From the minute you get back from the leather furniture store, you should have an idea of what you need to do to maintain the finish on your new acquisitions. Victoria Advocate mentions that leather sofas are more durable than fabric couches, lasting up to four times longer on average. However, this longevity depends on how well you take care of your leather furniture. Unlike fabric, leather requires maintenance if it is to retain its look and feel. In this article, we’ll examine the crucial factors in leather furniture care.
Most Importantly – Avoid DIY Concoctions
One of the most massive faux pas that leather furniture owners fall prey to is to think that a homemade remedy could help them get their leather surfaces clean. There are numerous homemade remedies for cleaning leather, some of which rely on condiments that are best left in salad dressing, not on a sofa. Avoid using harsh chemicals like hair-care products or industrial cleaning solutions like Pine-Sol to clean your leather furniture. You’ll lead to degradation and deterioration instead of keeping it soft and supple. Tanneries usually endorse certain products for use with their leather, and you should keep an eye on their suggestions. They typically know what they’re talking about.
Cleaning Apparatus
Before you start cleaning your leather furniture, you’ll need to have these tools at hand:
Ø Vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment
Ø Distilled water
Ø Tarp, or oiled canvas/dropcloth
Ø Mild dish soap or neutral pH cleaning solution. Ideally, a commercial leather cleaning solution would work instead.
Cleaning Unprotected Leather Surfaces
Unprotected leather tends to be expensive and is easily recognized by the natural surface grains and markings. If you use harsh chemicals on unprotected leather, you can cause damage to the surface. Some experts advise that to clean unprotected leather, all you should do is dust the surface with a light cloth. Vacuuming regularly with a brush attachment is also a viable method of keeping your unprotected leather surfaces clean. If you decide to wipe the surface clean, use a light cloth and pH neutral solutions to not distress the finish. These surfaces are very easy to score or mark, so you need to take great care when working with them.
Protected Leather Surface Cleaning
Protected or finished leather is what most home furniture uses. Atop the regular leather surface is a pigment coating that provides some layer of protection against the elements. Even so, chemicals like ammonia or alkalis can damage this top coating and seep through to the leather underneath, distressing it as well. Try to avoid detergents, saddle soap, furniture polishes, or anything that would roughly rub the surface.
Taking Care of Your Furniture Keeps It Around for Longer
When you buy leather furniture, you’re making an investment that you want to ensure lasts for as long as possible. The only way to see this happen is to take care of your leather furniture. Cleaning leather furniture isn’t a challenging process, but it can be time-consuming, especially if you want to get into all the crevices of the piece. It’s well worth the time to do so since your leather furniture will remain supple and beautiful for years to come because you devote the time to cleaning it.
