Few fabrics can match the luxurious and elegant feel that genuine leather furniture offer. Notably, proper upholstery cleaning is necessary if you wish to maintain the condition of your leather furniture. Unfortunately, most people do not know how to clean leather furniture and make expensive and irreversible mistakes that damage the fabric. Since leather sofas are expensive, you should avoid specific cleaning mistakes. Here are common blunders to avoid when cleaning leather furniture.

Using Water Alone — When dust accumulates on leather furniture, you can wipe it away with a dump piece of cloth. However, you need more than water when you want to remove stains from leather seats. Otherwise, you might accidentally use excess water in an attempt to remove stubborn dirt or stains, which only forces the mess deeper into the fabric. Besides, excess water leaves leather upholstery with a damp smell and eventually damages the fabric. Thus, it is advisable to invest in solutions dedicated to cleaning leather. Only use water when wiping away loose dirt such as dust.

Testing Cleaning Products in Conspicuous Spots — All leather upholstery cleaning products should have a disclaimer advising customers to test them on leather before use. Various cleaning products react differently to leather upholstery. Therefore, a cleaning product that works flawlessly on your friend's leather couch might cause permanent damage to your leather sofa. Thus, it is critical first to test a cleaning product on an inconspicuous spot. Unfortunately, some users test leather cleaning products on highly-visible parts, such as the seating area or the arms. However, it is the last thing you should do to avoid leaving behind permanent and visible marks. Always test a leather cleaning product on a hidden spot like a sofa's bottom or back.

Using Direct Heat to Dry Leather Upholstery — The leather commonly used on furniture is usually relatively thick for durability reasons. Thus, the leather takes quite some time to dry, which can be a problem if you are impatient. Notably, some homeowners find it logical to use direct heat, such as a hairdryer, a space heater or direct sunlight, to dry leather furniture. Sadly, drying leather sofas using such methods is a recipe for disaster because direct heat dries the fabric too fast, causing the material to crack. The best approach is to soak up as much moisture as possible with a towel, and let the furniture air dry by opening the windows and turning on the ceiling fan. 

For more information about upholstery cleaning, contact a local professional.