When we moved into our very first home, we started to invest in nicer pieces of furniture. At the time I was, of course, obessed with anything and everything from West Elm (oh, P.S., still am!). We took the plunge and ordered two of their leather show chairs. I remember being ecstatic because we had timed the purchase with one of their “Buy More Save More” deals and got a nice discount on the beautiful pieces. There were two questions I had when clicking that purchase button: was leather furniture a good option? What all was involved with leather furniture care?

After all we had two dogs, lots of company and I was constantly flinging red wine around the living room. That purchase was made about five years ago and our leather chairs are still going strong! The leather and wood look just as beautiful as they did the day they arrived to our home in Boston. So, how do you care for leather furniture? I’m no expert, but here are the steps I’ve taken to keep our leather furniture looking new!

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Leather Furniture Care: How to Do It Properly

Make It a “No” Zone for Pets

One thing we did from the moment our leather chairs arrived at the house was to immediately make it a “no” zone for our two pups. Luckily for us, they only like the softest and most plush spaces in the house so this wasn’t too big of a problem. Dog and cat claws can do irreparable damage to leather furniture, so it’s a good idea to keep them away. Have unruly pets? Consider trendy baja blanket over the chair when you can’t monitor it!

Throw It Some Shade

Long exposure to the sun isn’t good for any furniture. Keeping your leather pieces out of direct sunlight and pulling shades when you’re not in the room is a great practice for your long term leather care. We had one of our chairs in direct sunlight for a period of time and the back faded ever so slightly.

Invest in a Good Conditioner

The one thing that seems to make the biggest difference in caring for our leather chair is leather conditioner. Once or twice a month I used a microfiber cloth and leather conditioner and buff our babies back to life. When you do this, you’ll start to see your leather regain it’s elasticity and it’s color. 

My Favorite Leather Conditioner

This leather conditioner from Amazon is what I’ve been using on our chairs for a few years. It’s a little on the pricey side but a little goes a long way!