Owning leather furniture adds that rich sophisticated look to any room in your home. Nothing can compare to the elegant appearance that you get from owning leather furniture and one thing that stays with you is that smell of brand new leather. Leather furniture purchases signify an increasing proportion of the furniture market every year and probably the most comfortable choice you make in a couch is owning leather.

One unusual characteristic is that it adjusts to your body temperature. It will warm to the body in winter and it feels enjoyably cool in summer. A leather couch is much more hard-wearing than a fabric couch making it a great choice for families with kids and pets. As a result it will stand up to rough housing, climbing children and spills.

When you make that decision to purchase leather furniture you are making a substantial investment in the furnishings of your home and it only makes sense to learn the right cleaning and care techniques. This article provides a few tips for the proper care of your leather couch.

Leather furniture gives you the impression that it is indestructible and without the proper care, the condition of the leather will deteriorate quickly and start to crack. It is important to know that you should avoid keeping it in a room that puts it in direct sunlight or direct heat from a heating vent.

Direct sunlight or heat will remove the natural oils in the leather and cause it to crack and fade and this will give it a shabby appearance. Sunlight and heat will also cause it to lose its lustre which comes from the natural oils that are in the leather. Make sure that your leather furniture is either in a room that doesn't get much sunlight or direct heat or in a room that you can draw the curtains. Regularly cleaning and conditioning of your leather furniture will help it maintain its beauty and keep it feeling soft when you touch it.

What people are not aware of is that you have different types of leather which require different methods of care and they need different cleaning instructions. Some leathers are very difficult to clean and as a result should never be used in situations that might require frequent cleaning or areas of high usage.

Suede or nubick leathers do not have any pigment and as a result they need special leather cleaners that do not use water. This leather marks or soils easily and it must be cleaned immediately when you see the need to prevent permanent damage.

Another type of leather is aniline which is leather that has received a dye to give it different colors but there has not been any protective coating applied afterward. With the dyeing process you find that aniline leather does not have as many stain resistant qualities as other leathers, but it feels much softer and more pliable than other leather products. Just water alone will cause aniline leather to darken and as a result there is the possibility of causing permanent damage. The proper care of aniline leather requires special cleaning products.

The best and simplest way to clean protected leather furniture is with a leather detergent with a neutral pH. You agitate the solution to turn it into foam which is then applied to the leather. The foam will seep into the pores of the leather to remove the dirt and grime. This dirty foam is then removed from the leather and you continue to repeat this process until the leather is clean.

Make sure you do not use saddle soap on leather furniture because of its harsh nature and avoid wipes because they contain chemicals which can damage the finish on the leather. Also avoid using solutions that contain silicone, wax or oils because they slowly damage the finish on the leather. It is necessary to clean any spill immediately to prevent it from causing a permanent stain.

There are sometimes sections of furniture that need special concentration such as where the head or the hands rub. These areas receive excess oils from our bodies and combined with the friction from usage the oils can penetrate leather which causes discoloration and damage.

The final process after cleaning leather is to apply leather conditioners. This conditioner is reapplying the proper oils into the surface and it works like Scotchgard. This natural protection will slow down any damage that can be caused from dirt or stains. It is excellent to apply a conditioner to your furniture every three to four months which gives it a protection from day to day living. Your furniture should be cleaned regularly every 18 months in order to maintain it.

Either this regular cleaning should be done by you or you can hire a professional but by following these routines you will maintain the elegance and beauty of your leather furniture. An added benefit is that this will save an unnecessary expense of thousands of dollars in furniture replacement sooner than is necessary.