How to Tell If a Leather Couch is Real Or Faux
Due to misleading price tags and descriptions of the product, it’s sometimes difficult to determine whether you’re buying a genuine leather sofa. It is important to get close to the couch and examine it carefully. Feel, smell, and turn the cushion to see the back.
For instance, a ‘leather couch’ CHOICE tested had upholstered ‘contact’ (such as the seats and armrests) in genuine leather while the non-contact areas were a mix of cotton and polyester coated.
1. Smell
A real leather sofa should smell rich and natural. Faux leather, on the other hand, often smells chemically processed and artificial. 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 happy with the results of your cleaning, you can apply a leather conditioner. This will restore moisture to the leather and make it softer and less brittle. It also makes it more resistant to smells.
You can also use a natural odor eliminator such as baking soda to eliminate unpleasant odors from your sofa. Mix equal parts of vinegar and water. Use a microfiber cloth to wipe your leather couch. If the cloth starts to collect dirt, you can wring it or replace it with a new one. You can spray the solution onto your couch. The mixture should dry before wiping again.
Another natural way to remove the smells of your leather is by airing it out. Place the sofa in a bright area to air out. This will remove any unwanted odors, and give the sofa a natural, fresh scent.
If you want to stay clear of unpleasant odors, you can purchase a leather conditioner with healthy oils. This keeps your leather looking fresher longer by preventing it from absorbing the smells.
While the scent of natural leather is appealing however, it can be difficult to keep clean. As time passes, it will absorb smells from smoking, cooking, and even body smell. These odors are difficult to eliminate, particularly if your home has pets or children. Leather couches don’t trap these odors as fabric upholstery can. This makes them a great choice for families with active children.
It’s important to take action immediately if your couch smells like it was soaked with puppy urine. You can try a few of the suggestions above or you can try a specific product such as Leather Honey to treat the issue. The best option is to prevent the problem and ensure that you train your dog to never pee on your couch.
2. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions.
There are a few clues to look for when buying a leather sofa, but the most reliable way to determine if it’s genuine is to feel it and smell it. Leather has a distinct, distinct natural scent. The scent can fade with age but it is impossible to miss it when the sofa is brand new.
A genuine leather sofa should be warm and soft to the touch. Leathers made of faux and bonded tend to be colder and have the impression of plastic. To test it, gently press your fingers to the couch’s surface and check for bumps. If you don’t feel any bumps, the vegan leather couch is likely to be faux leather couch or bonded leather.
Another dead giveaway is if you notice stitched vertical seams on the back of the sofa. This indicates that the leather is not one continuous piece. Genuine leather couches are identified by this.
The quality of a leather frame for a sofa can have a major impact on its durability however, it’s not always obvious. To ensure that you’re buying a sofa that will last, inquire about the type of wood is used in the frame. Solid oak frames are the most durable, but also the most expensive. Particle board or engineered frames will be less sturdy. To improve durability, hardwood frames should be kiln dried to stop the growth of mildew and warping.
If you’re on a budget but still want a genuine leather sofa that you will love. For instance the Room & Board Stevens Leather Sofa is a fashionable and versatile option that is often available for sale and can be easily personalized to fit your home.
The La-Z-Boy Manual Reclining Sofa is a different budget-friendly option. It has a classic style and is available in a broad variety of fabrics that are resistant to fade. The sofa is modular and a bit difficult to assemble at home and the back cushions tend to slide down.
3. Backing
Genuine leather couches are an exception to other types of upholstery. Leather sofas are incredibly durable and can withstand wear and tear much better than fabrics, which makes them last for many years to come. They are also less likely to attract dust, allergens or spills. Leather couches are no different. As with any other purchase, it is essential to be aware of the dangers before making a final decision.
If you’re unsure whether the sofa you bought is genuine leather the first thing you need to do is examine the materials tag on the frame to find out the exact type of fabric or leather it’s made from. But, you should utilize your own senses to make the right choice if you don’t find any information about the materials used to make the sofa.
A good way to tell is to take a closer look at the surface of the couch and examine the texture, shading and patterns in greater detail. Genuine leather couches are likely to have natural imperfections and the structure, pattern, or shading will not be uniform. If the couch’s surface appears smooth and uniform, or shows a mesh-like backing in place of coarse suede, it’s a dead giveaway that it’s fake or synthetic leather.
Check the back of the cushion casing. If you see stitched vertical seams on the back of the cushion, it’s an indication that it isn’t true leather. The reason for this is because animal hides are limited in their size, and they are only cut to a certain big. The top-rated manufacturers stitch and stitch the entire back of the couch to ensure it is genuine leather and not bonded or faux leather.
If you are able to, lift up a corner and inspect the padding on the back. If the back of the padding is covered by an unwoven material or polyurethane then it’s a sign that the couch isn’t genuine leather. Genuine leather should have a coarse and rough surface that feels solid when you contact it.
4. Patterns
A leather sofa is a classic and for good reason. The soft, natural look and feel can elevate any living room. In addition, a modern Leather sofa set tanning process adds a bit of durability to resist cracking or sagging. Because each hide has distinct patterns and blemishes, grain, and marks, every leather couch is unique.
The best leather couch way to determine if the leather you are buying is authentic is to look at it closely. Inspect the surface texture, structure, and pattern for an in-depth look at its authenticity. If the structure of the leather is uniform and there aren’t any visible blemishes on it, then it’s likely to be faux or bonding.
Another obvious sign is a polyurethane backing on the sofa’s back. This is a standard feature of leather that is bonded. Genuine mid century leather sofa will look more natural and will be backed by materials that closely match the fabric used to make 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’s been carefully constructed to last. On the other side, if there are no seams and the couch’s back appears like a piece of fabric, it’s likely to be a low-quality faux or bonded leather sofa.
After you’ve determined that a sofa is made of genuine leather, it’s now time to match it with your other furniture for your living space. For a sleek, unified style, match your sofa to other furniture made of wood and line it up with pillows that match the colors in your room. You can also choose a more dynamic, relaxed layout by placing the couch between two pieces of furniture with a coffeetable in between.
Keep your leather sofa from direct sunlight to avoid it fading or forming scratches. If you’re looking to prolong the life of your leather sofa and protect your investment use a leather protection agent at least once or twice a year.