How To Care for Leather Furniture

Leather furniture is a beautiful addition to any room that can complement any style, from modern and contemporary to classic and traditional.

While leather can add elegance and beauty to your room, it is important before purchasing leather furniture to know how to properly care for it.

Manufacturers treat leather furniture, but it’s not a one-and-done treatment. While it will help to begin with you need to continue to properly clean because if your leather furniture goes untreated, you can risk cracking, fading, stains, and other unsightly and expensive consequences.

So if you’ve just bought leather furniture or are considering adding leather furniture, check out this care list to ensure longevity and joy with your pieces.

Culprits of Uncared for Leather

As we noted above, leather can be unforgiving if you don’t care for it properly. Real leather is made from animal skin, and like any skin, it can dry out and crack. When it drys out, it can also cause discoloration, staining, splitting, as well as peeling, especially in those high traffic spots on your furniture.

While not pertaining to cleaning, one tip is to not place real leather furniture in direct sunlight where it can fade.

Types of Leather Furniture

Understanding how to care for your leather means you also need to understand the leather itself used for your furniture pieces. Real leather is different than caring for faux leather and even the types of real leather have different needs or will last longer than others naturally.

There are four basic types of real, natural leather used in furniture.

Full-Grain Leather: This is a high-quality, full-grain leather that is well known for its finish and it’s durability. Made from cow’s hide, this more natural leather is sought after for its textures and blemishes created throughout the cow’s life and rubbing against brush, trees, and fences.

Aniline Dyed Leather: If you’re looking for a more vintage inspired leather piece, you’re likely going to seek out this type of leather. It’s a full-grain leather that is aniline dyed, which will emphasize natural patterns without using much dye.

Embossed Grain Leather: For those who prefer not to have blemishes or natural patterns, embossed grain leather has a pattern that is stamped into it for cohesiveness and a uniformed look. This is a popular real leather option because it is easier to create in large amounts.

Bonded Leather: Also known as “genuine” leather, this is an option where scraps of trim from various leather hides are cut down and bonded together to create a new leather material. This is a cost-effective and efficient way to create leather furniture and the finished product is typically softer than regular leather because of the process. But unlike its counterparts, it does tend to breakdown faster over time.

3 Steps to Clean Real Leather Furniture

Many items can bring on wear and tear on your leather furniture, from dust and oils, to dirt and even your own skin.

Here’s how to properly care for your leather furniture to keep it looking its best and ensure your money spent is well worth it for the elegance and comfort of leather.

Step #1: Vacuum your furniture using the hose attachments from your vacuum to pick up dirt and dust that’s accumulated on the cushions, armrests, and back of the piece.

Step #2: Gently wipe down the furniture with a damp microfiber towel and a small amount of mild soap solution. This will remove any stuck on dirt, oil, or other residue the vacuum didn’t pick up.

Cleaning Tip: Make sure you’re not soaking your leather sofa. Minimal water is key to cleaning properly. If you use too much water, it can cause mold or mildew to form.

Step #3: Use a leather cleaning kit to finish cleaning. We highly recommend you purchase to ensure the longevity and look of your new leather furniture.

This process should be done at least once a month, depending on the amount of use your furniture gets.

Don’t Forget to Condition

Once you’ve completed cleaning your real leather furniture, it’s time to condition it to prevent damage from body oils and other possible residues. Leather conditioner is used to protect and is recommended as an additional step to keeping your leather furniture looking brand new and last as long as possible. This should be done once a year, so consider adding it to your spring cleaning checklist!

Don’t forget, properly cleaning your leather isn’t only for your couch. All leather furniture, from sofas and sectionals to chairs, recliners and even ottomans should be properly cleaned and cared for.

Watson’s carries a large selection of real leather furniture to fit any room and need in your home or even office! Contact one of our design experts today to learn more about our leather furniture selection or to ask about how to care for your leather furniture.