Upholstery Cleaning

What Causes Leather Couch Damage?

Between normal wear, scratches, holes, and tears, it can be hard keeping leather furniture looking new. Luckily there are a number of options available for those who would prefer to fix the old couch instead of investing in a brand new one. Whether by using a special kit, engaging in pure do-it-yourself leather care, or hiring an Upholstery Cleaning Perth professional, it is possible to salvage even heavily damaged leather couch.

Scuffs and Scratches

One of the most common elements in leather couch repair involves addressing scuffs and scratches. While most upholstered furniture can easily handle dings from wooden furniture, shoes, or kids’ toys, leather responds to such abuse with scuffs and scratches. It’s incredibly easy to scratch up the surface of the leather, leaving unsightly marks on an otherwise plush surface. Luckily, this is also one of the easiest types of damage to fix. Most leather couch repair kits come with detailed instructions on how to address minor scuffs. Individuals can even apply colour leather balm to cover up such surface damage.

Tears and Puncture Holes

Tears and puncture holes are a more serious type of damage and necessitate a bit more detailed process to repair. Some do-it-yourself guides suggest that individuals use leather shoe polish in the same colour as the couch, but that does nothing more than cover up the tear, which can be opened up again and expanded over time. The cut should be addressed quickly using the chemical compounds in most leather couch repair kits to seamlessly reconnect the edges. If the tear is much larger or if dealing with a puncture hole, a patch may be inserted underneath the hole and the glued together. This can prevent the hole from growing larger and can preclude the need for a complete reupholstering.

Stains and Discoloration

Another common leather repair issue is discoloration or stains on the leather. A number of different substances can leather stains, especially if the couch is white or another light colour. Dyes in denim, newspaper print, and food spills can all leave their mark. Most of these can be removed by using a mixture of warm water and non-bleach dish soap, but some stains are a bit more stubborn. By investing in some leather colorant or colour leather conditioner, individuals can restore the proper colours to their couch or, at the very least, cover up the stains.

General Wear and Cracks

Finally, even if a family manages to avoid all of the above damage, even just general use of the couch can result in signs of wear and cracks in the leather. Owners must keep their leather furniture well-conditioned in order to prevent it from drying out and flaking. Once the leather has begun to flake apart, the integrity of the hide has been compromised and can be almost not possible to fix fully. Some conditioners may claim to restore cracked leather to its former glory, but most professional leather couch repair services will choose instead to replace the damaged leather and match the colors.
In order to keep leather couches looking new and attractive, it’s best to keep the leather well-conditioned and avoid significant damages. However, when life occurs, always be sure to address the damage right away to avoid compromising the integrity and strength of the leather.