There is nothing in the world like the look and feel of leather furniture in your home or office. Even one piece of furniture made of leather can add warmth, beauty and sophistication to any room in your home. But is leather hard to maintain?
As tough as it may seem, you need to protect such a beautiful asset for as long as possible. As with any piece of furniture that you own, you will want to clean up spills as quickly as possible, vacuum and dust and do a couple of extra steps from time to time. In addition to vacuuming and dusting, wipe off your leather furniture weekly with a clean and dry lint-free cloth.
Cleaning cloths made of microfiber are ideal for this task. If necessary, lightly dampen the cloth with some distilled water. You only need a very small amount of water to do this. Avoid using a scrub brush or abrasive pad that can mark or damage the leather.
Things to Avoid with Leather Furniture
- Never use common household cleaners and chemicals on your precious leather furniture. Many of these can dry out the leather or ruin it on contact by staining or removing the finish completely. Use only cleaners and conditioners on your furniture that are specifically formulated for leather.
Also, keep these tips in mind
- Sunlight, even shining through a glass window can fade and even damage leather furniture over the long term.
- Don’t place leather furniture near heaters, fireplaces or air conditioners. Each of these pulls moisture out of the air and can dry out the leather much in the same way that they can dry out your own skin. Getting into the practice of regularly conditioning your leather furniture is a good idea. Most furniture dealers will carry products that are specifically designed for furniture.
- Never cover your leather furniture with plastic. If you need to place it in storage for a period of time, place your leather furniture on a wooden pallet to protect it then cover it with a sheet over it to keep the dust and debris off. Also, do not place any heavy objects on top of your leather furniture while in storage in order to avoid permanently marking the leather.
Repairing Damage to Your Leather Furniture
Even with the best of care, accidents can happen. It is possible to repair leather that has become torn, scratched or faded.
There are leather repair kits and recoloring kits that are readily available on the market that can be used, There are also many articles and websites online that also offer advice on how to repair leather furniture. These can serve as a temporary fix and you may not get the kind of results you are looking for.
A better option when you do need to make such repairs is to consult with a furniture restoring and refinishing expert who can help you make your leather furniture look like new once again.