Caring For and Cleaning Leather Furniture

We know how much our customers love their leather home furnishings – we appreciate a stunning modern leather sectional sofa as much as the next person.  We also know that cleaning your leather investments can be a bit stressful if you’re not sure what to do, or more importantly, what not to do.  The last thing you want is to damage your leather living room set.

We offer these tips:

Before you do anything to clean your leather furnishings, check with what the manufacturer suggests. This is one reason it’s important to not detach the tags, since they almost always provide direction.  If you can’t find the information tagged, check with the manufacturer’s website or give us a call at Modern Furniture Warehouse.  We’re always happy to help any way we can.

What works for one leather arm chair may not work for your leather ottoman, especially if they’re different grains or are made by different manufacturers.  Treat each of your leather furnishings independently unless they are part of a complete set.

Since most of today’s quality leather furniture has a protective layer, you want to be sure you don’t do anything to compromise its purpose.  This is yet another reason to check with the manufacturer.

You’ll want to use your vacuum attachment, the one with the brush, to remove all loose soil or sand.  Most manufacturers (though again, we stress how important it is to contact the manufacturer or our customer service team) agree that a mild soap – even body soap you use in the shower – is safe provided the leather is of high quality.  Always remember to use a soft cloth.

Distilled water is always recommended because plain tap water contains chemicals, such as chlorine, that can affect or damage your leather’s finish.

Keep in mind that leather, while we always love the way it ages, can also scratch easily, leaving the kind of marks you’re trying to avoid.

After you’ve cleaned your leather furniture, be sure to apply a protector or leather conditioner.  This will provide important conditioning that keeps your leather soft and supple.  It can also provide an additional sheen of protection.  Be sure to wipe all excess up with a clean, soft cloth.

With just a few precautions, you can keep your contemporary leather home furnishings looking like new for many years.