How to Clean and Preserve Leather Upholstery

Southland Times, Issue 21578, 16 December 1931, Page 12

How to Clean and Preserve Leather Upholstery

Although a daily dusting of arm chairs and settees upholstered in leather will freshen the appearance by removing loose dust, considerable dirt and grit may remain embedded in the fibres. It is to the cutting action of the latter that the frayed appearance of the leather after much use is due, ordinary wear tending rather to produce a shiny appearance.

The remedy is to supplement the dusting with an occasional treatment with a vacuum cleaner, which brings all gritty dust to the surface. Brushing is less effect-

ive, as a hard bristle tends to injure the upholstery and a soft one does not remove the dirt. When leather upholstery has become greasy and dirty cleaning should commence with a benzine treatment, using the refined spirit rather than petrol, which not only tends to stain, but ofter leaves a persistent odour. Rub the greasy patches with a rag moistened with benzine until they have been cleared up. Then take away the dirt that remains by rubbing with bran or oatmeal, both of which feed and lubricate the leather. If there is much embedded dirt dissolve two ounces of pure, neutral curd soap in a pint of methylated spirit and sponge the dirty patches therewith until clean. On no account use water or ordinary soap on leather upholstery, as both ultimately cause the leather to deteriorate by disintegration of the fibres. Ink causes the only common stain that is not taken out of leather upholstery by the cleaning progress described, and it should be treated with weak acetic acid solution made by dissolving two parts of thirty per cent, acid, as sold by the chemist, in one part of water. Spirits of lemon, the ordinary household ink stain remover, must not be used on leather. The acetic acid solution is useful for rubbing upon mildew marks that have formed upon leather upholstery left in a damp and fireless room, but it is efficacious only whilst the mildew is on the surface. Strong heat, such as the fire throws out, as well as continued warmth and dryness, cause leather to lose its resiliency and become dry and hard, so that besides keeping chairs and settees upholstered in leather away from the fire it is useful to give them an occasional preventive treatment with glycerine rubbed in sparingly with a duster. Work the glycerine into tho pores and allow several hours for absorption; if there is then a slight stickiness it may be removed by passing a rag slightly damp with benzine over it. If the upholstery has actually been scorched, cracked, or desiccated dissolve a teaspoonful of glycerine in a teacupful of water and damp the spoiled patches with it two or three times. When dry, the upholstery should be polished with a beeswax turpentine polish.