By Cameron Stuart June 8, 2018 in How To's No Comments

Care and Upkeep for Leather Furniture Made Easy

Leather furniture is a mainstay of decor, and for good reason. Its gorgeous, comfortable, pairs well, and is easy to take care of. However, accidents do happen. And oftentimes a lack of knowledge stops us from buying higher end leather furniture. Why? Because when something does happen to leather, many fret they don’t know how to take care of it. Whether it is a new piece, a vintage find, or an inherited heirloom, however, the answers remain the same. Caring for leather furniture is easy as long as you arm yourself with a little knowledge. So don’t let the thought of caring for expensive and luxurious materials can keep you from committing to owning furniture that you’ll love. Read this guide and of an outside utter catastrophe you should be able to care for this forgiving material and keep it looking great.

General Care for Leather Furniture

The best offense is a good defense. Regular upkeep is easy for leather, and it goes a long way to improving the longevity and the appearance of the material. A quick session with a white cloth (don’t use dyed textiles to clean furniture), wiping down the surface, can become part of a daily routine. Vacuum leather furniture like you would any other upholstery, but it is best to use a brush attachment. Forgot to clean for a while? Use a damp cloth (nothing soaking wet) and wipe down any excessive dirt that is clinging to the surface.

Another tip for taking care of leather furniture is to keep it out of direct sunlight. This will keep it from drying and cracking. Likewise, avoid leaving it near a heater for exactly the same reason. Nourishing dried out leather is easy. Make a mixture of one part white vinegar and two parts linseed oil. Apply this mixture with a white cloth in a circular motion. After you finish covering the entire surface, let it stand for 10 minutes, and then buff it out with a different cloth. You may need to buff it more than once.

Be careful what you leave on top of leather furniture. You can accidentally transfer ink from newspapers. Grease stains can come from misplaced pizza boxes. Some of this might seem like common sense. But its important to check in with yourself before you place something on your upholstery. If you’ve made a mistake, though, don’t fret. We’ve got tips for you.

An adorable pet might leave your furniture hairy, but aside from scratching the surface, it is probably going to be alright.

Stain Removal

For many of us, furniture care becomes a concern only after disaster has struck. There’s a good chance you’ve found this article to help remove a stain that has already happened. We’ve got you covered. But we do recommend you take a peek at any care guide that came with your furniture. Not all leather is made the same, so it is always best to see what the manufacturer recommends. No leather care guide available? Then start mild and build up to stronger solutions. Here’s a rundown of strategies we recommend.

Water Mess

Water on leather isn’t a catastrophe. Just soak up as much as possible as quickly as possible. Don’t rub it; soak it. If water is left to sit on leather furniture, it can leave a stain. Handle this problem by using a damp cloth (don’t ever use anything soaking wet on leather) to wipe outward from the edges of the stain. Get progressively drier as you move out from the stain. This will create a uniform effect that will minimize the severity of the stain.

Grease Problems

Grease is great – in food though, not on your furniture! Luckily, leather is pretty forgiving. As soon as you notice the grease, use a (you bet) white cloth to pull up as much of the grease as possible. Then, grab your handy dandy corn starch. Sprinkle some right on the stain and leave it for 10 minutes. This should soak up the grease, and then you can vacuum it right off (with the proper attachment). Didn’t get it all the first time? Try again. After a few times, you should be right as rain. Just remember – don’t rub it in during this process! Only use blotting actions with the cloth.

Ink Stains on Leather

This is a common one, and unfortunately it may necessitate you contacting a professional. However, if there is a small mark on the furniture, like an errant ball point pen that pokes through your pocket to touch the surface, you might be able to treat it yourself. With the smallest marks, they might even disappear on their own.

For bigger stains, try to pick up as much ink as possible as quickly as possible with a cotton swab. Don’t grind into it. Just try to lift it out. Resist the temptation to use alcohol on your leather. This will alter the color. Instead, try to see what the smallest bit of soap will do. Use a mild moisturizing soap. Don’t apply it directly to the leather. Be very gentle and do not scrub. Use a good, white cloth as the applicant.

For truly monumental stains, you’ll need to contact a professional. But hopefully you’ll never have to get that far now that you have our list of leather care tips!