Owning leather furniture is a great way to add a touch of luxury and class to any living area. Like any expensive investment, you need to know how to clean and care for the leather properly, if you want it to maintain its character and beauty for years to come.
However, some homeowners often commit mistakes that damage their leather furniture, including leaving newsprint or other printed materials on furniture
Your leather furniture is a comfortable place to read magazines or newspapers. But avoid leaving them lying face down on the couch. (Especially if the leather is a light colour) The news print can bleed onto the leather surface, leaving you with an expensive, and unwanted copy of that magazine you’re reading.
Positioning Your Leather Furniture Near the Fire or Heater
As a general rule, never place your leather furniture near or next to heat sources like fires, heaters or heat pumps. Intense heat can scorch and shrink the leather, while prolonged exposure can dry the leather out.
Using Inappropriate Products
Do not use cleaning solvents, furniture polish, oils, varnish, abrasive cleaners like Jiff, or strong detergent soaps, as these can damage your leather. If unsure, always contact a leather professional. It’s better to be safe than sorry!
Forgetting to Fluff and Turn Cushions
Don’t forget to turn and fluff your cushions from time to time. This will ensure that your cushions hold their shape for longer and prevent gravity from causing wrinkles in the leather when they droop over time.
If you have loose removable cushions, you can also unzip them after a year or two, take out the inner cushion linings and reverse them, or swap them around.
UV and Sun Damage
Remember that the closer your leather furniture is positioned to a sunny window, the more likely that section of the lounge suite is going to show signs of fading. One way to avoid this, is to rotate your furniture if the room allows. Installing blinds or window tint is another good idea, to prevent your leather fading or drying out.
Regular conditioning with a product that contains UV filters, like Fadegard Leather Conditioner is recommended.