10-Pinterest Accounts You Should Follow Real Leather Couch
How to Tell If a Leather Couch is Real Or Faux
Due to misleading price tags and product descriptions it's sometimes difficult to know whether you're buying a genuine leather couch. You need to get up close and personal to take a whiff, feel and flip over a cushion to check the backing.
For instance, a 'leather couch' CHOICE tested had upholstered "contact" areas (such as the armrests and seats) in genuine leather, whereas non-contact areas were a mix of cotton and coated polyester.
1. Smell
A real leather couch should be a natural, rich and luxurious. The faux leather, however, often smells chemically-processed and artificial. If your couch has a bad smell, it could be caused by pet urine or stains. In the majority of cases, a thorough cleaning will eliminate the smell. If you aren't satisfied with the results of your cleaning, try applying a leather conditioner. This will restore the leather's moisture levels and make it more supple and less fragile. It will also make it more resistant to smells.
You can also make use of a natural odor eliminator like baking soda to eliminate unpleasant smells from your couch. Mix equal parts of vinegar and water. Use microfiber cloths to clean your leather couch. If the cloth begins to absorb dirt, squeeze it out or switch to an alternative. Alternately, you can pour the solution into a spray bottle and spritz it onto your couch. Let the solution dry before wiping it again.
Another natural way to remove odors from your leather is by airing it out. If you can, place the sofa outside in a sunny spot to let it air out. This will eliminate any unpleasant smells and give the sofa an aroma that is fresh and natural.
If you want to avoid unpleasant smells altogether, you can purchase an oil-based leather conditioner that contains healthy oils. This will keep your leather smelling fresher for longer, keeping it from taking in odors.
The scent of leather may be appealing, but it can be difficult to maintain. In time, it may absorb smells from cooking, smoking, and even body smell. These odors can be hard to eliminate particularly if you have children or pets. Genuine leather couches do not trap these odors as fabrics can. This makes them an ideal choice for families with active children.
It's important to take action immediately in the event that your couch smells like it was soaked with puppy urine. You can utilize the suggestions listed above or a product like Leather Honey to resolve the issue. The best way to treat the issue is to prevent the problem therefore, make sure to train your dog to never pee on your couch.
2. Feel
When you're looking for a brand new leather sofa There are a few things to be looking for. The most effective way to determine whether it's genuine is to smell and feel it. Genuine leather has a distinct unique, natural scent. The scent can fade with age, but there should be no mistaking it when the couch is new.
A genuine leather sofa is supposed to be warm and soft to touch. Faux and bonded leathers are often colder and have a plasticky feel. To test this, gently press your fingertips onto the sofa's surface and look for bumps. If you don't feel any bumps, the material is likely to be fake or bonded leather.
Another dead giveaway is if you see stitched vertical seams on the back of the sofa. This means that the leather isn't one piece. Genuine leather couches are characterized by this.
The quality of the frame of a leather couch can have a major effect on its lifespan, but it's often not obvious. Find out what kind of wood was used in the making of the frame. This will help you select an item that has an extended lifespan. A solid oak frame is the most durable and expensive option, while engineered or particle board frames aren't as robust. To ensure durability, a frame made of hardwood should also be kiln dried to stop the growth of mildew and warping.
If you're on a budget There are plenty of low-cost genuine leather sofas that you can still fall in love with. For example, the Room & Board Stevens Leather Sofa is a fashionable and versatile option that is often on sale and can be easily personalized to fit your home.
Another budget-friendly option is La-Z-Boy Gather Manual Reclining Sofa It has a classic design and is available in a wide range of fade-resistant fabrics. However, this sofa requires assembly at home and its back cushions are prone to slide down.
3. Backing
Real leather couches are an exception to other kinds of upholstery. Leather sofas are extremely durable and can withstand wear and tear much better than fabrics, which makes them last for a long time to come. They also tend to resist staining and spills and are less likely to attract dust and other allergens, so they don't need the same amount of regular care and cleaning. Leather couches aren't different. As with any other purchase, it is important to be aware of the risks before making a final choice.
If you're unsure if the sofa you bought is genuine leather, the first thing you should do is look at the materials tag on the frame to find out what kind of fabric or leather it's made from. If you cannot discover any information about the couch's materials then you can use your senses to make a decision.
A good way to tell is to take a close look at the surface of the couch and examine the texture, shading, and patterns in greater detail. Genuine leather couches will have natural imperfections and the structure, pattern or shading won't be consistent. If the surface of a couch appears smooth and uniform, or if it has a mesh-like backing in place of coarse suede, this is an indication that it's fake or synthetic leather.
Another good test is to look at the back of the cushion casing. If the cushion has vertical stitching pattern on the back, it's not genuine leather. The reason for this is because animal hides have a limit on their size, and they can only be cut so large. To ensure the best quality of their products, the top manufacturers will sew and stitch through the entire back of the couch to ensure it's genuine leather and not bonded or fake leather.
If you are able to, try to lift up a corner of the sofa or a cushion and look at the back of the padding. If the back of padding is covered by polyurethane or a weave, then it's an indication that the sofa isn't genuine leather. Genuine leather should be rough and coarse in coating that feels sturdy when you touch it.
4. Patterns
A leather couch is a timeless classic with a reason. The warm, natural feel and look of the material can elevate any living space. Modern tanning methods give it extra durability, so that it resists cracking or sliding. And because each hide has distinctive marks and grain, as well as blemishes each leather couch is unique.
While prices and labels are great pointers but the best way to tell whether you're buying authentic leather is to go up close and close to it. Check the surface texture, structure and pattern for a more detailed view of its authenticity. If the structure is completely uniform and there are no obvious flaws, it's probably faux or bond leather.
Another sign of a dead sofa is a polyurethane backing on the back of the sofa. This is a common feature of bonded leather. Genuine leather will appear more natural and be backed by materials that closely match the fabric used in making the furniture.
Lastly, look at the back of the couch for two or three stitched vertical seams. This is a sign the leather was constructed with care to last. On mid century leather sofa , if there are no seams and the back of the sofa appears like a piece of cloth, it's most likely a fake or bonded leather couch.
Once you've confirmed that a sofa is made of genuine leather, it's now time to match it with your other furniture for your living space. Find a match for your sofa with wooden furniture and add pillows that complement the colors of your space. Or go for a more comfortable, lively layout by placing your couch across from other pieces with a coffee table in between.
Keep your leather sofa from direct sunlight to avoid it fading or forming scratches. And if you want to safeguard your investment by extending its lifespan, consider applying a leather protector once or twice a year.