Leather furniture is something special. Not only do they look elegant and noble, they also turn into absolutely unique pieces over the years, because each piece is used differently and therefore takes on its own unique colour. In order to maintain this unique beauty, you have to take care of your leather furniture. This article will show you how to do that while avoiding stains and damage. To see patterned wallpaper, please check necessaryhome.
Important: Clean leather furniture first, then care for it
The new genuine leather sofa has become dirty? Then you should act immediately. To clean, apply a mild leather cleaner to a sponge or cloth. Then rub it gently over the soiled area and the dirt will be picked up by the cloth or sponge. By the way: If the entire leather furniture has to be cleaned, you should vacuum it thoroughly beforehand so that any crumbs that are present do not cause any damage.
If the dirt is more stubborn, we recommend using a stronger cleaner to clean your leather furniture – in combination with a soft brush. Ideally, you should first test such a cleaner on an inconspicuous area of the piece of furniture. Make sure that the cleaner is also suitable for your type of leather: A distinction is sometimes made between care products for smooth leather and those for suede leather.
You can regularly clean the surface of older sofas or stools with a vacuum cleaner or a soft brush. If the coarser dirt has been removed in this way, it is advisable to apply a cleaner. You should work your way up slowly, i.e. always clean small areas and absorb the dirt immediately instead of generously lathering the whole sofa first.
Care for the leather furniture after cleaning
Treating leather properly is different than caring for upholstered furniture . Because while upholstered furniture needs care precisely when particular damage or soiling has occurred, leather instead becomes dry and cracked all by itself over time. That’s why you should care for your leather furniture about twice a year, regardless of soiling – for example with leather oil or leather milk. If the leather is particularly light, we also recommend that you use sealants for the first three years. This counteracts the staining of clothing on the leather. Here, too, make sure that the leather care is suitable for your type of leather: If you want to care for black leather furniture, you may need different products than for treating white leather.
When is it time to take care of the leather furniture? The impression test will tell you!
You are not sure whether your leather furniture already needs care? Just press your finger into the leather. If there are no wrinkles, the care is not yet necessary. However, if wrinkles form and the leather returns to its original state only slowly and irregularly, this is a sign that the leather is too dry. Now you should definitely take care of your leather furniture, otherwise cracks could soon form. By the way, it is best to set up your leather sofa in such a way that it is not exposed to direct sunlight. This also helps to extend the life of the leather.
Pro Tips: Repair damage and touch up paint
Is the leather already brittle and cracked? Then you should take care of your leather furniture by sparingly applying some leather grease with a cloth or sponge. The fat should then soak in for up to two days. You can remove the excess fat with a dry cloth. Caution: You should not touch the leather during the exposure time, otherwise there will be grease stains!
When cleaning and maintaining your leather furniture is no longer enough to bring it back to a presentable condition, it’s time to refresh the color. It is important to first degrease the material after cleaning. You can use cleaning spirit for this. Also take a close look at the material: If it shows major damage, tears or holes, these should be treated beforehand. You can smooth out the imperfections with fine leather sandpaper. The breaks should then be closed with liquid leather.
Attention: People keep coming up with the idea of maintaining brown and black leather furniture by using shoe care products. However, these are often completely unsuitable for care, as they can easily rub off. Use special leather color refreshers instead. After coloring you should apply a care product or use a tinting care product directly. The color or care is applied with a brush and polished with a cloth after the drying time.
Maintain leather furniture with home remedies
In principle, you can clean your leather furniture without using a chemical cleaner – at least if the leather is not too dirty. Use distilled water for this – not tap water! – and a mild, neutral soap.
Home remedies you can use to care for leather furniture include petroleum jelly, coconut oil, and fatty moisturizer. Depending on the type of leather, however, there is always a risk that the home remedy for the care of your leather furniture is not 100% suitable. Therefore, always test the respective agent on an inconspicuous area of the piece of furniture.
Now you know how to properly care for your leather furniture. In our other articles we also show you how to care for and clean textiles and upholstered furniture and what there is to say about the history of leather .
