Many customers ask about the best way to take care of leather furniture. It’s understandable, because leather furniture is an investment, and it takes effort to keep it in prime condition. Fortunately, upkeep is easy once you receive the right tips. Here’s a look at how to take care of leather furniture:
- Avoid leather products: This tip sounds counterintuitive, but oil soap and saddle soap are not made for leather furniture. Those products work best on horse tack and baseball mitts. They stain leather furniture because it has a softer, more porous surface. Only use products made specifically for leather furniture, rather than a general leather-cleaning product. Your home furniture retailer can recommend one. You can also find products at higher-end furniture stores and leather furniture manufacturers.
- Never use soap: Even the mildest soaps and detergents dry out leather furniture. The same mild soap that keeps our hands soft will not treat leather furniture nicely. Our skin replaces oils washed off with soap, but being dead, leather does not have the same ability. Soap leaves leather furniture cracked and brittle. Find a cleaner specifically for leather furniture, and add conditioners to keep the leather pliable.
- Avoid direct sunlight: Leather furniture does not deal with extremes well. If you leave leather furniture in direct sunlight, it will crack and flake. It needs the same temperatures you do to maintain its appearance. If you are too hot or cold, your leather couch is too! So, keep it away from drafts or areas where temperatures fluctuate dramatically. You also want to avoid placing it next to a heater or air conditioning vent.
- Wipe spills carefully: Use a terry cloth or paper towels to wipe spills. If the spilled substance is greasy or oily, apply talcum powder or baking soda to it first. It will absorb the grease and oil and make it easier to clean up. If there are stains, use a leather furniture product to clean them. Do not get desperate and use household products. As indicated earlier, those products will dry and damage the leather. If you cannot remove a stain, hire a professional cleaner to address it.
- Apply leather protector: Ask your furniture retailer if they can apply a protectant before you take the furniture home. This product keeps your furniture safe from spills and stains, and adds protection from sunlight, dust and other corrosive household conditions. If you buy used furniture, arrange for professional cleaning and ask them to apply the protectant. If you decide to attempt this as a do-it-yourself project, products are available online or in furniture or hardware stores. Once you add a protectant, your only furniture maintenance includes dusting and sometimes wiping down the furniture with a barely damp cloth.
Orangeburg Furniture Exchange can help you find the best ways to take care of your leather furniture. We offer a generous inventory of dining, living and bedroom furniture, including leather furniture pieces . If you buy from us, we will also share how to take care of your new leather furniture so your purchase never loses its luster. Visit us today to see what we can offer your home!