Cream leather sofa - good investment or bad idea?

tawnyowls

Leather is very hardwearing - general wear and tear should have little effect on it. If you spill anything, just wipe it off. I had a cream leather sofa for years, and all it needed was a wipe down with a damp cloth once a week. Had cats and kids climbing on it - never caused any major problems. Had one small tear caused by a shoe buckle in 8 years.

I agree with Zippy - jeans can transfer colour, and so can newspapers, and that can be a bit of a nuisance. I used a cleaner produced by a chap in Shropshire - Perfect Leather Solutions (http://www.perfectleathersolutions.co.uk). It's not awfully clear from their site (bit basic), but basically, they do an intensive cleaner that you make up as a solution from concentrate (and it lasts years!), which will gradually bring all newspaper ink, jeans dye etc to the surface over a number of cleans, and then when it's clean, you use the special cleaner just for general maintenance. I actually had one of the chaps do both my leather sofas, I think for about £80 - that included a complete clean, plus he fixed the small tear in the leather mentioned above and he mixed up a colour dye to blend the repair into the leather (practically invisible), and left me the bottle of dye for any future touch-ups. Excellent service, and the products are really good. The company are (or were, anyway) used by DFS for their sofas.

Lorian

Smashing wrote:

I tend to come over all 'Elizabeth' from Keeping up Appearances when in the presence of something that will show up stains.

You know I completely miss understood that when I first read it

skystar

I have two cream leather sofas which I got nearly five years ago.

As mentioned from other posters only problems I have had are staining from newspapers and new jeans. Had I known this before I got them then I would have took more care. But a quick wipe and they are fine.

Would definately buy another one tho'.

Nice one you have your eye on Rzl!

jessicamb

The sofa looks lovely. I agree with the other posters - my mum and dad have two dogs and swear by their leather sofas.

I got a couple of Argos sofas last year when I moved house and the quality is quite good on them (and I went for the cheapy ones). I would buy from them again. Dont do what I did though and order it before you move expecting a month wait and finding out that they can deliver two days later :eek: when you dont have a house to put them in.

They sat in my dads garage for a while

carrottopsuk

My aunt bought one about 15 years ago, looks as good as new. My mum and dad's which is not so old needs replacing because of one of the cats (scratching). It does clean well though.

Dobie

Bargain_Rzl wrote:

Nope! Nor do I have any children ... Main concern would be general wear and tear (and the occasional splash of tea/coffee/red wine):o

Occasional splashes will just wipe off, you're much more likely to get stains on a fabric sofa I think.
I have 2 cream leather recliners that me & DH use every day, when we're in a lazy mood we sit & eat our meals in front of the TV in them & we also have a very large dog. I use saddle soap to clean them (as recommended by someone on this board of course) & after a couple of years they're as good as new.
The only thing I don't like about them is that they can be a bit chilly to sit in for the first few seconds if you have bare legs.
I'd go for your sofa if I were you. I always find that if you compromise & get something that isn't your first choice you regret it. Just remember how hard you've saved for this & indulge yourself.

kscour

Ours is navy so a bit different as to showing the dirt but our old cloth suite after 9 years was, despite "proper" cleaning, looking a bit grubby and wearing in places (quite badly on the arms of the chair OH frequented most!:rolleyes: )
We bought the navy leather suite 8 yrs ago when dd's were 2 and it still looks more than presentable! The only aging has been a very slight softening to the cushions which if anything makes it look nicer. So if a navy one can withstand two toddlers growing into "normal" 10 yr olds and a very oily OH to boot I think the rather posh cream version will withstand a non child climate rather well!
Also if it helps a relative has had a cream sofa for approx 5 yrs and it still looks like new to me but I haven't enquired as to how she cleans it or if she spills anything on it - wouldn't dare!:rotfl:
Oh and all this talk of cleaning - I haven't done anything more than run a damp cloth over it all these years:o

Shez

oh that sofa looks lovely bargainrzl!

I would really love a leather sofa, but I keep thinking it would be a waste of time with my two kids (4 and 2!) its not the spills i mind cos they wipe off, but i'm worried the cars/buses etc being played on them would scratch them to bits??? maybe im wrong??

Smashing

Lorian wrote:

You know I completely miss understood that when I first read it

:rotfl: You see a tone and you just have to lower it!

ivyleaf

It looks lovely, Rzl! Go for it girl!:D