20 Fun Details About Real Leather Couch

How to Tell If a Leather Couch is Real Or Faux

It can be difficult to determine if you are buying genuine leather sofas because of misleading product descriptions and price tags. You need to get up close and personal to smell, feel and then turn over a couch to look at the backing.

For instance, a 'leather couch' CHOICE tested had upholstered "contact" areas (such as the armrests and seats) in genuine leather while the non-contact areas were made up of coated polyester and Cotton.

1. Smell

A genuine leather sofa will smell natural, fresh and luxurious. False leather on the other hand often smells chemically-processed and artificial. If your couch is smelling bad, it could be due to pet urine. In most cases, a good cleaning will remove the smell. If you're not pleased with the results, consider applying a leather conditioner. This will restore the moisture to the leather and make it more soft and less brittle. It also makes it more resistant to smells.

Baking soda is an excellent natural odor remover that can be used to eliminate unpleasant odors from your couch. Mix equal parts of vinegar and water. Use microfiber cloths to clean your leather sofa. If the cloth starts to collect dirt, squeeze it out or replace with an alternative. Alternately, you can pour the solution into a spray bottle and spritz it on your couch. Let the solution dry before wiping it again.

Airing your leather out is another natural way to remove the smell. If you are able, place the sofa outside in a sunny spot to air it out. This will eliminate any unpleasant odors, and give the sofa a natural, fresh scent.

If you'd like to keep away from unpleasant odors, you can purchase a leather conditioner that contains healthy oils. This will stop your leather from taking in smells and will keep it smelling good for a longer time.

The scent of leather may be appealing, but it can be difficult to keep. Over time, leather can absorb odors such as those from cooking, smoking and even body smell. These odors are hard to remove, especially when your home is occupied by pets or children. Fortunately, real leather couches aren't able to trap these odors like fabric upholstery make them a great choice for households with active families.

It's important to take action immediately in the event that your couch smells like it was soaked with puppy pee. You can use the tips mentioned above or a product like Leather Honey to resolve the problem. Prevention is the best solution but be sure to teach your dog to not pee on the couch!

2. Feel

If you are looking for a new leather sofa there are a few things to be aware of. The best way to tell whether it's genuine is to smell it and feel it. Leather with genuine leather has a distinct natural scent that is not difficult to recognize. This scent may fade as you age but it is impossible to miss it when the sofa is brand new.

A genuine vegan leather sofa sofa is supposed to be warm and soft to touch. Bonded and faux leathers however are typically more plasticky feel and are colder to touch. To test this, gently press your fingers against the surface of a couch and feel for bumps. If you don't feel any bumps on the couch, it is likely bonded or faux-leather.

If you see vertical seams stitched across the back of sofas, this is another dead giveaway. This means the leather isn't a continuous piece, which is a characteristic of genuine leather couches.

The quality of the frame on a leather couch can have a significant impact on its life span however, it's often not obvious. Ask what type of wood was used to construct the frame. This will help you select a sofa with an extended lifespan. A solid oak frame will be the most durable and expensive option, while engineered or particle board frames are less sturdy. To improve durability, hardwood frames must be kiln dried to stop the growth of mildew and warping.

If you're on a tight budget There are plenty of affordable genuine leather sofas that you could nevertheless enjoy. The Room & Board Stevens Leather Sofa, for example, is a stylish and flexible option that is often offered for sale and can be customized to fit your home.

The La-Z-Boy Manual Reclining Sofa is another option that is budget-friendly. It has a classic look and is available in a broad range of fabrics that are resistant to fade. This sofa is a bit difficult to assemble at home and the cushions on the back tend to slide down.

3. Backing

Leather sofas have a distinct appeal that other types of upholstery just can't match. Leather sofas are incredibly robust and withstand wear and tear more than fabric, making them last for a long time to be. They are also less likely to attract allergens, dust or spills. However, as with anything else in life, there are some dangers when purchasing a leather couch - and it pays to be aware of what to look for before you make your final decision.

If you're not sure whether your new couch is genuine leather, the first thing you should do is examine the materials tag on the frame to find out what kind of leather or fabric it is made of. However, you should also use your own senses to help make the right choice if you don't find any information on the materials used to make the sofa.

A key indicator is to take a closer look at the surface of the couch and observe the texture, shading, and patterns in depth. A real leather couch has natural imperfections and will not be perfectly uniform in structure, pattern, or shading. If the surface is uniform and smooth or if a mesh-like backing appears instead of the coarse leather, it's a sure indication of fake or synthetic leather.

Another good test is to look at the back of the cushion casing. If there is a stitched vertical seam on the back of the cushion, that's an indication that it isn't true leather. The reason for this is because animal hides are limited in their size, and they can only be cut so large. To ensure the best leather couch quality of their products, top-rated manufacturers will sew and stitch through the entire back of the couch to ensure it's genuinely leather and not fake or bonded leather.

If you are able lift a corner and inspect the padding on the back. If the back of the padding is covered in a woven fabric or covered in polyurethane, this is another indication that the sofa is not genuine leather. Genuine leather should have a coarse and rough coating that feels solid when you feel it.

4. Patterns

A leather sofa is a timeless classic for reasons. The natural, warm design and feel can add a touch of class to any living space. Modern tanning methods give it added durability, so that it doesn't suffer from cracks or sliding. Because each hide has distinct patterns and blemishes, grain, and marks, every leather couch is unique.

The best way to tell if the leather you are purchasing is genuine is to inspect it up close. For a better understanding of authenticity, examine the surface texture patterns, structure, and pattern. If the structure of the leather is uniform and there aren't any visible flaws on it, then it's likely to be faux or bonded.

A polyurethane back on the sofa is another dead giveaway. This is a common feature of bonded luxury leather sofa set. Genuine leather will appear more natural and is backed by materials that closely like the fabric used to create the furniture.

Finally, check the back of the couch to see one or two stitched vertical seams. This is a sign of a high-quality piece of leather that has been designed to last. On the other side, if there are no seams and the couch's back appears like a continuous piece of cloth, it's likely to be a low-quality faux or leather couch that has been bonded.

Once you've confirmed that a sofa is made of genuine leather, it's time to pair it with your other furniture for your living space. For a crisp, coordinated style, match your couch with other furniture made of wood and accent it with pillows that match the color scheme of your space. You can also choose more relaxed, energetic layout by putting the sofa between two pieces furniture, with a coffee table between.

Keep your leather sofa away from direct sunlight to stop it fading or developing scuffs. And if you want to protect your investment by prolonging its lifespan, consider applying a leather protection product every two or three times a year.