When purchasing leather furniture, the buyer is making an investment. Furniture with leather upholstery tends to be expensive and anything that can be done to protect the beauty and durability of the leather will be valuable. There are ways to keep leather upholstery looking at its best for years to come, and by practicing these methods, the owner will be able to enjoy their furniture for a long time.
The first thing to remember is that, like natural products such as silk or wood, the leather will be subject to fading if placed in the sun. The dye used on the leather upholstery will eventually lose its vibrancy if subjected to sunlight constantly. Even undyed leather can fade from this exposure. Heat is another thing that can cause the deterioration of leather upholstery. Any furniture with leather upholstery should be positioned so that it is not close to a heat source or where it will be exposed to direct sunlight. If left near heat sources or in the sun, the leather might also crack and split.
As leather is natural product, it should be cleaned in a gentle manner. To begin with, the leather should be dusted every week to help prevent a buildup of dirt. A slightly damp cloth can be run over the leather, too. This will help to maintain the moisture level. These two processes should help keep the furniture in good shape.
When it is felt necessary to clean leather upholstery, the first thing to do is to find a high quality water-based cleaning product. Cleaners containing wax or oil should never be used as these will ruin the finish. A danger is posed by the use of baby wipes, as these will also destroy the finish on leather upholstery. Never use detergents or soap on leather upholstery.
If something spills on the leather upholstery, blot up the liquid. Try not to spread it out. If the spill is from something greasy, a bit of patience is required as the leather will absorb the grease in time. Do not try to remove this with soap or solvent. Saddle soap should not be used, either, as this is much too harsh for most leather finishes.
A high quality leather conditioner should be used on leather upholstery furniture once or twice a year. If there are stains that prove impossible to remove using water, the best idea is to call in someone who deals with leather professionally. Any attempt to remove a stubborn stain using solvents or chemicals might not only make the problem worse, but could damage the leather as well.