Leather Furniture Care
Leather is a durable material with an average lifespan up to four times longer than that of textiles. That makes it a great investment, but it's important to care for your leather furniture.

Tips for taking care of your leather furniture

At Oliver Birch we stock a range of leather care products from Multimaster, and have provided this information as a guide to caring for your leather furniture.

The seven golden rules of leather care

1.  Protect your leather furniture with leather protection cream before you use it. Re-protect every time you use a leather cleaning product.

2.  Clean your furniture regularly, but not excessively. Keeping it clean is one of the best ways to extend the life of your leather furniture. However, to ensure your leather has the longest life possible you need to treat it gently.

3.  Select care products carefully. Only use products specifically designed for leather. Never use strong detergents, chemicals, saddle soaps or hide food. Always test leather care products before use.

4.  Keep your furniture away from heat. Heat causes leather to dry out, making the leather stiff and brittle. Position your furniture at least 30cm away from any sources of heat.

5.  Avoid sunlight. Never place your furniture in direct sunlight. Sunlight has a drying effect on leather, and UV radiation will fade leather furniture. Aniline and nubuck leathers are particularly susceptible to fading.

6.  Protect your furniture from damage. Leather is tough and resilient, but it isn’t impervious to damage. Like your own skin, leather needs to be treated with care and protected from scuffs, tears, burns and scratches.

– Be careful when moving leather furniture. Lift it don’t drag it.
– Avoid leaving sharp objects on your furniture.
– Keep your furniture safe from pets.
– Take care when smoking. Leather is fire resistant, but dropped cigarettes will still cause damage.
– Take care when using chemicals (nail polish, nail polish remover, cleaning products, etc) on or near your furniture.

7.  Beware of dyes. Dye from newspapers and fabrics – such as clothing, cushions and throws – can transfer to your furniture’s leather upholstery. Stains caused by dye transfer are very difficult to remove.

– Always make sure throws and cushions are colour fast before putting them on your lounge.
– Never sit wet towels or clothing on your furniture.
– Don’t leave newspapers or printed plastic bags sitting on your furniture.

Why does leather need protecting?

Protection from Stains

Unprotected leather is highly absorbent. Leather is hydrophilic – it loves water. Unprotected leather draws liquids deep into its fibres causing stains that can be nearly impossible to remove. Leather Protection Cream is hydrophobic – it repels water and helps prevent stains. Leather Protection Cream also helps to prevent oil and alcohol based stains. Nothing can provide 100% protection from stains, but protected leather is always easier to clean.

Protection from Damage

It’s not just stains that you need to worry about. Some substances can actually damage leather. One of the most common causes of damage to leather is contact with the human body. Over time, body oils and perspiration can cause serious damage to leather. Leather Protection Cream places an invisible, breathable barrier between you and your leather protecting it from stains AND damage.

Protection from Drying

Leather Protection Cream also helps to limit the drying effect of cleaning products. Even the gentlest cleaning products can cause leather to dry out with repeated use. When you treat your leather with Leather Protection Cream you are cleaning dirt and soiling from the top of the protective layer, this limits the amount of contact the cleaner has with the leather.

Pigmented leather already has a protective topcoat. Does it need additional protection?

In short, yes. Leather Protection Cream also helps to protect the topcoat. Many substances can stain or damage the topcoat. The topcoat is particularly susceptible to damage from body oils and perspiration. And, the topcoat doesn’t always provide complete protection. With use, the topcoat will eventually wear. Even on brand new furniture the topcoat may be cracked, damage or inadequately applied. When you apply Leather Protection Cream you ensure that your furniture is always protected.

White leather needs extra protection.

Stains caused by dye transfer are common on white and very light coloured furniture. Light coloured leathers will need extra protection to prevent these stains. Leather Protection Cream is suitable for aniline and pigmented leather.

Wed, Dec 04, 19