Purchasing a new set of leather furniture can be exciting, both in the awe of the radiance and the princely feel of comfort stirred by the classy piece of furniture. But the enthusiasm from that sparkling body of leather is often difficult to sustain as many users struggle to refresh the shine after constant use.
Experts in furniture making say leather furniture pieces require routine cleaning exercise at least once in three months. This is to save the furniture from falling into quicker aging and faster rate of damage.
According to Bedmate Furniture, one of the big players in furniture industry in Nigeria, there are certain tools to get the job done such as a cotton swab, water, alcohol, leather cream, clean cotton cloth and saddle soap – a soap specifically made for leather materials.
Some leather upholstery usually come with a label that specifies the type of material to be used, some recommend solvent or water-based detergent. Other warnings on furniture might state that neither water nor detergent be applied on the surface except professional cleaning.
“The truth is, to keep your leather furniture looking radiant for many years, maintenance and prevention should be held in high esteem. If these are not considered, soon there will be cracks and brittles on our beautiful leather pieces. Well, with careful cleaning and conditioning, leather furniture can be brought back to life,” Bedmate officials said.
The procedure for remaining mild stain such as dust accumulation should start with dampening a cotton cloth in warm soapy water before cleaning the leather furniture carefully. This can be done once in two weeks.
But for stains that form a permanent dent and are stubborn to soap and water, alcohol and cotton swab are prescribed. With the cotton swab damp with alcohol, gently wipe the affected area. After wiping, it is important you allow it to dry up the fluid with a clean, dry cloth, before treating it to a conditioner for complete dryness.
The furniture maker also advises that leather cream formulations are good applications to protect and nourish the leather. They prevent discoloration and cracks of leather, providing protection to repel water-based stains so that they don’t penetrate the leather. Leather cream can be applied using a clean cloth to wipe the furniture all through.
However, when stains do not respond to the aforementioned cleaning methods, Bedmate says it’s time to seek the services of a professional upholstery cleaner as continuous scrubbing could cause more harm than good.
Knowing that leather is not a preference for everyone, Lifemate Furniture, another leading manufacturer of furniture in Nigeria, advises that the numerous users of fabric sofas to vacuum them regularly with an upholstery attachment.
Other precautions it prescribes are clean spills and marks immediately, as stains are harder to remove when thoroughly penetrated; using recommended fabric cleaner on spills and marks because general household cleaners can damage fibres and discolour fabric and preventing Velcro and sharp objects such as rings or buckles from coming into contact with your furniture.
“Prevent pilling with regular vacuuming and cleaning to remove dirt and any loose fibres. Should pilling occur, a fabric pill remover is safe to use. It is also better to protect fabrics from direct sunlight as this can result in fading, and weaken fibres. Also, organize an annual professional cleaning by upholstery cleaner to maintain your sofa’s condition,” Lifemate encouraged.
Temitayo Ayetoto
