21 February Caring for Your Leather Furniture February 21, 2022 By sma Cleaning Tips, DIY, Home Decor, Home Maintenance bedroom, living room 0 CARING FOR YOUR LEATHER FURNITURE February 21, 2022 | Home Maintenance, DIY, Home Decor, Cleaning Tips | living room, bedroom Leather furniture can be the perfect piece to tie any room together. And while leather is usually more durable, it can get worn down from excessive use. Luckily, a little bit of TLC will keep your couch or chair looking great even longer! Cuts and Scratches If you have pets or small children, your furniture may have lots of small cuts in it. The good news is that they’re fairly easy to repair. If the scratch hasn’t completely punctured the material, all you need is some high quality leather conditioner. Start by cleaning the surface and then wait for it to dry. Then continually apply the conditioner until the leather can’t absorb it. Let the last coat sit until it’s dry, and most of the cuts should disappear. Peeling or Flaking It’s not uncommon for blended leather to start flaking off after a while. Although you might opt to just replace the piece, you can get a few more years out of it. First, remove any loose flakes that are on the furniture. Then use either a leather paint or leather filler to fill in the area left behind. Seal it off with a coat of finish and let it dry. You can also try to add some texture or design to the patch you’ve made to better hide your work. Rips Deeper cuts into the fabric will take a bit more work to repair. You’ll need to create a patch using additional leather or a similar material. To make it easier, clean up the area around the hole so that the edges are smooth. Then place the patch underneath and glue down all the sides. While you can use super glue for this step, it may be best to use a more flexible glue. Next, use a filler material to even out the repaired area and protect it. You might also be able to find a leather repair kit at the store that comes with a patch and a variety of fill colors. Rough Leather Along with your leather furniture accruing cuts and tears, it can also get rough and dried out. Using a leather conditioner in this instance is your best option to revive that old material. When choosing a conditioner, look for one that uses lanolin. You can also use coconut oil, Vaseline and alcohol, or mink oil. Continually apply your conditioner of choice until the leather starts to feel smooth and more flexible. For super rough areas, use some sandpaper to even it out. Faded Spots If your leather couch or chair sits in a particular sunny spot, it may have lost its color or is starting to. The good news is you don’t have to replace the piece of furniture. All you need is a dye that matches the original color. Then you’ll just need to try and blend the colors together. If you’re not the best furniture artist, there are furniture restoration companies you can hire. Just a little bit of care with your leather furniture will keep it looking great longer! Call National Property Inspections Today NPI helps you keep your home in its best condition, and can even help you make the most of your investment when you buy or sell with a full home inspection. Find your local inspector to make an appointment. Comments are closed.