There are several grades and types of the leather on the market. Each being used for different purposes. Certain leathers need more maintenance than others. However they all require a set guideline of care to achieve optimum life and appearance.

These guidelines all divide into four stages of leather care. These include cleaning, conditioning, polishing and protecting. When you are browsing the shop shelves for cleaning products that fits your criteria, please be careful what kind of product you end up buying. It can be confusing trying to figure out which product suits which stage of the guideline clean. If you look on the instructions in the small print on the packaging it should explain how to use the product correctly. Also it is very important to remember when cleaning your leather, to do so in a very well ventilated area. This is due to the fact quite a few leather care products contain strong ingredients to serve their purpose well. These ingredients can be hazardous and cause irritations.

To achieve the best results when leather cleaning:

First choose a product that helps preserve the natural oils instead of stripping them off. This is because the natural oils act as a lubricant to the leather. Keeping it lubricated helps reduce cracking of the leather. For example, saddle soap is commonly used product for equestrian tack. This is used as a protector against moisture, as well as a cleaner. This does clean the leather but it also strips the oils in the process of attempting to do two jobs at once. You should choose a leather cleaner that does NOT leave any greasy residue behind. This is because residue make leather susceptible to bacteria. This leads to the leathers stitching to break down and also fades the colour of the leather.

Before applying anything to your leather you need to be certain that the product won’t affect your leather. So do a test first to check for possible colour distortion on an area that is not visible to the eye. For example on a sofa you would test on the back panel, just in case there is any unwanted affect. Once you are certain that the leather care product is appropriate for your leather and you are happy with the outcome, you can then apply this to your item. Then with a damp cloth, remove the cleaning product. There are brushes available in shops, for areas with stitches.

Another cleaning product you could do with in your leather care collection is nubuck cleaning cloth. These cloths have an amazing ability to clean and restore leather to its original colour and look.

7 top tips For Your Leather Care At Home:

Conditioning Your Leather:

You should only condition your leather occasionally. This is because conditioners contain fats and oils that help replenish the suppleness and lubricate the leather. You want a product that will penetrate the strong fibres with in the leather. However be aware of any solutions that contain mineral oils or petroleum. Petroleum by-products will cause damage to your leather immediately, they do over cause damage over a joint period of time. Just as with cleaning, keep a look out for greasy, thick conditioning treatments for the best possible care.

Polishing Your Leather:

Leather polishing is done usually on special occasions, such as when you want more of a glossy finish on your furniture. A couple of things to be aware of when buying your polishing treatment are that some products have a tendency to dry the leather out or clog the pores. Also certain products contain colouring factors that will fade off colour and things you come into contact with. The same as cleaning, be sure to test out the polish on a small area and when ready, buff to a lovely shine.

Protecting Your Leather:

It is extremely important to have a good moisture barrier on your leather. This is to prevent liquid spills damaging your leather furniture. Spouting and stiffness of the leather will occur if the leather has not been protected. However there is a drawback to having a moisture barrier product on your leather.  This drawback is the barrier then tends to fill in the pores with a grease. This then makes the cleaning, conditioning and polishing a difficult job. Even so it is a necessary process to ensure that your leather does not get destroyed. It is best to apply the product several times and allow time for it to penetrate into the pores before using your furniture.

Removal Of Mildew On Your Leather:

Create a mixture of one cup rubbing alcohol to one cup of water. This solution will remove mildew from your leather item. Wipe down the area with mildew using a damp cloth that has been dipped into your diluted alcohol solution. Then allow some time for it to dry. If this does not remove the mildew, use a mild soap (that contains germicide) and water, then remove with a clean and damp cloth and allow to dry for a short period of time.

Wetting Your Leather:

Another important key to keeping leather in top condition is to treat wet leather before it has any chance of drying out. To do this, first clean the leather to remove any stains, mud and bacteria with your usual cleaning agent. Then apply your conditioning treatment whilst still wet. This is because the leather pores are still fully responsive, whilst the leather is still wet. It is extremely important when drying your leather to keep it away from heat (such as sun light and radiators). If you’re cleaning a leather garment rather than furniture, it is a wise idea to stuff the garment prior to any treatment. This will make sure the leather retains its shape.

Restoring Your Leather:

Your leather is a natural material. It should NEVER be stored in plastic. This is due to the fact the plastic will encourage the growth of bacteria and mildew. This will completely ruin your leather. If you need to store your leather, it will need a cool, dry place completely away from any form of heat. If the leather in question is a garment rather than furniture, it will need to be stored in a fresh and breathable bag.

Removal Of Leather Stains:

There are different ways to remove different types of stains. If the stain is fresh and made from everyday things such as food or blood, then it is easily cleaned by wiping with a damp cloth. However oil or grease based stains need a different approach. First step is to grind down ordinary blackboard chalk into a powder. Then sprinkle the stained area with the powder. You then need to leave the powder sprinkled on top for at least twenty-four hours. DO NOT RUB THE POWDER. After the 24 hour period has past, used a dry and clean leather cleaning brush. Brush the leather and remove all the powder. Although fresh stains can be easily treated and cleaned at home. ground-in stains should be treated by a professional cleaner (such as ourselves). They should be professionally trained in leather cleaning.