So, you’ve invested in some gorgeous leather furniture, and now you’re wondering how to keep it looking as fabulous as the day you bought it. Trust me, you’re not alone. Leather furniture adds a touch of elegance and comfort to any room, but it also comes with its own set of care requirements. Unlike fabric sofas that you can just toss a slipcover on and forget about, leather needs a little extra TLC to maintain its beauty.
But don’t stress! Taking care of leather furniture isn’t as daunting as it sounds. In fact, with just a few simple tips and tricks, you can ensure your leather pieces age like a fine wine—getting better with time rather than wearing out. So grab a cup of coffee, and let’s dive into the nitty-gritty of leather furniture care. You’ll be a pro in no time!
Why do you have to look after leather furniture?
Without the proper care, leather furniture can become stained, worn and may even crack. Like any furniture, leather can and will have things spilled on it, and over time people tend to make mistakes here and there when it comes to how careful they are around leather upholstery. Leather furniture also relies heavily on being well moisturized. This is what makes it flexible, soft and supple. As they age, however, pieces of leather furniture will lose their natural moisture and this can lead to the fabric tightening, resulting in cracks.
Discoloration, cracking and staining can all be avoided with proper leather care. You just need to know your way around leather cleaner, leather conditioner and make sure you make time in your schedule to give your leather upholstery the love it deserves.
What can you do to look after your leather upholstery?
In order to protect your leather furniture, there are a few things that you should do. They include:
- Regularly clean leather furniture
- Regularly use leather conditioner on your leather upholstery
- Avoid contact with oily substances
- Try to keep pets with sharp claws away from your leather sofa
- Keep leather away from fire
- Keep leather away from the air conditioning unit
- Keep leather away from constant direct sunlight
How to clean leather furniture
No one wants a house with bad odors, so from time to time you need to give your furniture a clean which can rub away some of the leather protection. If cleaning your leather furniture isn’t something you’ve thought about doing in the past, you might be wondering exactly how you’re supposed to clean leather. Do you do it with a dry cloth? Do you baby wipe it? Here’s what you need to know.
Determine what type of leather furniture you have
Before you start to clean leather furniture, you need to know what type of leather you have. There are a few different types of leather upholstery:
- Protected leather
- Unprotected leather
- Faux leather
- Suede
Each different type of leather furniture will need to be cleaned in a different way. Unprotected leather needs to have great care taken with it, regardless of whether you’re just giving it a dust or trying to remove stains. Protected leather is much safer to clean, which is why it is often chosen over its alternative. Suede is arguably even more delicate than unprotected leather. Faux leather, however, is usually pretty easy to clean as it’s just plastic.
How to clean unprotected leather
Leather furniture that does not have any coating should be cleaned carefully. You should blot any spillages as quickly as possible and use a clean dry cloth to clean the fabric. If you need to do more than that, you should ask the company you purchased the leather from to advise you.
How to clean protected leather
Protected leather furniture can be cleaned pretty easily. You will need:
- Saddle soap
- Water
- Leather conditioner
- Leather cream
- Soft cloth or microfiber cloth
- Cotton swabs
1. Clean the leather upholstery
Before anything, dust off or carefully hoover your leather sofa using a soft brush attachment. This will remove any debris. You can use cotton swabs to reach small sections and crannies to remove crumbs, dirt and dust.
You should then start with simply soap and water to your leather. Use warm soapy water to wipe away any stain that may be forming. You may want to use a leather specialist soap like saddle soap for practical reasons. Dip a clean cloth into the water and use it carefully on the leather.
2. Dry the leather upholstery
Once wet, you will need to dry the leather quickly and thoroughly. You should dry your leather upholstery with another clean and dry cloth to avoid leaving too much moisture. Leather is supposed to be moist, but too much moisture can be detrimental. Moisture provides the perfect environment for mold and mildew to grow, which can be harmful to the leather.
3. Apply leather conditioner to the leather furniture
Now that you’ve taken the moisture away, it’s time to add controlled moisture back to the leather. You can do this using a leather conditioner or cream. You can apply this using a clean cloth (a microfiber cloth will work well). Apply to the leather and let it sink in, and then buff using the cloth to make it shine.
What not to do when cleaning your leather upholstery
Professional cleaning company The Sparkle Gang says that you need to make sure you don’t use the wrong items when cleaning and conditioning your leather. What you use as a leather cleaner can affect how well your cleaning works. If you use the wrong thing, you could damage your leather. Generally, you should avoid anything wet or water-based. You want a leather cleaner that you spread to keep your leather furniture clean, not something you pour.
How often do you need to clean your leather sofa?
You should dust down or vacuum your leather couch and leather furniture at least once every couple of weeks. You should wipe down the leather furniture once a month or so, too. Clean leather is happy leather!
How often do you need to use leather conditioner on your leather furniture?
You do not need to condition leather as often as you need to clean leather. You can use leather conditioner on furniture as little as once a year and it will still benefit the furniture. Once every couple of months will be plenty to keep your leather furniture looking fantastic.