Maintaining your leather furniture this winter is very important if you want to preserve the leather’s rich and high quality condition. It’s one of the few natural materials that actually get even better with age and the right maintenance. Leather is very durable, but can also be just as vulnerable at the same time if not given the proper cleaning and care.

When it comes to your leather sofas, couches, chairs, and head boards, knowing what to do and what not to do in regards to maintenance will help to prevent your leather from drying and cracking during the winter season. These small damages can eventually result in more prominent tears and splits if not remedied right away. For the best results, leather maintenance should be applied every 6 to 12 months, with occasional dusting and wiping of dirt and stains.

Guide to Maintaining Your Leather Furniture

The following is a quick guide to maintaining your leather furniture this winter. For the best results, these tips should be applied to your leather furniture at least every 6 to 12 months or as needed with the occasional stains, spills and build up of dust and dirt.

When you first purchase your leather furniture, the next important thing you should buy along with it is some good quality leather furniture cleaner. This specially formulated cleaner is made just for leather materials and works better than regular household cleaning products, which you shouldn’t be using on your leather furniture in the first place. And if you’re not sure about the product that you have, test it first on a small inconspicuous area of the furniture before applying it to a larger area.

The cleaners not only keep your leather’s surface dust, dirt and stain free, but it also helps it to endure everyday wear and tear from people constantly sitting, lying, sleeping, reading, drooling, or eating on it in addition to other daily activities that can occur on leather furniture.

Another thing you should invest in would be a conditioner. These conditioners keep your leather supple and nourished and should be applied at least twice a year. They can also help to seal the leather and protect it from future spills, marks and stains. Aside from the leather cleaners and conditioners, you can also use a clean damp cloth for everyday minor problems like juice spills, food crumbs, make up smudges, and the like.

The great thing about leather is that its non-porous surface makes it easy to clean and maintain. It just takes a short amount of time wiping down its surfaces a few times a month and you’re set.

Continue to use the leather cleaner and conditioner for as long as you own your furniture and you’ll see that not only will it stay in good shape, but it’ll actually be in better shape than when you first got it. Plus, it’ll be in great condition come winter time and you don’t have to worry about it cracking or tearing.

What NOT to Do When Caring for your Leather Furniture

Now that you know what to do with your leather furniture, here are a few guidelines on what NOT to do.

• Do NOT expose your leather furniture to extreme temperatures that are too hot or too cold. This can result in drying, cracking, and tearing.
• Do NOT place your leather furniture where the sun directly shines. This could result in cracking as well as fading.
• Do NOT use a hair dryer or clothes dryer in the case your leather gets wet or water spots.
• Do NOT use water to wipe up greasy and oily stains. Instead use a clean damp cloth.
• Do NOT use chemicals and cleaning products that aren’t specifically made for cleaning leather furniture; this includes regular hand soap or clothes detergent.
• Do NOT leave printed items like documents, magazines, books and newspaper on the leather’s surface is the ink from the materials might bleed.
• Do NOT soak any stains heavily in water as leather is an absorbent material and too much water absorbed can result in damage.
• Do NOT carry or hold sharp objects near or around your leather furniture.
• Do NOT spray fragrances, perfumes or flammables like hairspray near leather.
• Do NOT use adhesives or tape on leather, especially duct tape to repair a tear for it can prove ineffective and very tacky to say the least.

Leather furniture can be costly and is usually the more expensive option when compared to other types of furniture. But it can also prove to be the best return on your investment in pricey furniture as leather can last a very long time giving you many years to enjoy its beautiful and luxurious comfort and appeal.

This is a guest post by Jesse Anderson from Comfy Recliners, an Iowa-based online furniture company offering a wide selection of leather swivel chairs, recliner chairs, leather recliners etc. If you’re on the lookout for loveseat recliners, look no further than Comfy Recliners. Free shipping offered on all products. Sales tax only charged for shipments to Iowa.