Learn To Keep Leather Seating Looking its Best with Color Glo
Learning how to care for leather seating can save you from costly repairs and extend the item's lifespan. Color Glo professionals assist with maintenance.
Understanding Leather Longevity
Leather seating, including leather sofas and sectionals, are luxurious, comfortable and durable. Leather comes in different grades and types of finishes, with almost any color possible. Most leather has been treated and sealed to increase resistance to stains and wear. It is advisable to take care of your furniture by keeping the surface clean and in good repair. Color Glo International Leather and upholstery Repair Specialists can help you to care for any leather seating or clothing item.
The Essentials of Cleaning Techniques
Leather furniture is an investment that rewards you with comfort, elegance, and durability—provided it receives the right care. Everyday life exposes your leather seating to a variety of hazards: dust, dirt, pet claws, and even the embellishments on clothing can all cause wear and tear. Proper care can minimize the damage caused. Regular inspection and maintenance by a Color Glo International Professional will lengthen the life of your item. In the meantime, here’s how to protect and maintain your leather furniture for lasting beauty and performance:
1. Regular Dusting and Vacuuming
Dust and small particles can act like sandpaper, gradually wearing down the leather’s finish. Use a soft, dry microfiber cloth to dust your furniture weekly. For deeper cleaning, use a vacuum with a soft brush attachment to remove debris from crevices and seams.
2. Gentle Cleaning Solutions
For routine cleaning, use a damp (not wet) cloth with distilled water to wipe down the surface. Avoid harsh soaps, detergents, or ammonia-based cleaners, as these can strip the leather of its natural oils and cause it to dry out or crack. For stubborn spots, use a leather-specific cleaner recommended by your furniture manufacturer or a Color Glo specialist.
3. Immediate Attention to Spills
If a spill occurs, blot—don’t rub—the area immediately with a clean, dry cloth. Rubbing can spread the liquid and push it deeper into the leather. For oil-based stains, sprinkle a small amount of cornstarch or talcum powder on the spot, let it sit for a few hours, then gently brush it away.
4. Conditioning for Longevity
Leather is a natural material that can dry out over time. Apply a high-quality leather conditioner every 6 to 12 months to replenish lost moisture, keep the leather supple, and prevent cracking. Always test any product on a hidden area first to ensure compatibility.
5. Protection from Sunlight and Heat
Direct sunlight and heat sources can cause leather to fade, dry, and become brittle. Position your furniture away from windows, radiators, and fireplaces. Use blinds or curtains to minimize exposure, especially during peak sunlight hours.
6. Pet and Child Precautions
If you share your home with pets or young children, consider using throws or covers to protect high-use areas. Trim your pets’ nails regularly and discourage them from jumping on the furniture to prevent scratches and punctures.
7. Professional Inspection and Maintenance
Even with diligent care, leather can develop minor scratches, scuffs, or fading over time. Regular inspection and professional maintenance by a Color Glo International specialist can address these issues early, restoring your furniture’s appearance and extending its lifespan.
By following these cleaning and care techniques, you’ll preserve the luxurious look and feel of your leather seating, ensuring it remains a centerpiece in your home for years to come.
Different Qualities of Leather Used in Furniture and Vehicle Seating.
Leather is a versatile and luxurious material, prized for its durability, comfort, and timeless appeal. When it comes to furniture and vehicle seating, understanding the different qualities of leather can help you make informed decisions about care, maintenance, and restoration. Here’s a deeper look at the main types of leather and their common uses:
Full-Grain Leather
Full-grain leather is the highest quality leather available. It is made from the top layer of the hide and retains the natural grain, markings, and character of the animal. This type of leather is not sanded or buffed to remove imperfections, which means it develops a beautiful patina over time. Full-grain leather is exceptionally strong, breathable, and resistant to wear. It is commonly used in high-end furniture, luxury car interiors, and premium accessories. Because of its natural beauty and durability, full-grain leather is often chosen for pieces that are meant to last a lifetime.
Top-Grain Leather
Top-grain leather is also made from the upper layer of the hide, but it undergoes a process to remove surface imperfections and grain. This results in a smoother, more uniform appearance. Top-grain leather is typically treated with pigments and protective coatings, making it more resistant to stains and fading than full-grain leather. It is slightly less breathable but still offers excellent durability and comfort. Top-grain leather is widely used in quality furniture and automotive seating, offering a balance between luxury and practicality.
Split-Grain Leather Split-grain leather is produced from the lower layers of the hide after the top grain has been separated. It lacks the natural grain and strength of the upper layers, making it more affordable but less durable. Split-grain leather is often used to create suede, which has a soft, velvety texture and is popular in fashion and some furniture applications. While it offers a unique look and feel, split-grain leather is more susceptible to wear and staining, so it is best suited for decorative pieces, sectionals, or areas with lighter use.
Bonded Leather
Bonded leather is made from a blend of leather scraps and fibers that are bonded together with polyurethane or latex. This material is then embossed with a leather-like texture and finished with a protective coating. Bonded leather is the most affordable option and is often used in budget-friendly furniture and vehicle interiors. While it can mimic the appearance of genuine leather, bonded leather is less durable and may show signs of wear more quickly. It is a practical choice for those seeking the look of leather at a lower price point, but it typically does not offer the same longevity as higher-quality leathers.
Specialty Leathers
In addition to these main categories, there are specialty leathers such as nubuck (top-grain leather that has been sanded to create a soft, suede-like finish) and aniline leather (dyed with soluble dyes for a rich, natural look). These leathers are often used in luxury applications where appearance and feel are paramount.
Choosing the Right Leather
When selecting leather for your car or furniture, consider how the piece will be used, your budget, and your preferences for appearance and maintenance. Full-grain and top-grain leathers are ideal for high-traffic areas and long-term investment pieces, while split-grain and bonded leathers are suitable for decorative or budget-conscious choices.
Your Color Glo specialist can show you how to take care of small spills and accidents. Larger spills, stains or rips and tears should be addressed in a timely manner by your Color Glo Specialist. As with any porous surface, stains can set if not cared for. Additionally, using the wrong cleaner can lead to damage beyond repair. With Color Glo’s patented repair techniques and advanced Color Matching system we can make most worn leather look new.
To help you care for any of your leather, vinyl or hard plastic surfaces, your Color Glo Professional has a line of retail products that are formulated and manufactured in our Eden Prairie, MN facility. These are water-based, environmentally friendly and non-toxic. These products are available only through your Color Glo Professional.
Contact a Color Glo Specialist
Keep your leather seating, including leather sofas, clean and dry, have a Color Glo professional inspect and clean your leather on a regular basis. Be sure to make any repairs in a timely manner. Your furniture will always be the source of comfort and style for years to come.
Should I Use Silicone Based Conditioners In My Auto Interior?
You should pass. Let's talk about out auto leather conditioner for a bit. Car leather today is the product of advanced engineering and manufacturing. It is highly resistant to wear and tear and daily use and abuse.
Top questions about cleaning leather
- Does my leather really need conditioning?
- What kind of conditioners are best?
- What about cleaning my car leather?
Color Glo specialists work to repair worn auto interiors and bring them back to life.
Starting With The Basics
With decades of experience in cleaning and refurbishing surfaces, we've learned a few things along the way. The single most important thing to remember is that we live in a marketing society that is overloaded with information - much of it incorrect. So how do you disect what is good and bad for you care interior, for your boat interior, for the health of your home, for your family... You catch our drift...
"In Our Opinion", based on experience
Research has only confirmed that leathers of today are not the leathers of yesterday. Hopefully, you've come to this same conclusion with many products in your life. Today's modern pigments, dyes and finishing processes have produced a car leather that is very resistant to the wear and tear that leather must endure inside the operating environment of our families, our jobs and our recreation vehicles.
This also means that the days of searching for the best auto leather conditioner are mostly a thing of the past. Since many of you may be "old dogs" and since old rules die very slow deaths, you will likely continue your search for the best auto leather conditioner that your money can buy, regardless of updated teachings.
Quest on my friend.
About cleaning leather interior
- Virtually all car leathers used today are finished with a clear protective coating that is applied for protection and durability of the leather. What does this mean? It means you will actually be cleaning, treating, or conditioning a clear protective layer that is made up of different types of resins, polymers, synthetics. The point is that you are not dealing with the actual leather, but the clear protective layer; just like the clear coat on your car paint.
- Keeping your car leather clean is the most important and critical part of the health and beauty of your car leather. In the experience of Color Glo professionals, keeping your leather clean and safe from elements consistently over the life of the car can keep your interior looking just like new 10 years later.
- With all that said, SOME auto leather conditioners can still play a role in the health and beauty of your car's leather interiors. Do your homework or ask your local Color Glo specialist.
So let's get to it
As mentioned, if you want your chariot to look clean and new for its lifetime, then weekly cleaning of its interior is a key point here, specifically for your leather. So what are the essentials?
Leather Care
Color Glo International specializes in leather cleaning and refurbishing.
If you have an older car, you just might have leather that is un-coated with modern day clear coats. Your high-end luxury exotic has a completely different technology behind it's leather pilot's seats than your 1964 Ford Fairlane that took you on Friday night pink slip laps around the neighborhood.
Silicone dressing for automobile interior.
You should pass. Let's talk about out auto leather conditioner for a bit. Car leather today is the product of advanced engineering and manufacturing. It is highly resistant to wear and tear and daily use and abuse. Most of us that are in our early 40's and beyond, remember the day of hard cracked leather seats, hot surfaces, and deep conditioning. Gone are these days.
The thoughts of massaging some magically engineered car leather conditioner into our car leather that can take it from a state of wear to gleaming new, is the stuff of legends. These philosophies still sit deep-rooted in our society's heads, but in reality, this is clever marketing to keep you buying into manufacturer's "kool-aid".
- Don't think you can apply auto leather conditioner without cleaning your leather first. The only exception is if your car is literally brand new. There will always be some form of dirt regardless of how clean your leather looks...so make sure you clean it first. Talk to your local Color Glo professional about mild cleaners that are designed to the job well.
- Cleaning your car leather only will leave it with a satin, or matte appearance. If you want it to have a little shine then a dressing or conditioner may be the way to go, but be warned about dressings. Ryan explains why below.
- Black or very dark leather interiors will typically have an inconsistent appearance after cleaning, making them more difficult to keep looking "like new". For this reason, we do suggest using a conditioner/dressing in most cases to create a perfectly even appearance after the cleaning process.
- As you may have noticed, humans get lazy and like to skip steps. So you might find yourself wanting to skip the cleaning part next time around and simply be seduced into applying a fresh coat of dressing. This will create a worse problem over time as you will be rubbing a fresh coat of dressing along with any dirt deeper and deeper into every area of your fine upholstery. Over time you will create a nice build-up of dirt and conditioners which will actually begin to deteriorate your automobile's protective top coat. Keep our number handy... you will need it. :-)
- Lastly, beware of the brands labeled as "long-lasting" or "water-resistant" as these silicone based dressings/conditioners will be difficult to clean completely off each time you do clean your car leather. Don't take the Tim Allen approach here form Tool Time and assuem that more is better. When it comes to dressings/conditioners, you actually want a product that will clean off easily each time and therefore allow for complete cleaning of your leather each time prior to a new application of conditioners.
Ryan Feeborn from Color Glo Oregon gives us his thoughts on silicone based dressings.
A few tips on auto leather conditioners
Just be smart and educated about your leather and auto interiors. Now that you're armed with a little bit of information based on real world experience, you can use the recommendations above to begin your own search. You may want to implement a schedule on your calendar if you're serious about protecting your investments. The "garage" or Man Cave schedule.
- Clean your car leather once a month. If done regularly, it's just minutes of your time. If you procrastinate, it's a much bigger job which requires some beer and complaining - maybe that's better for you.... A microfiber cloth dampened with cleaner and aggressive rubbing is all your particular car leather may require if done so regularly.
- Use a Color Glo leather conditioner if it makes you and your car leather feel a bit better about it all.
- Use a canned aerosol dressing after cleaning any colored car leather to create a nice sheen. This will provide a consistent appearance after cleaning your car leather. This auto leather conditioner/dressing will also address the black/dark colored leather/vinyl interiors issue mentioned above.