{"id":1721,"date":"2017-09-04T13:18:43","date_gmt":"2017-09-04T03:18:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/loungerepairguys.com.au\/?p=1721"},"modified":"2017-09-04T13:18:43","modified_gmt":"2017-09-04T03:18:43","slug":"leather-upholstery-care-how-safe-are-household-cleaners","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/loungerepairguys.com.au\/leather-upholstery-care-how-safe-are-household-cleaners\/","title":{"rendered":"Leather Upholstery Care: How Safe Are Household Cleaners?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Whether you\u2019re roaming the aisles of a shoe store in search of that perfect pair of boots, rummaging through a crowded clothing rack in pursuit of the ideal jacket, or roving the lounge suite section of your favourite department store \u2013 there\u2019s really only one thing you\u2019re looking for; a tag reading \u2018genuine leather\u2019. You\u2019re looking for this tag because you know that it represents unparalleled quality, without having to compromise on aesthetic. And you know all this because leather has long been synonymous with positive adjectives, such as: Classic. Timeless. Durable.<\/p>\n

Genuine leather walks the fine line that separates lavish luxury seekers, and roguish rock\u2019n\u2019rollers. It enables you to be sophisticated, but funky; stylish, but sensible; classy, but chic. It\u2019s lightweight and soft to the touch, but deceptively robust and long lasting. In fact, with the right care, leather can practically stand the test of time. So, if you\u2019re the proud owner of a piece of recently reupholstered piece of leather furniture, you probably go to a lot of effort to clean it and keep it in tip top condition. The question is, which household cleaners are actually safe to use on your precious leather upholstery? Do some do more harm than good? Here\u2019s what you need to know\u2026<\/p>\n

Avoid Alkaline Products<\/h2>\n

While chemistry might not be your forte, you might want to familiarize yourself with the pH scale when it comes to caring for your leather upholstery. The pH scale is a logarithmic method of measuring the acidity or alkalinity of a solution or material. The scale ranges from 0-14. Within this scale, 0 is known as very acidic, and 14 as very alkaline. A pH of 7 is considered neutral (i.e. pure water). Therefore, anything less than 7 is considered acidic, and anything greater than 8 is alkaline (otherwise known as basic).<\/p>\n

The majority of manufactured leather is chromium-tanned, placing it around 3.5-5.5 on the pH scale. In other words, most leathers (like the leather decorating your lounge) are acidic.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re wondering why this is relevant to you, then consider this: when you combine an acidic substance with an alkaline substance, it will create a chemical reaction (a bit like mixing vinegar and baking soda \u2013 which creates a mess of explosive froth). While some reactions are only minor, the severity of the reaction will depend on the degree of differentiation between the substances on the pH scale.<\/p>\n

A huge amount of household cleaners are alkaline. What this means is that, by cleaning your acidic leather couch with a basic cleaning product, you could be causing a chemical reaction. While the reaction might not be quite as pronounced as that of mixing vinegar and baking soda, exposing your leather upholstery to alkaline solutions will eventually cause a breakdown of the leather\u2019s binding fibers. There\u2019s no point investing in genuine leather for its longevity if you\u2019re just going to slowly deteriorate the fabric by using alkaline cleaning products.<\/p>\n

Common Household Cleaners & Ingredients That Are Alkaline:<\/h2>\n