1. Natural leather or smooth leather? The “drip test”
Leather covers can be categorised as either smooth leather or natural leather. Both types of leather not only differ in their appearance and feel but also require different cleaning and care. For this reason, it is important for you to know which type of leather your upholstered furniture is covered with. If you no longer have any information on the type of leather, you can simply perform the drip test:
- Allow a droplet of water to fall onto your leather cover.
- If the droplet is absorbed immediately, the cover is made from natural leather.
- If the droplet remains on the surface, the cover is made from smooth leather.
Information on the cleaning and care of smooth leather is given below: We have compiled notes on natural leather for you here.
2. Regular care and thorough cleaning of smooth leather
Care for the leather cover of your upholstered furniture as follows:
- 1x per week: Vacuum the leather sofa with a vacuum cleaner with a soft brush attachment, using low suction power. Then wipe the leather coating with a spray-moistened cloth. Use lukewarm water and a clean, lint-free cloth or chamois leather.
- 2x per year: Perform thorough cleaning. First clean the leather cover with a special cleaning agent for smooth leather. Once the cover has fully dried, apply a protective care agent for smooth leather. Read through the instructions for use and be sure to observe the manufacturer’s notes before using the products.
For your high-quality leather set, we recommend using the particularly gentle and effective cleaning and care range KERALUX for pigmented leather from our partner LCK. The range includes all the products necessary for cleaning and also care.
Stain removal for smooth leather
⇒ Important! Act quickly and do not allow stains to dry! Remove stain residue immediately by soaking up liquids with a dry cloth, for example.
- Most stains can be fully removed with a special cleaner for smooth leather. Read through the instructions for use and be sure to observe the manufacturer’s notes before using the product.
- Stubborn stains and intense stains from items such as lipstick, ballpoint pen or nail polish can also be removed with a special stain-remover pen for smooth leather.
- Always be sure to avoid attempting to remove stains with “home remedies”, with heat (hairdryer, iron etc.) or with pointed or sharp objects.
- For stubborn stains, always consult a company that specialises in upholstery cleaning.