20 Fun Facts About Real Leather Couch

How to Tell If a Leather Couch is Real Or Faux

It is often difficult to determine if you are buying genuine leather couches due to inaccurate product descriptions and price tags. It is important to get close and personal - smell, feel and then turn over a cushion to examine the back.

For example, a 'leather couch' CHOICE tested had upholstered contact areas (such as the seats and armrests) with genuine leather. The non-contact areas were a mix of cotton and coated polyester.

1. Smell

A genuine leather sofa should be fragrant and natural. Faux leather, on the other hand typically smells chemically processed and synthetic. If your couch is smelling bad, it could be due to stains or urine from pets. In most cases, a good cleaning will remove the smell. If you're not satisfied with the results, try applying a luxury leather sofa set conditioner. This will help restore moisture to the leather which makes it softer, less fragile, and more resistant against odors.

You can also make use of a natural odor eliminator such as baking soda to remove unpleasant odors from your sofa. Mix equal parts vinegar and water, then employ a cloth (preferably microfibre) to wipe the leather sofa. If the cloth starts to accumulate dirt, you can use a wringer to remove it out or replace it with a new one. Alternatively, you can put the solution in the spray bottle and spray it over your couch. Let the solution dry before wiping it off again.

Another natural way to remove the smells of your leather is to air it out. If you can, place the couch outside in a sunny area to air it out. This will help eliminate any unwanted odors, and give the couch a fresh, natural scent.

If you'd like to avoid unpleasant odors, you can buy a leather conditioner containing healthy oils. This will keep your leather fresher longer by stopping it from taking in the smells.

While the scent of natural leather is appealing, it isn't always easy to keep clean. As time passes, it will absorb the odors of cooking, smoking, and even body smell. These odors are difficult to get rid of particularly if you have pets or children. Genuine leather couches do not trap these odors as fabric upholstery can. This is why they are a great option for families with active children.

It's crucial to act immediately in the event that your couch smells like it was soaked with puppy urine. Try some of the tips above, or use a specific product such as Leather Honey to address the issue. Prevention is the best solution however, so make sure to train your dog to not pee on the couch!

2. Feel

When you're looking for a brand new leather sofa, there are a few things to be looking for. However, the best leather sofa way to determine if it's real is to smell it and feel it. Leather has a distinct, distinct natural scent. The scent can fade as you age but there shouldn't be any doubt about it when the sofa is brand new.

A genuine leather couch is supposed to be warm and soft to touch. Faux and bonded leathers tend to be colder and have the impression of plastic. To test this test, gently press your fingers on the couch's surface and check for bumps. If you don't feel any bumps on the couch, it's likely to be faux-leather or bonded.

Another dead giveaway is if you can see vertical seams stitched on the back of the sofa. This means the leather isn't one continuous piece that is typical of genuine leather couches.

The quality of the frame on the leather sofa can have a major impact on its lifespan however it's not always obvious. To make sure you're buying a sofa that will last, ask what kind of wood is used to construct the frame. A solid oak frame will be the most durable and expensive option, while engineered or particle board frames are less robust. To improve durability, hardwood frames should be dried kiln to avoid mildew or warping.

If you're shopping on a budget, there are plenty of affordable genuine leather sofas that you could still be captivated by. For instance, the Room & Board Stevens Leather Sofa is a fashionable and versatile choice that's frequently on sale and can be easily customized to fit your home.

The La-Z-Boy Manual Reclining Sofa is a different budget-friendly option. It is a classic design and is available in a wide variety of fabrics that are fade-resistant. However, this modular sofa requires at-home assembly and its back cushions tend to slide down.

3. Backing

Genuine leather couches offer a unique appeal that other types of upholstery can't compete with. Leather sofas are extremely durable and withstand wear and tear more effectively than fabric. They last for a long time. They also tend to resist staining and spills and are less likely to attract dust and other allergens and therefore don't require more frequent care and cleaning. However, as with anything else in life, there are a few dangers when purchasing a leather couch - and it's important to know what to look out for before you make your 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 discover exactly what type of fabric or leather it is made of. If you are unable to discover any information about the couch's materials, you can use your senses to make a decision.

The most important indicator is to take a closer look at the surface of the couch and observe the texture, shading and patterns in greater detail. A genuine leather couch will have natural imperfections and won't be completely uniform in its structure patterns, shading, or pattern. If the surface is smooth and uniform or if a mesh backing is visible instead of coarse leather, it's a dead indicator of fake or synthetic leather.

Check the back of the cushion casing. If it has a stitched vertical seam on the back of the cushion, this is an indication that it isn't authentic vintage leather sofa. The reason for this is because animal hides have a limit on their size, and they are only cut to a certain big. To ensure the highest quality of their products, top-rated manufacturers will always stitch and sew across the entire back of a couch to ensure that it's genuine leather and not bonded or fake leather.

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

4. Patterns

A leather couch is a timeless design for reasons. The soft leather couch, natural design and feel can add a touch of class to any living space. A modern tanning procedure gives it extra durability, so that it doesn't suffer from cracks or sliding. Since each hide comes with distinct marks, grain, and blemishes each leather couch is unique.

The best way to know if the leather you are buying is genuine is to examine it closely. To better understand authenticity, examine the texture of the surface patterns, structure, and pattern. If the structure of the leather is uniform and there aren't any obvious blemishes on the surface, then it's likely to be fake or bonding.

Another sign of a dead sofa is a polyurethane backing on the sofa's back. This is a common feature of the bonded leather. Genuine leather will have a more natural appearance and will be backed with materials that closely like the fabric used in making furniture.

Look at the back of your couch to see whether there are vertical seams. This is a sign that the leather has been constructed with attention to last. If there are no seams, and the back looks like a continuous cloth, then it's likely to be a faux or bonded leather couch.

Once you've confirmed that a sofa is made of genuine leather, it's time to match it with other furniture for your living space. Find a match for your sofa with wooden furniture, and then add pillows that complement the colors of your living space. Or, you can opt for a fluid, acoustic arrangement by placing your sofa in a row with other furniture pieces, and a coffee table in between.

Be sure to keep your leather sofa in a bright area to ensure it doesn't fade or develop scratches due to direct sunlight. If you're looking to protect your investment by extending its life, you should consider applying a leather protector once or twice a year.