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Tuesday, January 3rd, 2017
Hooker Furniture Living Room Sebastian Sofa (with 2 Recliners)
Upholstered furniture go through the same rigors as cabinetry and other pieces of furniture. The only difference is that you may not always notice the dust that settles on upholstered pieces. Brushing or vacuuming every week in order to remove dust as well as avoid colors becoming dull is one of the many effective ways of caring for leather and upholstered pieces.
Why Care for Leather?
In the first place, why? Leather is a beautiful, natural product. This is one of the few materials that allows the piece to breathe while delivering warm and unique characteristics.
Leather beautifully displays traces of where it came from – the scars, brands, growth and creases show it all. These add character to the couch and do not affect the overall quality of the furniture piece.
Leather is resilient, durable and has a patina that develops over time which increases its appeal.
Tips in Leather Care
Begin by protecting your leather couch from direct sunlight. It is best to use leather pieces indoors or any area that would allow them to sit without being touched by the rays of sunlight.
Dust can be removed from semi-aniline, protected or pigmented leather through vacuuming. You can then follow this process by wiping them with a slightly damp piece of cloth. You can also use mild soap if grease has accidentally touched your leather piece.
Follow up with buffing using a soft, dry cloth. Avoid rubbing or wetting excessively.
Next, it is common for leather to have natural oils and perspiration coming from the hair and skin. These can have an effect on the leather couch’s finish. The degree of this said effect can vary from one person to the next. Cleaning is best done where the bare hands, arms and heads usually rest. Do this a couple of times each week.
You can also use leather protection cream to better protect your leather couch. Apply it to both new and used leather from two to four times every year. There are also soft leather cleaners which can be used more often as needed. When cleaning, make sure that you don’t rub the cleaner, instead, use a soft, wiping motion.
Another problem with leather couch ownership is when ink marks stain the lovely piece. Find a ball point pen ink remover that could penetrate more deeply than the usual cleaners. When the stain is a tad more serious, it may require you to ask for professional help.
When it comes to hide food, here’s a word of caution – do not use it to polish your leather couch. Instead, use the usual leather creams and cleaning solutions.
Nubuck, suede, and aniline leathers ask for specific care since they all lack protective coating. Find products that were specifically manufactured for these kinds of leather finish. Make sure that you follow the cleaning instructions thoroughly. Be sure to test on an unseen part of the couch before you begin the cleaning process.
Another warning when it comes to owning leather furniture is to keep it away from any heat source. Keep a distance of 30 cm from the leather couch and the radiator (or any other heat source).
As for liquids, quickly find some absorbent paper towels then dab the area where there was a spillage. Use clean towels to completely dry the area afterwards.
Plump the back and arm cushions as well as the seats and fixed pads so that they maintain their shape for years. Should you notice any crease especially on the seat area, be sure to smooth them out so that it won’t become a permanent problem.
Lastly, just be gentle when sitting on your leather couch so that it will be with you for a long, long time.
Tags: caring for leather, leather care, leather couch, leather furniture, leather furniture care, leather maintenance, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings
Posted in Furniture, Home Maintenance, Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements | Comments Off on Caring for That Leather Couch
Thursday, October 6th, 2016
FFDM Viniterra Collection offers an interesting fusion of leather and fabric.
Cleaning any leather furniture is a process that asks for a huge deal of expertise and care. This is one of those materials that can be easily damaged when treated improperly. While most homeowners opt to do this task on their own, there are professionals who have been certified to address this kind of maintenance. They are the right people to call who have the right kind of cleaning materials and equipment.
Leather is preserved animal skin so it is wise that it should be treated in that manner. Any substance that can keep it moistened is the kind that could provide longevity to it.
Leather Prepping
Before you or an expert would begin to clean the leather furniture, make sure that the furniture piece has been vacuumed properly. This process may be simple but it can prevent waste materials from damaging the furniture.
Preserved animal skin is very fragile so you wouldn’t want dust or any waste to get stuck to it. Any kind of debris should be removed from it. You may use saddle soap or just about any gentle cleaning solution that can also treat the leather.
Veer away from strong chemicals as these can cause permanent staining on your leather couch, chair, recliner, or ottoman.
Leather Cleaning
As soon as you have vacuumed and prepped the gentle soap that you’ll use, be sure to apply the solution with a damp cloth. Use just a little pressure to apply and reapply the solution. Rinse the soap suds with clean water, again, using the damp cloth.
Dry the material right after it is rinsed. Use a dry cloth this time, using just a little amount of pressure.
Leather + Toothpaste?
There are stains that are deemed permanent which can actually be removed easily using toothpaste. Scrubbing will only damage the leather so it is best to make the tough stain come out using a cloth and toothpaste. If the stain remains, then have a professional take a look at your leather furniture. These experts have the safest equipment and solutions to use to remove the stain.
Hooker Furniture Living Room Aspen Durant Round Cocktail Ottoman: Who says leather furniture always has to be a sofa?
Leather After Stain Removal
After the stains have been removed, leather can be conditioned and treated. This must be done once to twice a year depending on how much exposure under the sunlight the leather furniture receives. Don’t think that simple silicone or oils can be used to clean leather because they have been known to stick and become permanent residues.
There are leather technicians who can expertly handle leather by erasing stains and other problems that are common to this material.
Choosing the Right Leather Caretaker
With a lot of leather cleaning companies to choose from, you might be wondering how you would end up with the best. To properly discern the best, be sure to do some research. Look for personal reviews of past clients, work samples, and their certifications. Among these three, it is important to check the last one. Certifications ensure that the business is competent enough to handle leather concerns. Certificates ascertain that the team has ample fundamental knowledge as well as the latest techniques to handle any leather situation.
So what sort of certificate should you be looking for?
Look for the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning & Restoration Certificate. This is also known as the IICRC which is proof of their continued evaluation. Professionals who hold this certificate know how to repair, deodorize, maintain and even restore leather furniture.
Cleaning technicians also know the various fabric categories so they will be able to identify different fibers, sanitation chemistry, techniques of leather protection, and are even able to forecast a problem before it even happens.
Tags: caring for leather, genuine leather, leather, leather care, leather design, leather furniture, leather maintenance, leather upholstery, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, tips
Posted in Furniture, Home Maintenance, Interior Design 101 | No Comments »
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