At Florida Leather Gallery, we believe that leather furniture is an investment, one that should last you decades. Leather lasts longest when it’s well taken care of—conditioned regularly, kept clean and free of scratches—but we also know that life doesn’t always play fair, and that sometimes leather maintenance can go by the wayside, especially when you have other things to deal with, like training pets or raising a growing family. Sometimes, leather starts to peel. It can be a terrible, sinking feeling seeing your prized leather furniture start to show signs of wear and tear, but don’t panic! We are here to help you keep your leather sofas and armchairs looking sleek and gorgeous, even in the worst of times.
Here’s what it means if your leather sofa is peeling.
1. Your home is much too dry, or you need to move your sofa out of the sun.
The first thing to know about leather is that it is an organic material. It was once skin, and like skin, it needs moisture to stay soft and supple, or it will crack. This is especially important with natural, unprotected leather. This type of pure leather especially needs a little more humidity than the other furniture in your house. By the same token, if your sofa is exposed to too much sunlight, it can start to crack from dryness and heat as well. Be sure to keep your leather properly conditioned with products meant for leather. A Florida Leather Gallery specialist can help guide your purchase of these products.
2. The finish or sealant on your leather is actually what’s cracking.
In many cases, it’s not actually the leather itself that is cracking, but rather the finish or sealant coating the leather. This usually happens when too many abrasive or harsh chemical cleaners are used on your sofa’s surface. Only clean your leather with certified leather cleaning products to be sure to avoid this type of damage. You can hire a professional to re-seal or re-finish your leather, but in some cases, it might be too far gone to repair. Your best bet is to avoid cracking the finish or sealant in the first place.
3. Your sofa is upholstered with bonded or fake leather.
Last but not least, your sofa might be cracking because it is upholstered with cheap “bonded” leather or even fake leather. Fake leather is often made from PVC, which can crack easily with use. Bonded leather is made from scraps of recycled leather which are then bonded with a strong adhesive. In either of these cases, you will not be getting the natural resilience of a true leather sofa, and at Florida Leather Gallery, we recommend simply replacing the sofa with an actual, high-quality leather couch, like any of the sofas we have in our showroom.
In any of these cases, our Florida Leather Gallery Leaxperts are here to help. If re-conditioning your leather sofa, or applying new sealant doesn’t work to fix those pesky cracks and peels in your couch’s leather, it might be time to head down to our showroom for a new model. Call our friendly staff today and set up an appointment!
