LEATHER SOFA CARE: How to Clean and Maintain Your Furniture Upholstery

• Avoid using cleansers not made specifically for leather furniture, because they will stain and darken the leather. Even cleaners that may appear to be innocuous, oil soap, might destroy your furniture and seep the color from the leather. Many people have assumed saddle soap would make a great substitute in a pinch, but while this is great for cleaning your catcher’s mitt, you should definitely keep it away from your leather furnishings. It’s always best to use cleaners and conditioners designed for leather furniture, rather than using other cleaners that will likely cause damage if used in their place. Here are some of our favorite leather care products,
•  On a similar note, no soap or detergent, no matter how mild, should be ever used on your leather furniture. We can use mild soap on our skin since it is still living and will restore the oils that the soap wipes away, but a leather sofa does not. It will become brittle, dry, and damaged with time. So then, why not start by washing with soap and then applying oil, right? Wrong-the oil will stain the leather, so don’t use it.
•  Because leather absorbs dyes easily, you should take care to avoid putting printed materials on it. The ink can transfer and leave stains that are extremely difficult to remove, if not impossible.
• Keep leather furniture away from the path of direct sunlight. In the light and heat of the sun, almost nothing withstands prolonged exposure without suffering fading or discoloration. . Extreme temperatures can cause your leather furniture to crack and dry out. The leather will be too cool or too hot in a room if you are. Keep leather away from air conditioners and radiators.
• We all try to be careful, but in life, accidents happen, and spills are one of the most common of these everyday mishaps that simply can’t always be avoided.  In the case of an accidental spill, use terry cloth towels or paper towels to immediately blot the site. If you spill grease or oil, absorb it with talcum powder or baking powder. There are other leather-furniture cleaners that would work, which may be found on our product care page.
• Keep an eye out for scratches. Sharp things should not be used near leather furniture since it scratches easily. For minor scratches, use a chamois or clean fingers to gently buff the surface. If the scratch persists, dab it with a small amount of distilled water and blot it with a dry cloth. You should also consider whether any pets will be allowed to climb up onto the sofa, as their claws could scratch the surface. It’s entirely up to you, however if you do decide to encourage them up, it might be worth getting in a particular blanket or cover.

Looking for new leather furniture?  We have you covered- check out our leather furniture here