Leather furniture often gets neglected as people don’t know how to care for it. A well used piece of leather furniture develops creases and crevices due to the nature of the material. These are ideal breeding grounds for bugs, especially as dropped food crumbs can become trapped, leading to the development of bad bacteria and dust mites. A good cleaning routine can prevent this.

Before cleaning your furniture it is important to know what type of leather it is made with. The most common type of leather used on modern upholstery is pigmented leather. This is the easiest type of leather to clean as it has a protective finish which will remain durable for years if cared for properly.

You should clean pigmented leather furniture monthly using a good quality leather cleaner. This should be applied using a circular motion with a clean cloth or soft brush such as a new shoe brush for more stubborn soiling. Always take care not to over wet the leather.  Blot the surface using paper towels and allow to dry.  Finally, apply a leather protector and make sure your sofa is completely dry before using it to reduce “wet rub”.

Nubuck, suede and aniline leathers are more difficult to clean as they have little or no protective coating.  Because of this they are very absorbent which means they have a tendency to take in moisture, dirt and grease below the surface. These stains can be difficult to remove and wet cleaning products are not normally recommended for these types of leather. If in doubt, consult an expert!

• Leather should only be cleaned in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. The use of cleaning solutions or preparations on products for which they were not intended could damage the surface of the leather
• The best advice (where care instructions for the leather are not available) is to wipe the leather with a damp lint-free cloth
• Ensure your leather furniture is professionally cleaned regularly

Your local Furniture Medic specialist can also offer more advice on products and furniture care.

Damp leather, like wood, is also susceptible to mould and mildew and again, once it has set in it is best to let the experts deal with it. Furniture Medic can clean it and treat it with their own special fabric protector – Fabritec, which will provide up to 12 months anti-bacterial protection for all fabric and leather furniture affected. Its low water solubility means that it does not wash off, so it lasts for longer.