Leather Advice From the Pros
Posted: Oct 3, 2011By: FibrenewCategory: Common Leather Problems, DIY, General, Home and Office, Leather Advice From the Pros
Most people, myself included, think of window cleaner as being one of the mildest of all cleaners. People consider it to be so mild they could use it on almost anything. Unfortunately, you really cannot use window cleaner on leather upholstery because almost all of it contains alcohol.
Alcohol will damage the surface of your leather, especially breaking down the protective top coat on fully-finished leathers that make up the vast majority of the leather upholstery market. Breakdown of this surface will leave your upholstery more susceptible to all types of damage in the future, like scratching and water damage.
Alcohol can also, in some cases, cause discoloration in leather.
This footrest has been slightly discolored with an orange hue because of an alcohol cleaner.
This couch has a slightly discolored mark because the owner used a cleaner with alcohol in it.
There are a number of other home remedies and wives’ tales about using home products on leather. We do not advise using any of the following:
Questions or experiences with window cleaner or other cleaners containing alcohol? Post them in the comments!
Posted: Sep 26, 2011By: FibrenewCategory: Common Leather Problems, DIY, Home and Office, Leather Advice From the Pros
It’s true that finger nail polish will remove marks on leather upholstery, but it also removes the dyes that are supposed to be on the leather, leaving a bleached out spot on your leather’s surface. Finger nail polish also wears down the top coat on fully-finished leathers, leaving them more susceptible to damage.
Fingernail polish remover took the color out of this couch when the owner tried to use it to remove the pen mark.
There are a number of other home remedies and wives’ tales about using home products on leather including. We discourage the use of:
Questions or experiences with nail polish remover? Post them in the comments!
Posted: Sep 19, 2011By: FibrenewCategory: Common Leather Problems, DIY, Home and Office, Leather Advice From the Pros
Disposable cleaning supplies and baby wipes are so handy that people have started using them to clean everything, leather upholstery included. I urge you not to use them because, though you may not be able to see the damage immediately, these disposable cleaning supplies typically cause damage to the surface of your leather, often leaving them discolored and more susceptible to damage in the long run.
Almost all of these supplies contain alcohol, and alcohol is a big “no no” when it comes to leather. Alcohol breaks down the surface of leather and especially breaks down the protective coat put on most upholstery leather (called fully-finished leather). Once this protective coating has been broken down, leather is far more easily damaged by water, scratches, etc.
This couch has a slightly discolored mark because the owner used a cleaner with alcohol in it.
This footrest has been slightly discolored with an orange hue because of an alcohol cleaner.
There are a number of other home remedies and wives’ tales about using home products on leather. We discourage the use of:
Questions or experiences with disposable cleaning supplies and leather? Post them in the comments!
Posted: Sep 5, 2011By: FibrenewCategory: Common Leather Problems, DIY, Leather Advice From the Pros
It is a common mistake to use shoe polish on leather upholstery. People try to use it on furniture and on their leather car seats, but it doesn’t work.
The leather used in upholstery is tanned differently from the leather in shoes. It does not soak up shoe polish like shoes do, so the polish will just sit on the surface of your leather and make a sticky mess.
Depending on the type of damage, you may have a number of other alternatives. Professional leather repair experts can usually fix scuffed, faded, torn or otherwise damaged leather for a fraction of the cost of replacing or reupholstering furniture and auto seats.
There are a number of other home remedies and wives’ tales about using home products on leather. We do not advise using the following:
- Olive oil
- Beeswax
- Hair spray
- Markers
- Window cleaner
- Finger nail polish remover
- Disposable cleaning supplies and wipes
Questions or experiences with shoe polish? Post them in the comments!
Posted: Aug 29, 2011By: FibrenewCategory: DIY, Leather Advice From the Pros
There are dozens and dozens of old wives’ tales on different household products that can be used to clean and repair leather. Heed my advice – don’t use any of the following products on your leather furniture! I’ve seen countless pieces of furniture ruined by these very things and wouldn’t want you to find yourself in the same predicament.
1. Olive oil: Lots of people use olive oil to moisten and condition their leather from time to time. It is also used to hide blemishes and dings on couches and chairs. While oil might make your couch look nice right this minute, you are really doing irreparable damage to your furniture. The oil will soak into the back side of the leather, eventually filling it up and causing ugly oil spots. Also, while some older leathers required some sort of moisture, leather today is tanned to hold in all of the moisture it needs. If you have a piece of leather that you want oiled because you want it to be soft regardless of how it looks (think baseball gloves), then oil may be OK. But, it is never advised on any type of high end or furniture leather.
2. Shoe polish: There are several types of furniture leather, and all of those types are very different from the type of leather used in shoes. Because of leather furniture’s different finishes, it will never mix well with shoe polish. The polish will just make a gunky mess on your furniture.
3. Beeswax: I’ve seen people try to use beeswax to water-proof leather. This can be a good option for leather work boots, but I do not recommend that you use it on leather furniture. It can make the leather stiff and waxy to the touch.
4. Hair spray: According to many a wives’ tale, hair spray can be used to fix just about anything from runs in stockings to stains in cotton to marks on leather. Don’t use it on your leather furniture. It probably won’t help the stain, it might have alcohol in it (which damages the surface of leather) and it will leave a sticky mess on your furniture. The sticky spot will attract dirt and oils, causing further damage to the spot.
5. Markers: People try to use markers to fill in spots on their leather furniture. As the marker will not match your couch exactly, I do not recommend it.
6. Window cleaner: Most people think of window cleaner as being one of the mildest of all cleaners. While it may be mild enough for most household chores, you should never use it on your leather furniture. It contains alcohol that will damage the surface of your leather, leaving it more susceptible to damage.
7. Finger nail polish remover: People use this to try to remove stains from leather, but it will also remove the dye, leaving your leather with a bleached looking spot all around the spot you were originally trying to clean.
8. Disposable cleaning supplies and wipes: Most of these contain alcohol, and you should never use alcohol on leather. It will break down the protective surface on your leather.
Good Rule of Thumb
Don’t ever use alcohol or acetone products on leather furniture. These two things are very commonly found in household cleaning products and will do long term damage to your leather, breaking down its surface and stripping its color.
Any questions or experiences? Post them in the comments!
Posted: Aug 22, 2011By: FibrenewCategory: Common Leather Problems, DIY, Home and Office, Leather Advice From the Pros
When it comes to repairing and caring for leather furniture, there are hundreds of options. Furniture stores and online retailers offer up products that do everything from cleaning to dying leather. However, you should proceed with extreme caution when you use these DIY products on your furniture. I’ve heard and seen the effects of horror stories where these products ruined people’s leather furniture, so here are a few pointers on what to look out for.
1. Don’t use any products that contain alcohol or acetone. Alcohol seeps into and damages the protective surface of furniture leather. Acetone will remove the dye and color from leather.
2. Be sure to use products designed for upholstery. Leather used for shoes, jackets and clothing is very different than that used in furniture.
3. Only use products designed for the type of leather you have. Most furniture is made of aniline, semi-aniline or fully-finished leather. Because of the differences in finish, it is very important to use only products designed for the leather you have.
4. Dying leather is a highly specialized art. Professionals receive extensive training on color matching and dying, and it’s not at all likely that any DIY dye kit will produce very good dying results. So, be very careful with these products – test them on a part of the furniture that no one will ever see before you use it on the visible part of the piece.
5. Stay away from products that say they are for multiple surfaces, even if one of those surfaces is leather. Most of the time these products contain elements that will damage leather. It is best to stick with products made specifically for leather.
Also, there are lots of people out there who have heard old wives’ tales about household products to use on leather. Some of these can be helpful, but there are many that do not work and will ruin your leather furniture. One example is using olive oil to fix minor dings and scratches on leather. People also try using finger nail polish remover, shoe polish and window cleaner, among other things, to work on damaged leather. All of these options can cause major damage to your leather down the road.
Any questions? Have any experiences with leather products to share? Post them in the comments!
Posted: Aug 15, 2011By: FibrenewCategory: Home and Office, Leather Advice From the Pros
Leather furniture and upholstery will inevitably face some wear and tear throughout its life, and there are many types of damage you can’t avoid. However, sun damage is one problem that can definitely be prevented. Too much sunlight and heat will fade and/or dry out your leather.
Couch faded by the sun
Faded Leather
Fading is commonly seen in semi-aniline and aniline leathers, and it is less common in fully-finished leathers that have a protective topcoat. It’s a problem people frequently face, and, if you put your leather furniture next to a window that gets a lot of sunlight, you can see fading in as little as 4 to 6 months.
Dried Leather
Drying will occur with any type of leather. The sun’s heat slowly causes the moisture and natural oil in leather to evaporate. Over time, if you don’t care for your leather properly, it will dry out and crack.
Badly cracked chair
How to Prevent Sun Damage
One crucial step to preventing fading and cracking is to, if possible, keep your leather furniture out of direct sunlight. You can do all the right things to protect your sofa, but, if it’s directly in front of a sunny window, it is only a matter of time before the heat takes its toll. If you do need to place furniture in front of a window (we know, most people do), invest in some blinds to shade your furniture from the sun during the hottest, sunniest parts of the day. Those blinds will be a lot cheaper than taking your leather upholstery to a professional for patching and re-dying later on down the road.
Another important precaution to take is to clean and protect your furniture 3-4 times a year with a leather conditioning kit. For tips, check out our post on how to clean and protect your leather.
On a final note, do not try to treat your leather with olive oil or any other type of oil—it will end up causing major damage in the long run.
Questions? Comments? We’d love to hear from you!
Posted: Jul 18, 2011By: FibrenewCategory: Cars, boats and planes, Common Leather Problems, Leather Advice From the Pros
There are a plethora of leather products available to clean and repair auto leather. Some of these can be great tools for car owners, but others contain harmful chemicals that will do more harm than good for your car.
Here are some good tips on what to look for when shopping around for leather products:
1. Make sure the product you are using is designed specifically for the type of leather you are using it on. Products are usually made for aniline, semi-aniline or fully-finished leather. The vast majority of auto leather is fully finished – it has dye and a protective layer that make it more durable than other types of leather. Different types of leather soak up products in different ways, so not all leather cleaners will work for all kinds of leather.
2. The finish on auto leather is completely different from that found on jackets, shoes and purses. Be sure that you get products designed for upholstery.
3. Don’t use products on your leather if the container says they are designed to be used on both leather and plastic products. These likely contain elements that will cause long-term damage to leather.
4. Do not use any products that contain any alcohol or acetone. Alcohol will damage the protective top coat on leather, and acetone will break down the leather dye, removing the color.
5. Be wary of do-it-yourself dying products. Finding an exact color match is sometimes difficult for professionals, and most DIY dye kits lack what you need to make your repair look good.
There are also a lot of wives’ tales about household products that people use to repair leather. Some of these have merit, but others will really harm your leather. Before you try out a household product on your auto interior, check out our post on frequently recommended leather remedies that ruin leather.
Any thoughts on good/ bad car leather products? Share them in the comments!
Posted: Jul 1, 2011By: FibrenewCategory: Cars, boats and planes, Common Leather Problems, DIY, Leather Advice From the Pros
We’ve all done it—left our car windows open or our tops down in the rain. Good news is – a little bit of water, if cleaned up quickly, isn’t likely to hurt your leather.
In fact, most car leather has a protective layer that will help prevent immediate damage. This coating is designed to give you enough time to clean up a small drink spill before it soaks into your leather. So, if you quickly go outside to roll your windows up after the start of a rain storm and wipe your seats off, you should be fine. But, if you let it sit for very long, the water can make your leather seats a little stiff. The same can happen to leather when you spill liquid on it and don’t clean it up quickly.
How to fix stiff leather
Massage is the best way to soften up leather that has become stiff from water damage. Unless the damage is severe, it should soften up after you knead it for a few minutes.
Massaging leather
How to clean up liquid spills in the car
For small water spills, wipe up all excess water and let your car seat dry naturally. If you spill a liquid on it that is not water, use a damp towel with distilled water to wipe up the mess, wiping away all excess liquid and letting the seat dry naturally.
What to do if your car gets flooded
When water has flooded your car and your leather seats, a whole new problem arises – the contaminants in the flood water can damage the seat’s interior and leave a foul odor. This usually means the seat’s cushioning needs to be replaced. That can be a large expense. However, if the seat doesn’t smell bad after you allow it to dry out, chances are good that you can get a leather professional to repair the damaged leather for a reasonable price.
Post any additional questions in the comments, and we’d be happy to answer them for you!
Posted: Jun 14, 2011By: FibrenewCategory: Cars, boats and planes, Home and Office, Leather Advice From the Pros
There are many types of leather, and leather jargon can be very overwhelming to people trying to figure out what kind of leather they have and want to buy.
What makes one type of leather different from another?
Leather is often sorted by the type of finish it has. The three main types of upholstery leather finish are fully-finished, aniline and semi-aniline. All of these terms are indicative of the type of dyes and protective layers used on the hide, and each surface reacts differently to cleaning products and damage.
What does fully-finished mean?
When tanneries make fully-finished leather out of hide, they put a dye and protective layer on it that will make it more resilient to damage than other types of leather. You can think of this process like putting paint onto drywall. It actually forms a thin barrier between the hide and the air.
Fully-Finished Leather Couch
What does fully-finished leather look like?
Fully-finished leather is usually glossy with a little bit of a shine to it.
Fully-finished leather car seat
Where will I see fully-finished leather?
Fully-finished leather is one of the most popular finishes for upholstery leather due to its durability. It is used in almost 100 percent of auto leather and makes up a large percentage of furniture leather.
Furniture brands like Lazy Boy, Palliser, Natuzzi and Elite use a lot of fully-finished leather.
What are the benefits and down sides of fully-finished leather?
Pros:
- Fully-finished leather is excellent for pieces that need to withstand some wear and tear. That’s why it’s so commonly used in cars. If you have kids or pets, fully-finished leather is probably the way to go with furniture leather as well.
- It is usually less expensive than other types of leather. Because the layer of dye on top of the leather covers imperfections in the hide, manufacturers can use hides that aren’t naturally as pretty as those they have to use with other finishes.
- It is easy to clean up. After something spills on fully-finished leather, you usually have time to wipe it up with a damp cloth and dry it before it is damaged from the spill.
- Professionals can usually clean and repair fully-finished leather without much trouble.
Cons:
- Fully-finished leather is not as natural looking as aniline and semi-aniline leather.
Questions about fully finished leather? Comments? We’d love to hear from you!
