Soft Leather
December 14th, 2010 | 
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What is the best way to care for soft leather?
I have bought a new sofa and it's leather and they tell me I need special wipes to care for it properly but I think it is just a con.
Do you really need these wipes if your sofa is going to continue to look good?
You really do need to look after your leather correctly to keep it in good condition. Leather wipes unfortunatley are not the answer other than for the occassional spot cleaning of spillages.
Using household products and 'old wives' remedies are very short sighted when it comes to cleaning and caring for leather and can become very costly in the long run as problems they generally cause will be costly to put right. (although it does keep people like ourselves busy as we rush round fixing problems caused by using the wrong things!!!)
You need to use a good quality water based foam leather cleaner. (LTT Leather Shampoo) With light coloured leather dye transfer from clothing can be a problem although using a good quality leather protector (LTT Leather Protect) will help inhibit this. For dye transfer and ingrained dirt you may need a much stronger cleaner like Maxi Cleaner (this should be used with caution)
DO NOT use anything containing oils, waxes or silicones. (Most 'conditioners' contain waxes or oils) and furniture polish (pledge) contains silicones which will eventually destroy the finish on the leather. Most car cleaners also contain oils or waxes so should not be used as they leave residues on the surface of the leather which attract more dirt which eventually leads to cracking.
BABY WIPES are the worst thing you can use as they will destroy the finish on your leather. This has been verified and proved to be the case. They are actually a very strong product and this is why they break down the finish. Leather is not like skin and should not be treated as such.
Saddle soap should never be usd on upholstery leather or garments it is meant for saddles which are very different from todays finished leathers.
A lot of leather wipes contain chemicals which will also destroy the finish or leave residues on the leather which will damage it. They are not cheap in the long run as you would need a lot to clean. A bottle of foam cleaner should do your car about 3-4 times.
Fairy liquid contains more salt these days to get dishes clean and this will break the finish down on your leather. This has been verified by the manufacturers (as with the baby wipes).
Magic Erasers should not be used unless you are going to renew the finish on you r leather. We have tested these recently and they sand away the top finish on the leather.
You should also follow cleaning with a good water based leather protector which will act like a 'scotchgard' and inhibit dirt and stains from being absorbed and make cleaning easier the next time. Conditioners are totally unnecessary and only a product push by manufacturers.
Dry leather needs rehydrating with water and oils and waxes should not be used as the natural oils do not dry out of leather. Wiping over with a damp cloth regularly will help to do this.
It is important to maintain a regular cleaning regime cleaning dirt off the surface regularly and inhibiting the absorption of body oils into the leather with a protector is the best way of doing this. The only 'moisturizer' a leather needs is from water.
The alternative is a brand new product on the market called Lazy Leather. This is the latest technology in cleaning and combines an effective cleaner with a protector. It is quick and easy to use and should be used as a maintenance product once your suite has been cleaned or from new if you have just bought it.
Using incorrect care products is usually the cause of deterioration in the leather as unfortunately most car care products contain waxes and oils or silicones which do not do the leather any good.
PLEASE PLEASE DO NOT follow the advice on Buzzle.com as most of these products will damage your leather furniture
Source(s):
http://www.LTTsolutions.net
Leather care consultants to the furniture and cleaning industries
Professional knowledge
Training school for leather cleaners and repair technicians
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