Five Common Mistakes Made With Leather Furniture
Let’s be real here. Leather furniture lasts a long time when there is appropriate care. We have compiled a list of 5 mistakes/issues with leather furniture.
1). Putting In Direct light
We have all seen a leather couch that looks like the life was sucked out of it because of the fading. Color matching and redyeing can be a very costly process. When a leather piece is not treated and is in direct sunlight, it stands no chance for survival.
Sun damage can also cause the leather to dry out, harden, and crack. Once the natural oils in the leather have been depleted there’s no going back.
2). Poor/Improper Care
Many people assume that there is no need to treat leather furniture when in the home. These people would be wrong. Not treating your leather can lead to the life span being reduced by half (typical lifespan can be 25 years or more)!
The use of harsh cleaning materials is a common mistake. There is no need for chemicals on a natural product. They will ruin and assist in the deterioration of the leather.
The internet is full of suggestions on how to clean leather. One controversial topic is the use of alcohol as a cleaning agent. THIS IS NOT RECOMMENDED. Alcohol can dry and damage the leather. Alcohol can also remove the original color. Safe cleaning includes using water and a small amount of mild dish soap (one or two drops) to wipe away any dirt or other contaminants.
3). Body Oils
Although this is not necessarily a mistake, if body oils or fluids aren’t removed, these contaminants can penetrate deep inside the leather. Once they are allowed to penetrate, that’s when issues arise. If the body oils are not cleaned, they can leave stains that will not come out.
Oils are common because of how our bodies are, but just because it’s normal, this doesn’t mean we should ignore cleaning it up. They can come from lotions, sweat, and greasy foods. It will get into the leather, clogging the pores, and can leave a film or discoloration. A cheap and easy way to help prevent this would be to use blankets or plastic covers to protect the leather.
4). Pet Damage
Pets also have nails and can tear into your furniture. When leather gets scratched, it exposes the fibers to any contaminant at a higher rate because it is wide open. Using plastic covers, like previously mentioned, can be an agent to help protect your leather.
Like humans, animals have their own set of oils and fluids. First, dogs drool, which can contain contaminants and, when left of leather, can be detrimental to the health of the leather.
5). Accidents
Then there are the random accidents that happen in everyday life. You might accidentally scratch your leather as well. Regardless of scratch size, a scratch is something to avoid or contain. Be sure if there are scratches to treat them, and maybe think about a plastic seat cover similar to what we talked about with pet scratches.
Spills and stains will happen; it is inevitable. It is vitally important to clean the leather off so stains don’t form. Once a stain forms, it can be virtually impossible to get out.
As we can see, many things can happen to our leather furniture. It is crucial to make sure that we take preventative measures. That could be plastic coverings or treating your leather with a good leather protectant. If you are interested in leather care products look at our sister company Mad Cow Leather Products! These are great for scratch and spill resistance, as well as conditioning your leather items to keep them looking their best.
