It’s often difficult to reupholster an entire chair or sofa, especially if it is an old piece of furniture or if you don’t have the tools required for such a complex task. Because of that, next are few basic ideas and steps on how to renew the look of your leather upholstered furnishings at home.
The first step is to inspect all leather upholstery at home – from chairs to decorative cushions or even small pieces of leather as a part of an exquisite wooden decoration. Take notes about the degree of wearing, which will help you to choose from where to begin and the desirable method for cleaning. Note whether you have to clean the entire surface of the leather upholstery or only some quick spot cleaning will be enough. Also, remember the type of the stained area – whether it is a dried greasy spot, with loose of texture or with cracks. It may be a quick and easy inspection, but it is essential for the right cleansing, because almost every different soiled place needs its own unique detergents and methods for cleaning.
Next, clean the heaviest stains and dirt. If you properly maintain your leather upholstered furniture – you probably don’t need to handle with big stains. However, old furniture and some types of leather are more vulnerable to a direct sunlight, a certain moisture and a myriad of other factors, and so these objects become dirty quite easily and quickly. For the first cleansing, you may need a commercial detergent for leather upholstery, mixed with hot water. Use only clean towels or paper towels to apply the solution. Rub gently onto the spot and wipe off the excess of the dis-solvent with another clean towel. Thus, only the heavily soiled stains and areas will pop up, and you can easily determine how to deep clean the leather upholstery.
The third step is deep cleaning, which may require a soft or a nylon brush and even a soft spatula to remove dry dirt. Use only non-toxic detergents if you prefer the commercial ones and yet make sure to read the label of the upholstered furniture and the recommended ways for cleaning. Or else, make a quick homemade detergent of hot water, dish washing detergent, salt and rubbing alcohol. Apply the solution onto the stains and brush until the complete dissolving of the stain. Another great idea is to let the solution dissolve the stain for about a minute or so, but make sure not to soak up the stain with the detergent. Then, start rubbing the stain from the outer side to the center via clean cloth, which will prevent a bigger mess. Repeat the procedure if needed until the complete removal of the stained areas.
Fourth, restore shine and texture of your furnishings with leather upholstery. A great idea is to treat the entire piece of furniture in order to restore its entire original look or even to renew it. The easy for this is to apply a special pigmented solution onto the areas with minor issues like cracks, discoloration and lose of texture. Another great advice is to call the local professional cleaners. Their professional experience and cleaning methods greatly enhance the chance for a complete restoration of the original look of the leathery upholstered furnishings.
Fifth – a quick polishing is one of the most important final touches that will bring the true shine of the furniture. Moreover, the polishing wax acts as an extra protection for the leather surfaces. A polishing wax is the perfect repellent from further stains and weathering effect, as well as protects the leather from a direct sunlight and makes the surfaces to look truly renewed.
