to care for leather it just makes good sense to own it. The basic care needed for leather is posted in the steps above. Even more basic that that is between cleanings it only needs to be wiped with a dry cloth.

Sure, if your baby was eating crackers or it is time to clean a little deeper, then a quick vacuum following the dry cloth will be sufficient. If it is looking dull, then go ahead and condition the leather.

This will make a very noticeable difference in your leather furniture, and there are no special requirements to get that beautiful shine right back. Again, the care is actually very easy. It is even minimal when compared to the alternative. Plus, conditioning will prevent the leather from becoming cracked. It can be purchased in many home goods stores and auto stores. Follow the directions that come with the product.

Accidents happen, and though you can get spills off leather without causing damage faster than you can off fabric, spills still need to be removed immediately. Absorb as much as possible with a dry cloth or absorbing as much of the spill as possible before proceeding with the normal cleaning process. Use as little water as possible, and only if needed, if needed, on the stain.

It is only common sense that if it is not made for leather then you probably should not use it. Look, if you try something that is not made for leather, it may make the furniture look outstanding, but it could be causing irreparable damages that you cannot see right away. Simply put, do not use anything not meant for leather.