Leather furniture makes a beautiful addition to many room designs, but it takes a little more loving care than fabric furniture. You’ll want to dust it regularly, vacuum out the crevices, and clean spills immediately. Check the manufacturer’s tag for specific instructions and never use chemicals or cleaners not designed for leather. Place your furniture away from air conditioners, heat sources, and prolonged direct sunlight. Use a leather conditioner regularly to keep it pristine and if you must store it, take precautions including never wrapping leather furniture in plastic.
Wipe leather furniture down regularly with a clean, dry cloth. Use a microfiber cloth. Incorporate wiping the furniture into your weekly household cleaning routine. Keeping dust from building up is the best preventative cleaning measure.
Vacuum the furniture’s crevices. All furniture builds up some dirt and debris, so leather is no exception. Use your vacuum’s hose attachment with a soft bristled brush. Gently run the brush across the entire surface. Vacuum in between and under all of the cushions.
Clean spills immediately with a dry cloth. When anything is spilled onto the leather upholstery, blot it away as soon as possible. Use a dry cloth or sponge to absorb as much of the spilled liquid as possible, only resorting to a moistened cloth if necessary. Use as little water as possible to clean the spill, and wipe the area dry afterwards.
Use cleaners designed for leather. Detergents, solvents, all-purpose cleaning sprays, ammonia, bleach, and furniture polish can all be harmful to leather furniture. Do not apply these products in an attempt to clean the furniture or remove stains. Keep a leather-specific cleaner on hand for occasional cleaning and emergencies.
Read the manufacturer’s label or provided care instructions. General care guidelines are useful, but it is always good to read any information provided by the manufacturer or distributor about specific care suggestions for your piece. Some leather furniture may have specific care instructions based on qualities it has.
Place leather furniture in the right room locations. Since leather is made of animal skin, think of caring for it in ways similar to how you care for your own skin. Do not position your leather furniture under an air condition vent, close to a fireplace or heater, or in consistent direct sunlight. All of these can dry out the leather and cause it to crack or fade.
Apply a leather conditioner regularly. Conditioning the leather regularly keeps it from drying out and developing cracks. Apply a conditioner once or twice a year with a microfiber cloth. Use just enough to lightly cover the leather. Contact the manufacturer to ask what type of conditioner they recommend.
Store leather furniture carefully. If you need to put leather furniture into a storage unit for a time, get it professionally cleaned beforehand and ensure it is thoroughly dried. Place a plastic sheet under it to combat moisture seeping in. Leather needs to breathe, so never wrap leather furniture in plastic as this will cause moisture to build up and ruin the leather.
Fix torn leather. Take a piece of denim patch that you would use on a pair of jeans. Cut it slightly larger than the tear in the leather, and round the edges of the patch. Use tweezers to gently stuff it into the tear so it lays flat under the tear. Use a flexible glue for plastic or vinyl and apply to the patch. Squeeze the tear closed over it.
Remove a dent. Leaving something heavy on furniture can cause a dent. Get a heat gun, or use a hair dryer if you prefer. On the low setting, heat up the dented area of the leather. Gently use both of your hands to stretch the leather outward from the dent. Repeat the process of heating and stretching until the dent has been removed or reduced in appearance.
Restore the color of faded leather. Go to a furniture store, a hardware store, or look online to buy a leather color repair kit. This will typically include a cream or balm that you gently rub into your furniture. You’ll choose a color that matches as best as possible. Take a cloth, put some of the cream on it, and gently rub it into the spots that are most faded.