LEATHER CARE GUIDE
What are best practices for caring for leather furniture — simple strategies that a homeowner can employ daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly? FROM DAY ONE Select a leather that will last. Real, natural leather will wear in and not wear out. DAILY Change your mindset! Many treat investment leather furniture pieces with kid gloves, but good leather will take on unique character over time, and begin to slowly patina and take on the life of the owner. Think about your favorite pair of denim jeans. MONTHLY Dust is the enemy! Dust absorbs moisture and will cause your leather to dry out and crack. To counteract, periodically dust with a dry cloth. AS NEEDED Cleaning: Less is more! First rule is do no harm. Simply blot the stain immediately with a dry rag to absorb all moisture. Avoid rubbing the leather and spreading the liquid. A dry white cloth will suffice in most cases. If that doesn’t do the trick, add a little mild dish soap. Scratches: If you get an undesired scratch in your leather, use the heat of your hand or a blow dryer to smooth it out. The natural waxes and oils in our natural leathers will shift and move to cover the scratch. A patina is certainly lovely, but how can a homeowner know when to step in before leather wears so much that it’s in disrepair? Natural leather is the original performance material and is meant to endure wear and use — from pets and children alike. Simple cleaning and care will handle most concerns. If you think about it in terms of other furniture, you’ll have to reupholster your fabric sofa several times over the course of your lifetime, while leather stands the test of time.
What are the best cleaning supplies to keep at home for leather furniture? Is there a particular type of tool or conditioner that’s recommended? CLEANING We recommend a simple soap and water solution to spot clean. Avoid using abrasive cleaning agents. Instead, mix three parts water with one part mild soap, such as Ivory or Dawn dish soap. Tap or distilled water works just fine! Keep in mind, the stain will look its worst on the day of the incident, but over time, the stain will begin to disperse through the protein fibers of the hide and eventually become part of the look.
No. 1 DUST
Dust periodically. Dust is a drying agent for leather.
CARE We produce our own products to clean and care for leather. To learn more please visit our website at mooreandgiles.com.
No. 2 LIMIT DIRECT SUNL IGHT If possible, place leather furniture out of direct sunlight. Sunlight can fade any natural product. Leather is no different.
Is there a recommended placement for leather furnishings? For example, out of direct light, or at a certain distance from a heat source? Sunlight will eventually cause leather to fade — avoid positioning your leather furniture in direct light. If your chair or sofa is positioned in direct sunlight, a simple throw blanket over the back of your furniture is an easy way to beautifully ward off the sun. It all comes back to choosing well, not often. True full-aniline dyed natural leather will not peel or flake. For example, perhaps you've seen "bonded leather" sofas which look as if the top layer is wearing off. This is because "bonded leather" is not a true natural leather, but an inexpensive composition of leather scraps and polyurethane.
No. 3 CONTA IN THE STAIN For spills, contain as quickly as possible. Blot, don’t rub.
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