When you purchase leather furniture, acquaint yourself with the proper ways to take care of these lovely pieces, so that they will be a part of your home for years to come. You may even void any warranty on your furniture if you don’t use the proper cleaning products to maintain it. There are elements of maintaining fine leather sofas and other furnishings that need to be done regularly.
Leather furniture is actually quite resilient and hardy, but that does not mean that no care needs to be taken with it. For example, leather furniture pieces should not be set on or close to a heating vent or near direct sunlight. These can break down leather’s natural oils, and it may crack. You should also clean and condition your leather regularly, so that it remains supple and comfortable.
There are various types of products that can be used to clean pieces in leather living room sets, and it’s important for you to use the product that the manufacturer of your sofa and other pieces recommends. Don’t buy leather cleaners or conditioners without checking first to see that they will not harm your furniture.
As a rule, it’s best to stay away from:
– heavy oils
– brittle sealants
– harsh chemicals
These types of products can cause your leather to break down or to develop cracks. Leather needs to expand and contract within the moderate temperature variations in your home, and some chemicals or sealants can keep it from doing so. You can often contact customer service at the online or brick and mortar store where you purchased your leather chairs and sofas, and they can recommend an appropriate product for you to use.
Involve your whole family in the care and treatment of your leather sofas, chairs and other furnishings, including children, if they are old enough to understand.
Be sure that they don’t play on furniture, especially with objects that might cause ripping or tearing. Leather is very sturdy, but nothing is childproof. Anything that can hurt leather should not be in the hands of young children, without supervision, anyway. Be sure that adult family members take their car keys out of their pockets, too, since they can damage your leather.
Leather living room furniture, and those pieces used in other rooms, is longer lasting than upholstery that is made from fabrics, and you can keep leather looking good with just a little perseverance.
You can use a clean dust cloth on your leather every week or two, or use the hose attachments on your vacuum cleaner. Any dirt that accumulates can usually be taken care of with a soft cloth that is only slightly dampened.
Before you clean your leather chairs or other furnishings in this manner, test the cloth and water on a spot not normally seen, to make sure the leather won’t absorb the water. If it does, you should only use dry cloths.
Catch spills right away, and blot them with a dry, clean cloth, to keep your leather furniture looking good.