How to Care for Leather Furnishings

Leather is one of the few materials, if not the only one, used on furniture and in building interiors that was once actually a living animal. Generally, the cowhides used to fabricate leather for interiors are by-products of the meat processing industry.

If the hides were simply tossed aside and nature was allowed to take its course, armies of bacteria, molds and fungi would go on the attack and begin nature's recycling process. Put more bluntly, the hides would simply rot.

But these hides are not tossed aside; they are tanned in large tumbling drums. In the tanning process, solutions of organic material and mineral salts called tanning liquors are applied to prevent the decomposition of the hides.

A solution called "fat liquor" is also included as a part of the tumbling process to help make the hides softer and more pliable when they are removed from the drums. Finally, the hides are stained and sent to the company which will fabricate the components of a leather furnishing.

Cleaning Leather

New leather hides are supple yet firm, stuffed with oils and moderately acidic. The goal in caring for leather is to keep it that way, even through years of use.

According to most leather experts, the best way to accomplish that is to treat it similar to our skin: keep it clean and moisturize it.

Leather should be cleaned regularly by working up a lather with a mild soap and as little water as possible. The best soap will be non-alkaline, with a low pH. Some better cleaners contain glycerine, an ingredient which attracts moisture from the air and helps keep the leather softer.

When cleaning, your employees should work up a lather with a sponge and rinse often. They should change the water often to avoid putting dirt back into the leather.

Use a soft toothbrush to reach into stitching, tooling and other crevices. Strong cleaners and detergents should not be used on leather, except to spot-clean bad stains before going over the entire leather surface using your mild leather cleaner.

After the leather is clean, your staff should wipe away all soap with a clean, damp sponge, especially in and around small crevices and stitching. Allow the leather to dry naturally, never in direct sunlight.

Conditioning Leather

After the leather is clean and dry, it should be moisturized to replenish any oils which were lost over time or removed during the cleaning process. The leather should also be conditioned between regular cleanings, depending upon the building's interior climate and the degree of wear the surface receives.

In general, leather conditioning products are best when they are light, spread easily, absorb into the surface, will not rub off on clothing, will not permanently darken the leather's color and are similar to the oils used by curriers to manufacture the leather.

To condition leather, your staff should carefully spread a thin coating of the conditioning product over the entire surface. Instruct them to use a clean, dry sponge, and not the same sponges that were just used for cleaning and removing dirt and soap.

Again, the leather should be allowed to dry naturally. If time permits, it may be lightly buffed afterwards to a nice matte finish.

Some Tough Problems

Dirt and moisture create an ideal breeding ground for bacteria and mold -- the culprits that eat away at the stitching that holds a leather surface together.

If you notice that moisture and mold are getting the upper hand, it is important to remove them completely before applying leather moisturizers. Otherwise, a conditioner can lock these destructive organisms more deeply into the leather and stitching where they can continue doing damage.

Some products contain ingredients especially designed to kill mold and mildew. Otherwise, a very mild solution of bleach and water may do the trick.

Perhaps the only positive aspect of the presence of mold and mildew is that it indicates an old leather surface still has some life left in it and hasn't become too stiff and dry. Truly dry leather begins to look and feel powdery, a sure sign that the end for the furnishing is near.

Any leather that is not protected from the elements or cleaned and moisturized regularly can become dry, brittle and, over time, begin falling apart. If a leather surface's fibers are left too brittle, stiff and dried out, all the cleaners and conditioners in the world can't refurbish it.

While cleaning and conditioning leather, your staff should keep an eye out for cuts, gouges, weakened stitching and places that may have stretched thin or become dog-eared along their edges. A stitch in time saves nine. Minor repairs should be made to leather or stitching as soon as possible, before they quickly turn into larger, more expensive problems.

Keep the Sun Out

Most agree that sunlight is a leather surface's worst enemy. If a leather surface must be exposed to sun coming through a window, it may be helpful to place some type of slipcover or protective fabric over it.

Because a leather furnishing is made of a natural material, proper care is especially important. Simple maintenance and care protects your facility's investment in leather by preserving its appearance, extending its life and enhancing its natural character and beauty as it ages. A basic understanding of proper care techniques adds to your pride in the appearance of leather furnishings, helps the furnishings retain their value and establishes you and your staff as cleaning professionals.

Vince Signorelli is president of Tanners Inc., Richmond, VA, a manufacturer of leather care products.

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