Tips for maintaining leather and wood furniture
Leather and wooden furniture are popular.
Not only do they look beautiful, but by using sustainable materials, you can be sure that you have a piece of furniture in your home that can last for years.
Maintenance of leather and wood furniture is essential. But how do you maintain leather and wood furniture? What do you need for furniture maintenance, and what else do you need to think about?
Maintaining leather furniture
There are different types of leather, and a different kind of furniture maintenance applies to each type. Maybe you (still) know what kind of leather is used for your sofa.
Determine what leather your furniture is made of before you start maintenance
There are several simple tests that you can do to determine with which leather your furniture is upholstered to be sure that you can start maintaining your leather sofa with the right product.
Wet your thumb and then press it onto the leather. Make circles for 7 seconds. So there is now a wet stain on the couch.
Can’t see that spot after 10 seconds? Then you probably have a piece of furniture made of coated leather.
Is the spot still visible after about 10 seconds? Then it’s probably aniline leather. Do you see some hairy effect? Then the leather is probably sanded leather.
Are you performing this test, but you don’t see a wet spot at all? Then you are probably dealing with imitation leather. That is also called Leather look.
You can also determine the type of leather using a small scratch. Make a small scratch with your nail in an inconspicuous place on the sofa.
Don’t see a scratch? Then you are probably dealing with coated leather. If you do have a small scratch, your sofa is probably made with aniline leather. If the scratch feels smooth, it is ‘open leather.’
For furniture made of sanded leather, the maintenance is different than for furniture with, for example, smooth leather. So do not skip this step before you start to maintain your leather furniture.
Determine which product you need
There are also many products available in terms of the maintenance of the furniture.
You can of course buy it online or in a physical store. But it is important to know what you are going to do maintenance for Before you make a purchase.
Do you have a problem? Like scratches in the leather? Ink stains? Spilled coffee? Or is it general maintenance?
There is a different product for every kind of problem or situation and type of leather. Look here for a comprehensive overview.
Always try a small amount of the maintenance product on an inconspicuous place on the sofa first, regardless of what kind of leather your sofa is and what problem you solve.
This way, you know whether there is not too big a color difference and whether you have the proper means to start with the maintenance of your furniture.
General maintenance of leather furniture
It is also useful and sensible to take good structural care of your leather furniture. This way you can enjoy your furniture for the longest time. A few points to pay attention to:
Beat your cushions and seat and back parts regularly. This way, the seating comfort remains the highest.
If you have loose seats and cushions that you can change, do so as often as possible. Turn them over, switch the sides of the pillow.
The leather stretches a bit where you sit on a leather sofa most often.
This creates very normal folds and even a bit part of a leather sofa. But by changing the cushions, you postpone the formation of folds as long as possible.
Do not place your leather sofa too close to a heat source. The leather furniture that is close to a heat source fades much faster.
Is it unavoidable? Then leave as much space as possible.
Minimize direct sunlight on leather furniture. Sunlight can discolor the leather. Although that is also part of it and leather can give that natural look, it is a shame if one side of your sofa is much more discolored than the other.
Ensure good humidity in the house. Leather furniture dries out if the air is too dry.
This can be done by filling the central heating water container regularly and adequately. Good for your furniture and yourself.
Be careful with sharp objects. Also, think of zippers and buckles
Sweat can also leave nasty stains on leather furniture. On extra hot days, it is wise to put down a towel before you sit down to protect the leather.
Tips for maintaining wood furniture
The maintenance of furniture with wooden furniture mainly depends on the finish. Different wood has its characteristics and is slightly different in maintenance.
The finish of the furniture also plays an important role. In itself, any wood can be finished with any product and then maintained.
What wood is your furniture made of?
When it comes to maintaining wood furniture, you first need to know what wood your furniture is made of.
There is furniture made of solid wood (100% wood), furniture made of sheet material with a finishing material over it, and furniture made of pressed wood, such as veneer. You might want to read types of hardwood.
Maintaining wood with stain
Stains are often used to color untreated wood. How light or dark a number indicates a stain. E10 is very light.
The higher the number, the darker. E70 is very dark. Stain is a coloring but does not yet offer protection.
So you always have to apply a (colorless) lacquer, wax, or oil over the stain to maintain the furniture.
Maintaining wood with Lacquer
Lacquer protects the wood against water and other moisture.
Lacquer is available as colorless lacquer, transparent colored lacquer, and opaque colored lacquer.
The maintenance of furniture with lacquered wood is easy.
Maintaining wood with wax
Wax is usually applied as maintenance and protection for bare and untreated wood or wood that has already received a stain treatment.
For furniture that has been treated with wax, maintenance is also possible with wax or special oils.
Maintaining wood with oil
Oil is often used to protect the wood from domestic use without losing its natural appearance. You can also maintain oil-treated wood furniture.
The maintenance of furniture made of wood differs per finish
The maintenance for furniture made of wood is quite simple. For varnished wooden furniture, you should dust it regularly.
This can be done with a dry or very slightly damp cloth. If necessary, wax it now and then. But this also makes furniture with a matt lacquer shine.
The maintenance of furniture made of wood that has been treated with oil is slightly more intensive. Apply a thin layer of new oil 2 or 3 times a year and rub in well.
The oil can smell strongly. The smell disappears in a few days. But don’t do this maintenance the day before you have a party.
Maintenance of furniture made of wood finished with wax. Wax is only minimal protection against moisture.
So use a dry cloth again for cleaning. Now and then, a normal furniture wax is sufficient to maintain furniture made of wood and finished with wax. also read common methods of treating wood.
General tips for maintaining wood furniture
Some general tips for wooden furniture are extra important for furniture that is often used intensively, such as a wooden dining table.
Always use a coaster when you put glasses and a pan coaster when you put hot pans or oven dishes on the table.
Do not cover solid wooden furniture for too long with a non-air-permeable material (e.g. plastic tablecloth)
Keep the temperature and humidity stable as much as possible, especially with solid wood furniture.
Wood will work, shrink and expand if the humidity is not stable.
To give your wood as little chance as possible to start working, keeping the humidity stable is necessary. On the other hand, working is just part of having wooden furniture.
For several types of wood, it is better not to place them in direct sunlight.
If they are in direct sunlight, make sure you regularly move the decoration on the furniture so that the furniture discolors as evenly as possible.
Discoloration and change furniture
The maintenance of leather and wood furniture is essential. As a result, they remain beautiful for longer.
On the other hand, both leather and wood are natural products. Furniture maintenance is important, but also accept that leather will wrinkle and wood will work.
It is part of it and gives the furniture a unique character!
