How to Care for Leather Furniture – Tips from Spitfire Furniture

Understated yet undeniably refined, leather furniture brings timeless elegance and character to any space, but like most materials, it demands thoughtful care. Whether it’s a statement armchair or a well-loved sofa, maintaining the beauty of leather means understanding its unique needs. 

Here, Spitfire Furniture shares simple yet effective ways to help your leather pieces age gracefully for years to come.

Avoid cleaners such as soap

Using oil soap to clean your leather furniture will stain and darken the leather. It’s also best to avoid mild soap. Though gentle on hands, mild soap will not only remove the dirt but might also remove the colour of the leather. Saddle soap is also a no-no and may be good for cleaning and maintaining your horse riding boots but not for cleaning leather furniture.

If soap or detergent is used to clean your leather furniture it will eventually become brittle, dry and damaged.

Don’t position leather furniture in direct sunlight

Virtually nothing is safe for long in direct sunlight. So avoid extreme temperatures that cause leather furniture to dry and crack. A good indicator of whether the leather is too hot or too cold is if you are too hot or too cold in a room.

Blot spills quickly 

If you accidentally spill grease or oil on your leather furniture, blot the spill using a clean absorbent cloth or paper towels. You can also use baking powder to help absorb it or buy a leather degreaser furniture cleaner that is designed to extract grease and oil from leather furniture.

Opt for a professionally applied leather protector for new furniture pieces

If your leather furniture is older, have it cleaned professionally and then apply a leather protector. You can use products like Wynn’s Leather Care Creme and Shield Leather Care to treat and protect it. Also, remember to keep leather furniture free from dust and wipe it with a barely damp cloth now and then.

Make your own homemade leather furniture cleaner

Using a few simple household products you can make your homemade leather cleaner. Simply mix a 50/50 vinegar and water solution in a bowl and use a microfibre cloth to apply it to your furniture. Next, rub the leather in a circular motion to lift the dirt out of the natural fibres.

Dip your cloth into the bowl often, wringing it out and rewetting it as needed. As you clean, you will notice the dirt being lifted from the leather and transferred into the bowl. Replace your cleaning solution if it becomes too dirty.

After your leather furniture has been cleaned, it’s best to condition and protect it

Similar to your skin, leather needs to be protected and moisturised so that it doesn’t crack over time. To condition your leather furniture, create a simple and inexpensive conditioner using a mixture of one-part vinegar and two-part linseed oil. Apply to the leather furniture using a soft cloth. Work in a circular motion, covering the entire leather surface. Then rub the conditioner in thoroughly and let it sit for about 10 minutes, finally buff it with a soft cloth to bring a shine to the leather furniture.

Known for its unique range of aviation-inspired furniture, Cape Town-based luxury furniture store Spitfire also produces bespoke bespoke designer furniture, lighting, and decor

contact:  Spitfire