7 Tips To Keep The Integrity of Your Leather Furniture

After purchasing a quality leather couch, loveseat, or chair, you want it to stay in its attractive, pristine condition for as long as possible. This makes proper use and care very important. Remember these seven tips to keep the integrity of your leather furniture for many years to come.

• Keep Liquids Away From Leather Upholstery All liquids are the enemy of leather. Because leather is a natural, absorbent material, any liquid may soak in too quickly to blot or wipe off. This results in ugly stains and discolorations.
• Tell Pets to Stay Off and Don’t Let Them Scratch Besides the hair and dander, pets frequently snag upholstery with their nails and cause scratch marks. This occurs even with normal jumping on and off or shifting position.
• Do Not Put Your Shoes or Boots on the Furniture The grommets, lace ends, and decorations on shoes and boots may scratch the leather or create pressure marks that may be hard to get rid of. Kick off your shoes and only wear soft socks or slippers instead.
• Keep Print Materials off the Leather Just like liquids, printed ink may sink into the natural upholstery. The last thing you want on your couch or chair is an imprint of the latest magazine.
• Avoid Using Cleaners, Solvents, or Abrasives Even formulas specifically created for leather may make your particular leather discolor. If you opt for one, spot test it first on an unseen location to make sure it is safe.
• Buff the Surface with a Chamois Scratches, scuff marks, and other minor issues can be buffed out with a soft chamois cloth. This keeps your furniture looking its best for longer. Avoid rubbing too much in the same spot or pattern.
• Apply a Trusted Leather Nourishing and Protection ProductOver time, leather upholstery will dry, fade, and crack because it is an organic material. Apply a trusted product to nourish and protect the surface. Again, spot test every product first to make sure it will not have adverse effects.

Proper care of leather upholstery will leave your furniture looking its best now and in the future. When it comes to these sofas and chairs, prevention is worth a pound of cure. Guard the leather against stains, scratches, and other damage and you will not have to worry about how to fix them after the fact.