Leather chairs and sofas.

Cherrytree59, I just looked up cherish leather care and ended up on Secret leather sexy mens leather ... Oooh.....he's not even sexy.....sorry,...... back to caring for one's leather suite..... I don't want a shiny finish, just nourished leather.

DFS sells a product called cherish
It contains leather wipes a cream conditioner and pen ink remover (useful with young DGC).
We also paid at point of sale for an added repair insurance, so glad we did as our young DGS accidentally scrapped the leather on the armchair.
The insurance (which lasts for 10yrs) paid for the repair which completely invisible. Phew!

Ski 43 Did you use Lord Sheraton leather shine? I rather like the mat effect of the original leather and just want to keep the leather supple without making it shiny.

I hope that all goes well with whatever you decide but may I add a word of warning? I've read in the financial pages that Multiyork are in trouble financially so do your homework.

Had a cream Stressless sofa and two recliners (made to measure as I like a large chair and husband likes a small snug one ! Sofa was really lovely BUT we had three cats, so it was always covered (as were the chair seats when we were not on them !) .....removed the throw on the sofa for washing .THE CAT (we know which one !) had got underneath the throw and virtually destroyed the back of the sofa .....mad was not a word sufficient enough to use ....it was only one of the cats that ever attacked it, and we would spray it with Feliway etc etc ...she never touched the chairs, only the sofa ....could have stuffed her and made a footstool ....but damage was done, and not a lot you can do ....eventually moved and sofa was too big for new house so gave it away to next door's daughter who was getting a new house and couldn't yet aford a sofa ...she said it was fine as they had no pets and the back was against the wall anyway ! ......so if you have a cat or two, BEWARE .........

Our last suite was leather in a dark green,and I loved it. It withstood teenagers abusing it, the dog lying on it and general busy family life. I used lord Sheraton’s cream every couple of months,I rubbed it in and left it for a while.Then buffed it off. It did wear a little on a seam but after 15 years I wasn’t complaining.I patched it and used it for another 6 or 7 years,and only got rid when I moved house and we decided that we should renew it. I hate this fabric suite we now have and can’t wait to replace it.

My last suite before this leather one was purchased in 1989. Last month when the new one was due I advertised it in the Freebies section of Gumtree and the young couple who came to take it away couldn't understand why we were getting a new one. It was because my OH wanted a recliner and felt his seat was uncomfortably low since he now has two new knees. If it hadn't been for that we would still have a 28 year old (still modern looking) suite. At least there is a young couple starting out on married life who will get the benefit of it.

Well I'm probably being a daft fool but I bought two Parker Knoll leather sofas just before i got my new puppy! So far little paw nails have scrabbled on the leather to get up to me and so far no marks...hopefully this will continue!

Be careful of people wearing jeans as the studs on the back pockets scratch the leather.

I don't know if its connected to the 'grade' of leather, but a friend of mine found her cream sofas took on the hue of whatever had been on them. It made her life (and everyone else's - including her cats) a misery.

I love our leather suite but we had to buy a fabric covered chair for DH as he found the leather too hot and sticky in the summer (he's always too hot even in the depths of winter - sighs of envy!!!).

WE have had our leather suite for five years. It has withstood the GC and a cat!
I too find that I need a throw to cover the chair arms. If I’m wearing a short sleeved top, my bare arms get stuck to the leather!

We have had a leather suite for 11years,still looks good despite grandkids spilling things etc,all I do is wipe it down with leather wipes,found in most supermarkets.THe leather suite has outlived my friends cloth one,bought about the same time, so she is buying a leather one hopefully in the sales,we dont have pets,so unable Tto comment on that,but i think cats may be a probem

Older friends have a leather suite and they hate it. They slide off all the time! Did you know that Multi York do refurbs? My sister had hers for over twenty years then gave it a new lease of life with new cushions and covers ordered from a Multi York shop. Multi York have a selection of density of cushions. DH and I have the hardest ones and they are brilliant for my back. (And no, we've no connection with the company!)

We've had our (black) leather suite for 10 years. It still looks in excellent condition with no tears or flaking leather.
Apart from having the seat pans re-filled a couple of years ago when we moved it has had nothing else done to it.
To restore the shiny look I spray it every few months with Lord Sheraton Leather Cleaner.
I still remember the day we went to purchase it... husband and I walked into the shop dressed head to toe in leathers (we were on our motorbike I hasten to add). The young salesman who looked barely old enough to be allowed out without his mummy then spent 10 minutes trying to tell us how to look after leather and explain that leather was not the same as other material.
Did he not see what we were wearing? ?

we've had this leather suite for nearly 3 years ,its very pale grey...it needs cleaned every week .I use the cleaner for car seats from Halfords and it makes a reasonable job.I do have 4 GC here a lot and a cat ..no scratches ...so it gets quite mucky.I dont actually like leather but we change furniture regularly and take turns each at choosing,my turn is always a fabric suite ...so my turn next ..OH loves leather .To be fair it is quite practical

I would appreciate hearing what type of care others use to keep the leather in good supple condition. The store we recently bought ours from does sell a leather care kit but it is prohibitively expensive. I vaguely remember the last leather suite I had (50 years ago!) was simply wiped down a couple of times a year with the same neutral polish I used on my shoes and handbags. No idea now what that was.

For occasional dog visit you can cover the seats

Bought two leather sofas in a dark beige colour for my housebound mum eight years ago. We were given a stain removal kit by the manufacturer but tbh it is selective on what it removes. Biro does not come off - the grease in the ink is absorbed by the leather so if you do crosswords on the sofa keep your biro under control! Mum sat in the same place on the same sofa - when we moved house 18 months ago we separated the sofas and the one she sat on all the time had 'weathered'. For me, the big problem with leather sofas however is that they are cold - not bad in the summer but in the winter I have to put a blanket of some kind between her and the sofa otherwise it's very uninviting.

I have leather settees and a lively Jack Russell. No signs of damage to the settees, but I do have a throw that Jack lies on.
My cousin has a leather suite, and a visitor parked her hot cup of tea on the arm of the chair she was sitting on, and it left a light coloured ring. Cousin managed to get rid of it by using a leather care cloth.

Rember to ‘smooth’ the leather cushion after sitting. We didn’t do this where DH sits and it has ended up with a crease which won’t come out. The colour is now starting to lift off the crease. It was an expensive sofa (Natuzzi) and only 3 years old but reckon it’s our own fault.

Lovetopaint037 when you buy your leather you need to know you are buying the right quality.

dengarden.com/interior-design/10-Things-to-Watch-Out-for-When-Shopping-for-Leather-Furniture

Good luck, enjoy.

I agree with most here. My Living room leather sofas are more than 15years old and a new visitor to my home a few weeks ago thought they were new sofas. I just use a damp J-cloth and a squidge of fairy liquid to wipe these down.

Good idea to use washable throws if pets visit and you are concerned about scratches. To be honest I think any age marks enhance leather and leather sofas are definitely worth consideration. Leather is also a good fire retardant.

We have a leather sofa that is about 15 years old and sill as good as day one. I am just thinking about having the cushions restuffed as the GCs play on it, pretending it’s boats, cars and caravans!
We did buy a cheap bucket chair, in cream leather because it fitted a particular space, not expecting it to last more than a couple of years. It’s now 6 years old and beginning to show signs of cracking.

Saddle soap is wonderful for leather - rub it on with a cloth and then buff it after an hour or so. It gets rid of stains, smooths over scratches and makes the leather really supple. I have a very old car with leather seats and I treat them once a year - they have stayed supple and it has stopped any splitting or cracking.