Shoe Guru #2: Caring for other leather

SHOE GURU TOPS TIPS: Caring for the other leather in your life

Shoe Guru received an email from a Buffington Post subscriber who says: "I really liked last month's feature on leather shoe care but what about leather chairs? I love my leather furniture but it's looking very dull and faded. Why is this happening?" - Leather furniture lover

Excellent question, my fellow leather enthusiast! If you follow these leather care tips at home, you hopefully won’t need to drag your sofa to a Buffed location (note – Buffed does not offer a couch cleaning service).

General Leather Care Tips

• Keep your leathers out of the sun. Some leathers will fade over time in direct or even indirect sunlight. Unless you are deliberately fading your leathers, don’t store them in the sunlight.
• Always apply a leather protector to your leather furniture immediately before you begin to use it.
• Use the proper leather care products that came with your furniture.

With these general leather care tips, you'll keep yourself and your leather happy!

• Dirty leather: Just use a damp cloth. Never use household cleaning products (e.g. soap, detergents, solvents, furniture polish, varnish, oils) on your leather as they cause irreparable damage.
• If the stain persists, consult a professional leather care specialist. Home remedies might cause more damage to the leather.
• If your leather gets wet, blot up the excess water and let it air-dry at room temperature. Do not use heat, it will dry out and crack the leather.

• Do not store your leather products in plastic, so chuck the plastic wrapping your furniture came in. Leather needs ventilation – use a cloth cover instead.
• Avoid using or placing sharp objects on leather goods.
• Dust leather furniture weekly with a soft cloth. The dust that settles on the surface can lead to fine scratches or damage the finish on leather upholstery.
• Constant flipping and rotation of cushions helps keeps wrinkles from permanently developing in the leather.

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