Leather and Vinyl MD
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Leather Care Tips and Information
Leather care information to help you clean, condition and protect leather furniture and auto upholstery
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Related Articles
5 Things you should know before you buy leather furniture
Leather Comparison Chart
On line Shopping for Leather Care Products
Leather Repair
Re-dyeing Sofa
Maintenance Program
Remove Stains
Permanent Marker Stains
Ink Stains
Fading
Cracking
UV Protection Cream
Auto Upholstery Repair
Franchises
Steering Wheel Repair
vinyl repair
mobile service
Related Articles
5 Things you should know before you buy leather furniture
Leather Comparison Chart
On line Shopping for Leather Care Products
Leather Repair
Re-dyeing Sofa
Maintenance Program
Remove Stains
Permanent Marker Stains
Ink Stains
Fading
Cracking
UV Protection Cream
Auto Upholstery Repair
Franchises
Steering Wheel Repair
vinyl repair
mobile service
Cleaning
Proper leather care requires regular cleaning and conditioning, to keep leather upholstery supple and prevent damage. Otherwise, dirt, grit and grime can discolor surface areas and eventually get down into the sub surface fibers causing cracking, tears and rips.
Using the wrong type of cleaning products can also damage your upholstery. Some cleaners while suitable for products like saddles and boots, harden the surface of upholstery leather, which then can't flex and breathe as it should. These cleaners remove some of the surface dye and strip the natural oils causing fading and cracking. You need a leather cleaner, that penetrates deep to remove the grit and grime that can cause damage, yet is gentle and pH balanced for upholstery leather.
Ink stains: If the ink is not permanent, clean following directions on cleaner. For permanent ink stains (i.e. sharpie), you need to have the article professionally cleaned.
Nail polish: Carefully scrape wet polish with dull knife or spatula in a slightly upward motion. Sometime a slight milky mark will remain on the outside edges. For further removal call a professional. Do not use acetone as this will damage the leather, may remove some of the leather color and will usually not remove the nail polish. If nail polish is dry, call a professional.
Urine: from pets or people: Wipe immediately. Clean with appropriate leather cleaner. If cushions can be opened check filler. If it is soiled discard it and replace filling. If odor persists call professional.
Always test any cleaning or conditioning product on an inconspicuous spot.
Conditioning
Conditioners protect against cracking and premature aging by providing essential oils and lubrication to keep leather soft and supple. Sunlight can also rob the leather of its natural oils, which can cause further damage, making deep conditioning very important.
Some conditioners can leave a greasy residue that is bad for leather. Look for a conditioner that is made from glycerin and fine light oils that will penetrate the fibers and provide natural lubrication. It should contain no heavy oils or animal fats.
Proper leather care not only enhances the beauty of your leather furniture but also greatly extends its life. Leather furniture upholstery should be cleaned and conditioned at least twice a year, more often if subjected to heavy use. sofa or chair auto upholstery often requires more frequent treatment.
Protection Treatment
Protects all kinds of leather against liquids and staining including oils, alcohol, beverages, food stains and normal dirt and soiling. This barrier protection treatment keeps the leather looking like new and makes regular cleaning and maintenance much easier.
UV Protection
If your furniture is placed near a window or the leather is not "top coated" or "protected" it may fade and dry out because of exposure to sunlight. A UV protection treatment will prevent premature fading and drying caused by the sun's harmful rays.
Storing Leather Furniture
Great care should be taken when storing leather furniture. NEVER wrap leather tightly in plastic. It is a natural material and needs to "breathe". Plastic also encourages the growth of mildew. You can drape plastic over the piece but make sure that air can circulate. Flannel or cotton sheets are good choices . An additional padded layer of soft fabric will help protect the upholstery from accidental damage. Before storing, clean and condition the leather. Storage facilities should be climate controlled. Avoid direct heat.
Special Leather Finishes
Nubuck and Pure Aniline are not top coated with pigment and therefore require special treatment when cleaning and conditioning.
Minor Stains: Blot and then clean them immediately with our Leather Cleaner for Aniline, Nubuck. Follow with Leather Conditioner for Aniline Nubuck. Once stains have set, they are very difficult if not impossible to remove.
Scratches: can sometimes be lightly buffed out with a soft cloth.
Grease stains: Immediately apply ground white chalk powder and leave on for 24 hours. Do not rub. Then brush off with upholstery brush.
Caked on Food - NUBUCK (with pile) ONLY!
Rub very gently with extra fine sandpaper or nail file to remove food particles.
For more information about leather finishes, check out our Related Articles Section.
Proper leather care requires regular cleaning and conditioning, to keep leather upholstery supple and prevent damage. Otherwise, dirt, grit and grime can discolor surface areas and eventually get down into the sub surface fibers causing cracking, tears and rips.
Using the wrong type of cleaning products can also damage your upholstery. Some cleaners while suitable for products like saddles and boots, harden the surface of upholstery leather, which then can't flex and breathe as it should. These cleaners remove some of the surface dye and strip the natural oils causing fading and cracking. You need a leather cleaner, that penetrates deep to remove the grit and grime that can cause damage, yet is gentle and pH balanced for upholstery leather.
Ink stains: If the ink is not permanent, clean following directions on cleaner. For permanent ink stains (i.e. sharpie), you need to have the article professionally cleaned.
Nail polish: Carefully scrape wet polish with dull knife or spatula in a slightly upward motion. Sometime a slight milky mark will remain on the outside edges. For further removal call a professional. Do not use acetone as this will damage the leather, may remove some of the leather color and will usually not remove the nail polish. If nail polish is dry, call a professional.
Urine: from pets or people: Wipe immediately. Clean with appropriate leather cleaner. If cushions can be opened check filler. If it is soiled discard it and replace filling. If odor persists call professional.
Always test any cleaning or conditioning product on an inconspicuous spot.
Conditioning
Conditioners protect against cracking and premature aging by providing essential oils and lubrication to keep leather soft and supple. Sunlight can also rob the leather of its natural oils, which can cause further damage, making deep conditioning very important.
Some conditioners can leave a greasy residue that is bad for leather. Look for a conditioner that is made from glycerin and fine light oils that will penetrate the fibers and provide natural lubrication. It should contain no heavy oils or animal fats.
Proper leather care not only enhances the beauty of your leather furniture but also greatly extends its life. Leather furniture upholstery should be cleaned and conditioned at least twice a year, more often if subjected to heavy use. sofa or chair auto upholstery often requires more frequent treatment.
Protection Treatment
Protects all kinds of leather against liquids and staining including oils, alcohol, beverages, food stains and normal dirt and soiling. This barrier protection treatment keeps the leather looking like new and makes regular cleaning and maintenance much easier.
UV Protection
If your furniture is placed near a window or the leather is not "top coated" or "protected" it may fade and dry out because of exposure to sunlight. A UV protection treatment will prevent premature fading and drying caused by the sun's harmful rays.
Storing Leather Furniture
Great care should be taken when storing leather furniture. NEVER wrap leather tightly in plastic. It is a natural material and needs to "breathe". Plastic also encourages the growth of mildew. You can drape plastic over the piece but make sure that air can circulate. Flannel or cotton sheets are good choices . An additional padded layer of soft fabric will help protect the upholstery from accidental damage. Before storing, clean and condition the leather. Storage facilities should be climate controlled. Avoid direct heat.
Special Leather Finishes
Nubuck and Pure Aniline are not top coated with pigment and therefore require special treatment when cleaning and conditioning.
Minor Stains: Blot and then clean them immediately with our Leather Cleaner for Aniline, Nubuck. Follow with Leather Conditioner for Aniline Nubuck. Once stains have set, they are very difficult if not impossible to remove.
Scratches: can sometimes be lightly buffed out with a soft cloth.
Grease stains: Immediately apply ground white chalk powder and leave on for 24 hours. Do not rub. Then brush off with upholstery brush.
Caked on Food - NUBUCK (with pile) ONLY!
Rub very gently with extra fine sandpaper or nail file to remove food particles.
For more information about leather finishes, check out our Related Articles Section.
Leather and Vinyl MD is a leader in leather care. Our family of leather care products is specially formulated and pH balanced to maintain the beauty and durability of all types of fine upholstery leather. Our gentle pH balanced cleaner penetrates deep to remove dirt and grime. Our leather conditioner is made with the finest light oils to restore and rejuvenate your leather sofa, couch, or chair without any greasy residue.
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