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Caring for leather furniture

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Published: February 5, 2012

•Set aside a soft cloth to use solely for leather furniture.

•Never put the furniture in direct sunlight or close to a radiator or regularly used fireplace; doing so will dry out and discolor the leather.

•Take care that shoe buckles, belts and household pets do not damage the upholstery.

•Each week or two: Dry-cloth dust and vacuum, cleaning in crevices and along the bottom.

•One or two times a year: Wipe furniture down with a barely damp sponge (use distilled water; tap water can stain). Then moisturize the furniture with a colorless conditioner made for the particular type of leather. First test the product on a part of the furniture that will not be easily noticed. Using a soft cloth, massage a few drops of the conditioning agent into the leather. Rub it off with a clean cloth.

•Remove spilled substances as quickly as possible with a clean absorbent cloth or sponge.

•Do not use soap or heavily soak stains with water. This may cause more damage than the stain itself.

•For butter, oil or grease stains, wipe off excess with a clean, dry cloth. Leave alone, and the spot should dissipate after a short period of time.

•For other stains, call professionals for cleaning.

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