Preserving Leather Furniture

RE: Preserving Leather Furniture Post By Ben S (Guest Post) (02/17/2008) You can use a leather care kit to help clean and maintain leather - http://www.furnitureclinic.co.uk/LC_Special_Offer.htm Report Spam or Abuse RE: Preserving Leather Furniture Post by Leather Agony Aunt (21) | (11/20/2007) Profile | Blog! | Contact For general cleaning you need to use a good quality water based foam leather cleaner. Strong Cleaner or Maxi cleaner if it is very dirty. With light coloured leather dye transfer from clothing can be a problem although using a good quality leather protector will help inhibit this. DO NOT use anything containing oils, waxes or silicones. (Most 'conditioners' contain waxes or oils) and furniture polish contains silicones. DO NOT use mink oil. BABY WIPES are the worst thing you can use as they will destroy the finish on your leather. They are very strong alkiline cleaners to neutralise urine (acid) on babys skin so they are not the right thing to use on leather. Saddle soap is too harsh to use on todays leathers and saddles need treating in a different way to furniture. A lot of leather wipes contain chemicals which will also destroy the finish or leave residues on the leather which will damage it. They are not cheap in the long run as you would need a lot to clean a whole leather sofa. A bottle of foam cleaner should do your furniture 1-2 times. Fairy liquid and household soaps contain more salt these days to get dishes etc. clean and this will break the finish down on your leather. This has been verified by the manufacturers (as with the baby wipes). You should also follow cleaning with a good water based leather protector which will act like a 'scotchgard' and inhibit dirt and stains from being absorbed and make cleaning easier the next time. Dry leather needs rehydrating with water and oils and waxes should not be used as the natural oils do not dry out of leather. Wiping over with a damp cloth regularly will help to do this. It is important to maintain a regular cleaning regime cleaning dirt off the surface regularly and inhibiting the absorption of body oils into the leather with a protector is the best way of doing this. The alternative is a brand new product on the market called Lazy Leather. This is the latest technology in cleaning and combines an effective cleaner with a protector. It is quick and easy to use and should be used as a maintenance product once your suite has been cleaned or from new if you have just bought it. Using household products may appear to work but will in the long run deteriorate the leather finish quicker and it may tehn be impossible to restore. May seem cheaper to use products from the supermarket but if they do not work or damage the leather then it is a short sighted saving. If the finish or leather has started to show signs of wear or cracking then cleaners etc will not help you will need to call a technican who will be able to do repair/restoration work on it , do ot be tempted by DIY products for this as they will lead to all sorts of aditional problems. Source(s): http://www.LTTsolutions.net Leather care consultants to the furniture and cleaning industries Report Spam or Abuse RE: Preserving Leather Furniture Post By T. Smith (Guest Post) (02/15/2007) Basics of cleaning and caring for Leather Leather is a popular material because it is so tough. Cleaning is easy too, since it can be gently vacuumed and damp-wiped as needed. Accomplish deeper cleaning with a leather conditioner or saddle soap. Although commercial conditioners are best for large pieces such as sofas, a homemade leather reconditioner (see recipe below) will work well for smaller pieces, such as footstools or chair seats. Homemade Leather Reconditioner 1 teaspoon of household ammonia 4 teaspoons of white vinegar 2 cups water Mix ingredients together. Apply mixture, dry with a soft cloth, and then wipe on castor oil, using a soft cloth. Rub on leather shoe cream in the appropriate color. Buff well. Leather Furniture Care Made Easy Here are some tips and tricks for keeping leather furniture beautiful and carefree for many years to come. (Please also refer to the care instructions provided for the specific type of leather you purchase.) Under normal usage/conditions, regular dry-cloth dusting and vacuum cleaning in crevices or along the bottom is all that is necessary to clean your furniture. The use of a good leather conditioner is recommended every 6-12 months. Protect your furniture from sun and direct light. Like any upholstery material, leather can fade to some degree if exposed to the sun. Suggested Methods of Cleaning Always try any cleaning method in a hidden area first to convince yourself of the results! For minor spots and spills, wipe up any excess liquid immediately with a clean absorbent cloth or sponge. If necessary, use a lightly moistened soft cloth with clean lukewarm water, and let it air dry naturally. If water is used, clean the entire area where the spot occurred. Do not use soap or soak the stain heavily with water. This may cause more damage than the stain itself. Do not use cleaning solvents, furniture polish, oils, varnish, abrasive cleaners, detergent soaps, or ammonia water. For butter, oil, or grease stains, wipe off excess with a clean dry cloth, and then leave alone as the spot should dissipate into the leather after a short period of time. If the stain persists, it is recommended that a professional leather specialist clean the leather to avoid any potential damage to the leather itself. For minor or slight scratches on the surface, use a chamois or clean fingers to gently buff the scratch. If needed, moisten lightly with distilled water to work scratches out. Remember that leather is a natural product and requires some care to maintain the natural beauty of the hide. Source: American Leather Furniture, 2006 www.americanleather.com Report Spam or Abuse RE: Preserving Leather Furniture Post by kidena (21) | (02/14/2007) Profile | Contact I have a leather couch & 3 leather chairs. Two of the chairs are rockers/recliners & the other is a regular chair w/matching ottoman. I have never used anything on them except a very soft cloth which has been dampened lightly with plain old water. Every so often I give it a light washing. That's it. May I add that purchasing high quality leather, like an oriental rug, is an investment. We've had ours for about 20 years & it will probably outlast me. I just love it, especially the couch as it is like laying down in a huge marshmallow. joesgirl Report Spam or Abuse