Table of Contents
Leather is a popular upholstery choice for both living and dining room furniture. Durability, comfort and the timeless classic aesthetic continue to make this a top choice for many homeowners.
Whether you’re opting for a lift chair recliner, couch or classic chair for your dining area, you want a fabric type that can be cleaned without too much effort. Thankfully, taking care of leather is easier than you may think!
Treat Leather Right for Durability
In many homes, the living room is the area that sees the most traffic. This can vary from regular guests to children and even pets lying on the furniture. With this in mind, opting to add a piece of leather furniture to your home means you should also know how to keep it clean and looking stylish.
We’ve asked our fabric experts to share a few of their tried and tested tips to help keep your furniture looking great. Keep reading to see how easy it is.
-
Ditch the Soap
There’s a rule of thumb when it comes to cleaning or maintaining leather—stay away from the soap! Detergents, no matter how mild they claim to be, are made up of chemicals that can actually do more harm than good on your new leather chair.
Not only is there the risk of damaging the leather, but harsh cleaning chemicals can also strip the colour. Rather opt for a quick wipe down using warm, not hot, water and a microfibre (fluff-free) cloth. Our experts recommend using a white cloth to prevent dyes from transferring from the cloth to the leather.
If you’re going to have children and pets sitting on the chairs, it’s a good idea to place a chair cover or even a large blanket over the chair or couch during these times.
2. Blot, Don’t Scrub or Rub
It’s almost a knee-jerk reaction to grab a brush or cloth and start rubbing or scrubbing when you see a potential stain on your chair. However, refrain from doing this as you’ll not only spread the stain, but you may damage the fibre structure of the leather.
What you need is a porous, white cloth as this will absorb the liquid that has spilt. Keep blotting until the stain is absorbed. You may need some warm water to draw the rest of the liquid out. Again, avoid harsh chemicals.
3. Choose Accessories Wisely
Be wary of accessorising your couches or leather armchair with brightly coloured accessories such as throws and pillows. This is especially the case when the materials of the accessories are not colourfast because the hue can transfer to your valuable leather furniture. It’s especially noticeable on lightly coloured leather.
If you’re accessorising your leather product, choose neutral colours. Alternatively, ensure that the throw or pillow is made of colour-fast fabrics. Be sure to rotate your cushions regularly, especially if the chair stands in a sunny area.
4. Sunlight isn’t Your Chair’s Friend
Your new leather recliner may look amazing in your reading corner where the sun shines on it and provides you with perfect light and warmth. However, continued heat and sunlight will eventually cause the leather to dry out and crack.
To avoid this, don’t put your leather chair or couch too close to a window that gets direct sunlight for most of the day. Not sure if the space you have in mind is too hot? There’s a quick test you can do to determine if your chair is too close to the sun’s rays:
- Let the chair stand in the spot for a few hours on a sunny day
- Run your hand over your chair
- If it feels hot, it’s a clear sign that your chair is at risk of getting damaged and cracked in the long run
It’s also recommended that you regularly rotate your couches so that one piece doesn’t receive constant glare from the sun. Where possible, place a curtain on the window to minimise the amount of UV rays reaching the interior.
5. Consider Conditioners and Protection Products
Products claiming to provide the care and maintenance your leather needs are a dime a dozen and are found in every cleaning aisle. However, experts warn against choosing just any product to use on your leather furniture. Each brand mixes its own version of cleaning and conditioning solutions as a “general leather conditioner”. As with cleaning products, there may be chemicals that can damage your specific type of leather.
Rather opt for a conditioner on offer from the manufacturer of your recliner. You can also speak to the retailer where you have purchased the product from.
Since certified leather conditioners contain compounds that soften and nourish the leather, it’s a sure way to prevent cracking and drying out. It’s a good idea to purchase the conditioner with the recliner or chair to avoid a no-stock situation down the line.
Opt to apply conditioner at least once every 12 months.
Final Thought
As you can see, keeping your leather furniture clean and cared for doesn’t require too much effort. With regular dusting and wiping down you should be able to keep your product looking amazing for years to come!
