There is something elegant, refined and just downright comfortable and warming about a nice leather couch or a seat, but without the proper maintenance, leather furniture will not last as long as it should.
A nice set of leather furniture can make any room elegant and inviting, so its important to take care of it and keep it clean according to proper maintenance instructions from the designers and leather experts if you want it to last long,
Most leather manufacturers will tell you not to use your average household cleaners and soaps. These cleaners will ultimately harm the leather they say, and decrease it's longevity, luster and make it possible for the leather to wear a lot faster than properly maintained pieces.
Using your own cleaning products can cause the leather to dry and become brittle, and can slowly but surely breakdown the leathery luster and color of the natural hide. By using these typical household cleaners, you may be doing more harm than good. While the leather furniture may look good when it is initially cleaned you will notice the negative effects soon, so avoid using typical household cleaners whenever you can.
Instead, there are a variety of commercially available leather furniture cleaning products available at the average grocery store or a specialty leather shop.
The best way to protect your leather furniture is at the very beginning, when it arrives at the home. First, make sure it is properly treated with a leather protection solution. These solutions come in a variety of commercially available products. More are available for shoes and coats, but a specialty leather shop can provide you with the right type of leather protector for the particular of your furniture. Of course, talk to the furniture dealer when purchasing your leather furniture to make sure it is properly treated. They also can recommend the right types of cleaning and maintenance products.
Where you place the furniture can also make a huge difference in the amount it will last and its appearance over time. Placing leather, or any furniture, in direct sunlight is inadvisable as, over time, the direct sunlight will wear the leather down, causing its color to fade, its texture to become dry, brittle and wrinkled. The heat of the sun also causes these adverse effects With that in mind, it I s also important to consider the placement of your leather furniture and its proximity to heating and cooling vents and units. Colder and hot temperatures have adverse affects on leather furniture that cannot be undone, even with the best cleaning and maintenance products available. Avoid placing the furniture in damp rooms or areas, away from heating and cooling units and vents.
As with any furniture, make sure to maintain leather furniture often. In doing so, you'll make sure to prolong the longevity and the elegant look, saving yourself time and money.
Properly maintained leather can last a lifetime. When cleaned using the right products and if place in the proper area, leather furniture can maintain its elegant and refined feel even as it ages.