The style of furniture in our home or office establishes a mood, and more importantly, represents our personality. Therefore, we take great pleasure in decorating them. A sofa, for example, plays a dominating role in setting a tone for your home and office décor.
There are varieties of upholstery material available on the market, somehow leather always wins hearts. Leather is the perfect combination of comfort and luxury. Great-looking leather furniture can enhance the beauty of any room, creating a hearty and grand welcome sight.
If you are looking into purchasing one, you may want to know about the maintenance and durability of the material. You may already have a leather piece in your living space that needs your care and love. Let us share some helpful tips to ease your leather couch cleaning, making it look its best.
Leather Makes an Excellent Choice! Here’s Why!
Leather is like fine wine, it ages well. But not on its own. Any leather furniture has to be cleaned and taken care of properly to maintain its good look for years to come. Stains, rips, dirt are inevitable, but there are easy ways to tackle them.
Some of the characteristics that validate why leather is an exceptional and reliable choice for home or office design.
Low-maintenance
Super easy to clean and care for. All you need to do is use a leather conditioner (once in 6 to 12 months). Simply clean up the spills with a piece of cloth. Refrain from using regular cleaning products on leather.
Durability
Leather furniture lasts a lifetime. With the right kind of care, the material starts to look better with time. This is the primary reason for people to invest in leather furniture. Durability steals the show, as always.
It is a good approach to get protected leather with the additional coating if you have pets or kids at home. This will protect your fabric, keeping you worry-free.
Steady Temperature
This is a great benefit. Leather is suitable for all seasons. During summer, its breathable element helps in keeping the fabric cool. Just try not to put it directly under the sun. It can ruin the color and texture of the upholstery.
Know Your Type
Maintenance depends on the type of leather you have, or wish to purchase. Did you know about the two different types of leather upholstery? If you have purchased one already, step one is to look for any labels on the furniture, or a receipt. If you have trouble finding it, check out the manufacturer’s website, or just call them. Here are a few easy ways to find out more about the type of leather fabric you have.
Unprotected Leather Are All the Same
Unfinished leather, pure or full aniline leather will feel soft and luxurious. You will notice that the finishing on the surface lacks pigment (color), which is why it is called unprotected or unfinished leather. It is only dyed with aniline dye, skipping a protective coating. This type of leather looks natural and usually has surface marks on the fabric, which is often a cause for platina.
With time, it accumulates dirt, sunlight, and body oils to create a dark and soft finish to the fabric, oxidizing and aging naturally! They are more expensive, and known to be more sensitive to stains in comparison to protected leather.
Protected Leather
This type is more common and readily available. You find words like semi-aniline, pigmented leather or aniline plus pigments on the labels of finished leather furniture. Many people are more drawn towards protected leather due to its user-friendly components.
They are more durable because of the additional coating of pigment, are resistant to stain, and have a more smooth and unvaried finish. Protected leather feels harder than unprotected ones.
Cleaning and Caring for Leather furniture
Cleaning Unprotected Leather Vs Protected Leather
In terms of unprotected leather, less is more. Manufacturers often advise just dusting and softly brushing the furniture for regular cleaning. It is best to consult with leather furniture manufacturers or cleaning services for more directions on leather couch cleaning. Wiping the surface with a soft, damp cloth is also recommended by some manufacturers. Remember that unprotected leather has a natural surface, so refrain from aggressive scratching and cleaning.
Unprotected leather requires more care than protected ones. They need to be cleaned more frequently. You have to look into the ingredients of the cleaning supplies for your protected leather furniture. Stay away from products that contain alkalies and ammonia, as they can immediately damage the fabric. You don’t want to ruin the pigment. It is better to avoid regular soaps, detergents, and polishing oils.
Easy Steps to Keep Your Leather Furniture Clean
- Firstly vacuum to get rid of all the dust and hidden dirt. Leather surfaces can absorb a lot of oil and dust, so vacuuming will make the job easier for you. Use a vacuum cleaner with a soft head to avoid scratches and marks.
- You can use a dampened cloth to wipe before adding soap for deep cleaning. This will remove all the remaining dirt on the surface.
- Use a “saddle soap,” a specific leather fabric cleaning soap, to remove stains. Don’t apply the soap directly to the stains. Mix it with warm water, dip the cleaning cloth in the soapy water, and gently wipe the stains.
- Time to dry the leather. Make sure it’s fully dried. You can use a dry piece of clean cloth to wipe it. We would advise you to leave it out overnight, and let it dry itself.
- Apply the moisturizing lotion. They are also known as leather creams. Use cotton balls, or another clean cloth to apply the lotion on the surface of the furniture. Let the leather absorb the lotion and you’ll notice the shine. You can now enjoy the freshness of nice and clean furniture, almost like therapy.
You are probably more confident about buying leather furniture if you don’t own one already. But if you do, some final tips for you to have a long-lasting relationship with your leather piece. Place it in a safe area, avoiding extreme temperatures. Don’t put it under the air conditioner directly, or right next to the window with direct sunlight. Both can dry the texture of the fabric over time.
If you are unsure of a product and its effect on your leather furniture, try it out on a blind spot, as we would do with our skincare. For concerned areas on the furniture, please consult with an expert before experimenting with your homemade cleaning solutions.
