Cleaning and Maintaining Leather Furniture

Leather furniture can be a wonderful addition to your house. Properly cared for, it can last three to four times longer than traditional upholstery. But there comes with it a major downside: trying to keep it clean. I've owned leather furniture in the past, and, like in any busy household, it can easily become dirty or stained. This is a quick guide to both dealing with those problems, and with keeping your furniture in tip top condition.

Firstly, maintenance. General cleaning of the leather can be achieved with a soft cloth and a gentle moisturising soap. Try not to over-saturate the leather with moistness, and do not rinse, merely buff the leather gently afterwards, again with a soft cloth. Dry dusting should also be done around once a week, either with a soft cloth or dusting broom. Any soft brush attachment on your vacuum cleaner can also be used for this purpose.

Where possible, keep your leather furniture out of direct sunlight, as this will help prevent any drying out or cracking of the material. Avoid placing it close to any areas of extreme warmth in your house, such as fireplaces, radiators, or pipework. Conditioners can be bought to moisturise and preserve the upholstery, such as Obenauf's Leather Care products, as an example. If you are feeling adventurous, you can also make your own; mix one part white vinegar with two parts linseed oil, shake thoroughly, and apply to the entire leather with wide circular motions with a soft cloth. Allow to dry for 10-15 minutes, and then buff with a dry, soft cloth. Repeat twice if needed. Try this on a less visible part of the upholstery (the underside of the cushions, for example), if you are uncertain. Caution is always advisable. If it appears to change the colour of the leather, obviously do not use on visible parts.

So, you now have well maintained furniture, but someone has spilled something on it! Don't worry, it's not the end of the world. There are several professionally made leather furniture cleaners available on the market, such as this one from Leatherworld Technologies, and I would strongly recommend investing in a similar product before the accident happens. It should also be noted that you should not use leather cleaning substances like saddle soap or mink oil; these were originally used on cured, hard leathers like saddles, and are too harsh and abrasive for modern leather upholstery. Avoid most householder cleaning products such as furniture polish and cleaner, unless it specifically says on the label it is suitable for leather furniture.

That being said, some common household cleaners or items can be used for specific stains. Ink stains can be removed by applying a cotton swab or tip dipped in rubbing alcohol; apply to the affected area, and then dry carefully with a blow dryer. A non-acetone nail polish remover can also be used for this. Oily stains should be wiped off immediately with a dry cloth, do not apply water to them. Any residual grease left should disappear within a week or two. Baby lotion applied sparingly can also get rid of stubborn stains, but be wary if the leather is patterned; this can actually remove the pattern as well! After cleaning of any kind of stain from your leather, apply a leather conditioner to the area as described above.

With these points in mind, you should be able to keep your leather furniture in pristine condition, adding to the comfort and luxury of your home for many years to come.