Posts Tagged ‘leather’

Aniline Leather Sofa – Why Choose One

Tuesday, December 29th, 2009

Aniline leather sofas are some of the highest quality sofas you can purchase. The aniline dying process tints the leather used to make the leather sofa all the way through, so even if you get a scratch, the leather underneath the top layer is still the same color.

Because the aniline leather does not cover up any imperfections in the original leather, it must be of very high quality without imperfections to be used to make a leather sofa.

Aniline leather sofas are made from full grain leather and soaking it in a drum to dye the leather. The leather is then used to create the aniline sofa without any other treatments to alter the look of the leather.

This makes it so the leather used for the sofa can breath. Over time and with proper care an aniline leather sofa will develop a patina. Any stains will be absorbed into the leather over a short time and will not be noticeable.

Aniline leather sofas are some of the strongest leather sofas available since they are made with full grain leather rather than the lesser quality split leather that is sometimes used to make inexpensive leather furniture.

However, they do need to be properly cared for. As this is natural leather, you do not want to use any liquids on the leather. If you should spill something, just blot with a clean dry cloth to remove as much as possible of the spill and then leave it alone to be absorbed into the leather.

You want to keep your aniline leather sofa out of the sun and away from direct heat in order to protect the leather from drying out or fading. You do not want to use anything on your full grain sofa that contains oil, wax, or silicone as this will damage it.

Aniline sofas are quite expensive usually due to the high quality of leather used to produce these sofas. Even at a discounted price they may be more expensive than other lesser quality leather sofas. However, you are paying for quality, and you get what you pay for.

Due the the cost of aniline leather sofas and the need to try to prevent liquid spills as much as possible with these sofasFree Reprint Articles, it might be best for those who have small children to stick with other types of sofas that are more child friendly. Source: Domleathersofa dot com

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Leather Furniture – Not Just for Ben Cartwright Anymore

Sunday, July 12th, 2009

Remember that old TV show Bonanza? It had the Cartwright’s working hard on their mega ranch, the Ponderosa, and saving the day from week to week from greedy, no good, evildoers. You remember: the fancy pants big brother Adam, the feisty and impetuous Little Joe (his Pinto horse was the best one), the honorable Dad, Ben (Mr. Cartwright to you and I), and of course, the gentle giant Hoss with his big ten gallon hat. Doin’ deals and workin’ the doggies. Eatin’ large and relaxin’ big.

Well, lets think about their enviable life for a minute and the role that leather furniture played. When the day’s work was done, where did they relax? That’s right, on a big leather chair and couch. When Ben needed to celebrate his latest victory over evil, what did he do and where did he go? That’s right, he retired to his big comfy leather chair and lit up a big ol’ stogie. I’m sure that he didn’t even realize the subconscious impact he was having on millions of viewers and the way they came to think about leather furniture. He was a subtle man.

Now fast forward about twenty years. I didn’t realize the influence that Ben had on me personally until one day we went to a furniture store looking for some new living room furniture. As we tried out every sofa, couch, love seat, recliner, and sectional in the store, it quickly became clear to me that I wanted leather furniture. I had to have it. The fabric stuff just wasn’t doing it for me. When I sat on the leather I experienced an allure that triggered all that positive goodness from watching Mr. Cartwright luxuriate in his favorite chair.

At first I thought the leather appealed to me because of the sense of quality it gave me, or the subtle yet satisfying sound that leather furniture makes, or the feel of it on my skin, or even the smell. Then I realized it was none of those things. I realized that I liked leather furniture more than fabric furniture because I associated the good life (Ben and his Ponderosa livin’) with it. That was it! If I was going to feel successful and truly wealthy I would have to have leather.

So I had to find out a little about leather. Here’s the skinny. Leather is expensive, but if you buy the right kind you will have it for many many years. If you buy cheap, don’t expect it to last near as long. The highest quality leather furniture is made from top grain leather, which is the outer layer of the hide. The bottom part of the hide is referred to as split leather. This is not as durable and feels stiffer and tends to crack more easily, but is less expensive. There are all sorts of artificial or fake leather products that may be just as satisfying to you. For me, I just want to be like Ben I guess. It’s leather furniture or nothing. I don’t smoke stogies, but I sure like curling up on my big comfy leather chair after a day of dealing with bad guys.

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Leather Sofa Care

Tuesday, January 27th, 2009

Leather Sofa Care

You would think that all leather sofas would be created soft. You know the type of leather sofa you sink right into when you sit down. Unfortunately, this is not the case.

Some of these solutions come from regular household items and some are products you can buy.

Home Remedies

  • Saddle Soap is an excellent way to soften tough leather. This leather conditioner has been around for hundreds of years when it was used by cowboys to keep saddles and other horse tack in good shape.  It may not be the best thing for a leather sofa though.
  • Vaseline is something everyone has laying around the house and it’s cheap. Dab a soft clean cloth into the gel and then work it into the leather sofa in small amounts until it feels dry. You will want to wipe the sofa with a dry cloth to remove any excess grease but the leather will absorb most of it.  Try this on a small area first before doing the whole couch.
  • Shaving cream has been a good standby for many people. You want to use shaving cream on a clean damp cloth, working it into the leather. You will be amazed at how quickly this softens your sofa.
  • Mink Oil is a favorite for many people. You can find Mink Oil at just about any leather shop and is not very expensive.
  • Lanolin is another natural ingredient that will work.
  • A mixture of 500 g bag balm, also called milk salve and 100 ml of glycerin also makes a great home remedy if you have a lot of area to cover and a small budget to work with.
  • In all cases mentioned above, try it in an inconspicuous area first before doing the entire surface. Wait to see how well it soaks into the leather.

Commercial Products

  • Leather CPR Cleaner and Conditioner is made with 100% natural ingredients and in addition to softening, Leather CPR also helps remove dirt, grime, and sweat. In fact, this conditioner will also help cover small scratches on your leather sofa!
    www…leathercpr.com
  • Liquid NIKWAX is also a great option for removing dirt and softening your leather sofa. All you need to do is gently apply it with a clean, dry cloth.
    www…nikwax-usa.com
  • Leather Vital is a product made in Canada that has an amazing ability to soften even the stiffest leather sofas. It deeply penetratesFree Articles, filling in dry cracks and actually nourishing the leather.
    www…leathertown.com/care_products.htm

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Looking After Leather

Friday, September 5th, 2008

- Leather naturally repels water but, for additonal protection, look for an environmentally friendly repellent product to help prevent absorption of water and body oils. It’s best to avoid silicone-based repellents which retard leather’s ability to “breathe.”

- Let wet leather garments dry in well-ventilated areas, away from heat. The leather may stiffen slightly but should soften again after wearing.

- Hang leather coats and jackets on thick or padded hangers to keep the shoulders in shape. Don’t load pockets with heavy or bulky items, which could tear seams.

- Plastic bags tend to dry out or discolor leather. Use a cotton garment bag for off-season storage, or hang coats as usual, draping a tea-towel over the shoulders to deter dust.

- Avoid pressure-sensitive labels (the stick-on type)as the gummy residue left behind by these labels can stain or ruin the finish on leather.

- Professional cleaning is best for stain removal. Some commercial stain removers can be absorbed and leave a mar. Home remedies include gently rubbing at minor stains with a pencil eraser or rubbing alcohol (these methods work only on finished leather; test on the inside facing firstFind Article, to be sure the leather will not be marred).

Copyright ฉ 2005 Jane Lake All Rights Reserved

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These are Just a Few Leather Cleaning Tips

Saturday, June 21st, 2008

The leather cleaning guidelines are useful to clean as well as maintain your precious leather accessories. You should always keep your leather products away from sun light. Leather should be cleaned at regular intervals by soft cloth or by a micro-fiber cloth. Another option to clean your leather is to use a damp cloth, wipe it with a moisturizing soap now buff it until it shines. Always remember that when you are cleaning spots from leather, use a reliable and pre-tested cleaning method. Another method to remove spots from leather is to use a cotton swap by dipping it into rubbing alcohol and applying on the spot. If this does not work, you can use non-oily cuticle to remove spots.

If you want to remove normal spots from leather, you can use various home made options for instance you can use lemon juice and a part of cream tartar. This process will work quite efficiently as you have to paste cloth into the stained spot and if it does not remove the spot then you need to wait for some time, after waiting you need to repeat the same process with little more paste.

If you want to remove water spots from leather then you need to use a cloth with a little water on the spot and let it dry. You should never place your leather in the sun to dry.

If you want to remove road salt from your leather accessories such as shoes, wallets or belts, you need to apply a simple formula made by using one part water and a part of white vinegar. Now take a cloth, dip into the solution, and bolt over the shoes to remove the salt. This process needs to be repeated several times to remove the stain completely from your shoes. Here, you should remember to use a damp cloth to wipe your leather shoes. After removing salt stains, you need to polish them with paste.

If you want to keep away leather supple, you need to apply a formula in which you can use a part of vinegar, 2 parts of linseed oil and a jar with a lid. To apply this formula you need to pour the solution into a jar with lid and shake it to apply to the leather. You need to use soft cloth for this process.

If you want to remove suede from your leather then it is a completely different process, you need to apply gum eraser for spot and if doesn’t work then you can use white vinegar with a soft cloth and be sure to blot. You should never rub hard when you are cleaning suede. Once stain is gone, you can brush your shoes and let it dry.

There are several leather conditioners available in stores that will add beauty to your leather products. These products are conditioners that will preserve the unique, natural qualities and beauty of leather. Leather conditioners will give new life to your neglected leather and will also increase its life. Another advantage of these leather conditioners is they restore the feel and scent of leather without involving the vigorous process of rubbing and buffing it several times.

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