The following article outlines basic care instructions for leather furniture. The instructions have been kindly provided by the specialists from UAB Arbaldas.

Leather is a hydroscopic capillary porous material that quickly absorbs and gives away moisture. The level of moisture in leather should reach approximately 20-15 percent. This level is easy to maintain if the relative humidity level indoors is 65-70 percent. Therefore, it is recommended to ensure a normal humidity level in the room with leather furniture. If it is lower than recommended, leather starts giving its moisture away and dries up sooner. Leather becomes fragile; its paint can start coming off. Speaking about the capillary porous structure of leather, you should bear in mind that oily components that add elasticity to leather tend to dry up with time. This process is a long one and takes several years, but when the leather loses its elasticity, its surface starts flaking. To avoid this remember to apply a special product to your furniture twice or at lest once per year. A sponge dampened with stearine will be the best choice to fulfill this task.

Seeking to prevent leather from fading, avoid exposing your furniture to direct sunlight or intensive electrical light.

To remove dust and debris, use a simple flannel cloth dampened with pure water. If this does not help, use a weak soap solution (the soap should be neutral). Remove juice, wine or marker stains with a weak soap solution, then blot this place with a sponge dampened with stearine. Organic origin oil stains are not harmful for leather as they soak through the whole leather layer with time.

Do not use any solvents, spirit, acetone or washing powder to clean your leather furniture. Use a special cream for cleaning instead.

Leather furniture needs vacuuming on a regular basis to clean its pores. If liquid gets on your furniture, do not wait till it dries up. Blot the stain with a dry cloth or a sponge. If necessary, rub the stain with a cloth dampened with a weak soap solution, then dry it with a dry wool cloth. Make sure the leather is completely dry before you start using your piece of furniture again.

To remove dirt from leather, gently wipe the stain with a piece of cotton wool or a clean dry cloth without rubbing the leather. If this does not work, dampen the cotton wool and rub the stain gently, without pressing hard. Blot the moisture excess with a dry piece of cotton wool. If water is not enough to clean the stain, use a weak soap solution.

If leather is stained with grease of  vegetable or animal origin, simply clean the stain with a dry cloth and leave it for a while. Do not use water of detergents for this type of stains. They will quickly get absorbed and become invisible.

Never iron leather cover, avoid unnecessary rubbing.  Do not place leather furniture close to heating appliances. Make sure you leave at least 20-40 cm between them and your piece of furniture. Avoid direct sunlight. Never use a hair drier for leather.

In case you have decided to cover your sofa with a blanket or coverlet, make sure its textile does not stain leather.

Finally, do not allow your pets to scratch you leather furniture.