Care Guides

Leather Tips & Care

Leather is a natural material and when properly cared for, it will maintain its beauty and appearance for many years.

Vacuum and dust your leather furniture regularly, using a crevice tool to get into cracks.

Keep your new leather furniture out of intense, direct sunlight as this will cause it to fade, dry it out, and eventually crack.

Keep your leather furniture at least twelve inches away from all heat sources.

Blot spills with a clean, white, dry cloth. Do not rub but blot gently. If your spill is sticky, a gentle soap (like Ivory dishwashing soap) may be used to cut the “stickiness.” Make sure to wipe with a cloth dampened with clear warm water to make sure all the soap is off the leather. Let the leather air dry, never use a hair dryer. It’s always a good idea to test the leather in an inconspicuous area first.

Because leather is a hide with pores, most marks and stains will dissipate over time.

Avoid newsprint on your leather furniture.

Lighter colors might “crock,” i.e. there is a possibility of dye transfer from denim garments onto light leather.

You can condition your leather furniture once or twice a year with a mild leather conditioner or cream.

Never use harsh chemicals like saddle soap or leather cleaners on leather furniture. At best it will clean the clear coat off and leave a dull spot. There is a possibility of removing the finish entirely with chemical cleaners.

Keep the trade labels and law labels on the bed. Not only will it help identify what it is but it is a requirement for any type of warranty claim.

Use a box spring that was designed for use with your new bed. Even though they might appear new, a used box spring doesn’t have the uniform firmness a new one will have. Different types of mattresses have different types of springs designed specifically to be used as a unit.

Never use dry cleaning fluid on your mattress. The harsh chemicals will break down the construction materials and damage your new bed.

Some new mattress sets will be thicker than what you previously owned. You might need to get “deep pocket” sheets or some sheet grippers to help keep sheets on the mattress. Lo profile box springs are available to lower the overall height of the bed.

Use a sturdy frame for your new bed. King and queen sizes require a center support so they won’t sag in the middle.

Mattresses and Box Springs Warranties
Sleep products come with a variety of warranties against manufacture or material defects. They can be from one year to twenty depending on the type of mattress and the manufacturer. Your new sleep set should have come with a written warranty. If you didn’t get one with your bed, contact the store and we’ll get you one. Your salesperson should be able to answer any questions that you might have about warranties. There are some things that mattress warranties DO NOT cover.

Fabric:
The manufacturer buys the fabric (ticking) from another source so they don’t put any type of warranty on that.

Handles:
Most mattresses don’t even come with handles any longer since they are one sided and don’t need to be turned. If your mattress did come with handles, they are meant for positioning the mattress, not carrying it and are not warranted.

Comfort:
The manufacturer buys the fabric (ticking) from another source so they don’t put any type of warranty on that.

Body Impressions:
Over the life of a mattress it will start to show impressions of use. Slight (less than 2”) impressions are not defects but signs of use.

Vacuum upholstered furniture every week or two to remove loose dust and dirt.

Rotate removable cushions to promote even wear. Even though cushions have zippers on them, NEVER remove foam cores and place the covers in a washing machine (this goes for throw pillows too.) Shrinking, fading or fabric failure can (and most likely will) be the result.

If the backs and arms of an upholstered piece are “overstuffed” then fluff them up from time to time to give your furniture a “new again” look. Push up from the bottom or bat it up with the flat of your hand. If backs have zippers on them you can open them and fluff up the stuffing with your hand. Use care none of the filling gets caught in the zipper as you close it. The object with fluffing is to try and get some air back into the fibers.

Ultraviolet rays can damage both fabrics and wood. Avoid placing furniture in direct sunlight. If you must place the back against a window, consider using a “throw” over the back to protect it. Curtains and/or blinds will help protect it also. If you can, change the location of your furniture from time to time to break it in evenly and give your home a “fresh” look.

Sit in the middle of the cushions. If you lean to one side then your furniture will also start to lean. Never sit on the arms of sofas, loveseats or chairs.

If you spill liquid on your furniture blot clean it immediately with a clean, 100% cotton, white cloth. Using colored cloths can cause a dye transfer and make a bigger mess. Blot the spill (DO NOT RUB.) If after blotting you still have a spot refer to the cleaning code on the label (usually under the center cushion on sofas, possibly under the footrest on recliners.) Use the appropriate type of cleaner. Always test the fabric in an unobvious place before applying.

CLEANING CODES
S – Spot clean using only a water-free dry cleaning agent
W – Spot clean using only water-based upholstery shampoo or foam cleaner
WS – Spot clean using a dry-cleaning solvent, water-based upholstery shampoo or foam cleaner
X – Vacuum only, or use a soft brush. Do not use any liquid cleaners

For hard to remove or greasy spots you may need to apply the cleaning method more than once. Use an upholstery brush (like the one off your vacuum) to fluff up the nap after drying.

UPHOLSTERED FURNITURE WARRANTIES
FURNITURE WARRANTIES VARY BUT MOST UPHOLSTERY COMES WITH A “LIMITED LIFETIME WARRANTY.” THIS MEANS THE PARTS (LIKE FRAME, SPRINGS AND MECHANISMS IF IT RECLINES) ARE WARRANTED AGAINST MANUFACTURE DEFECTS FOR AS LONG AS THE FURNITURE IS IN ITS ORIGINAL COVER AND STILL OWED BY THE ORIGINAL PURCHASER. “LIFETIME” REFERS TO THE LIFE OF THE FURNITURE, NOT YOUR LIFETIME SO IF YOU HAVE A CHAIR THAT IS TWENTY YEARS OLD IT’S PROBABLY TIME TO GET RID OF IT AND BUY A NEW ONE. CONTRARY TO POPULAR BELIEF, FURNITURE DOES WEAR OUT. A LIFETIME WARRANTY GENERALLY REFERS TO LIFETIME ON THE PARTS. FABRIC AND LEATHER ARE WARRANTED FOR ONE YEAR. SOME FABRICS MIGHT HAVE A LONGER WARRANTY SUPPLIED BY THE FABRIC MILL. FOAM IN UPHOLSTERED FURNITURE USUALLY HAS SOME TYPE OF WARRANTY ALSO. IT CAN VARY FROM ONE YEAR TO LIFETIME DEPENDING ON THE MANUFACTURER. CHECK YOUR WARRANTY INFO OR ASK YOUR SALESPERSON TO FIND OUT. FOAM IS WARRANTED TO REMAIN RESILIENT, THAT IS NOT TO GO FLAT, BE AWARE THAT ALL FOAM PRODUCTS WILL FLATTEN SOME OVER THE LIFESPAN OF THE PIECE AND SHOULDN’T BE SEEN AS A DEFECT, BUT AS A NATURAL WEARING PROCESS. TRANSPORTATION IS NOT INCLUDED IN WARRANTIES AND WE NEED TO HAVE IT IN OUR SHOP TO FIX IT, SO WE DON’T DO “HOUSE CALLS.” WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO PICK UP SOMETHING IF WE HAPPEN TO BE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AT NO CHARGE BUT IF WE MAKE A SPECIAL TRIP, IN TOWN IS $30.00 WITH OUT OF TOWN TRANSPORTATION COSTS DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU LIVE. LABOR IS COVERED FOR A YEAR. AFTER THE FIRST YEAR LABOR CHARGES ARE $30.00 PER HOUR. WE WILL MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO SATISFY YOU AND MAKE IT SO YOU LOVE YOUR FURNITURE. OUR SERVICE MANAGER AND CREW ARE VERY GOOD AT WHAT THEY DO AND HAVE A VERY HIGH SATISFACTION RATE. WARRANTY CLAIMS DO NOT APPLY TO MISUSE, ABUSE OR COMFORT ISSUES. SOMETIMES WE CAN CHANGE SOMETHING TO MAKE IT MORE COMFORTABLE BUT NOT ALWAYS AND BE AWARE IF WE DO CHANGE SOMETHING AROUND IT COULD AFFECT PERFORMANCE AND WILL VOID THE WARRANTY… WE DON’T RECOMMEND IT.

Dust regularly with a clean, soft cloth moistened with a wax-free furniture polish. The polish will help prevent hairline scratches that can occur with “dry dusting.”

Avoid direct sunlight to keep finish from fading, peeling or lifting (on veneered pieces.)

Try to keep furniture in a “stable” environment. Extremes in humidity can cause solid wood to warp or crack and veneers to lift. Keep all wood pieces at least six inches from heating sources.

Don’t use any solvents on wood. Perfumes, hairsprays fingernail polish and remover will cause a chemical reaction with the finish and mar it.

If your furniture has wood on wood glides for the drawers use a bar of soap or paraffin to keep them running smooth. If your furniture uses some other kind of glide system (European, ball bearing, full extension, etc.) no maintenance is necessary.

If you get your wood furniture wet, dry it immediately with a soft, white cloth. Blot it gently, never rub.

If you get something greasy or sticky on something with a wood finish, clean it gently with a moistened, soft, white cloth. If it is really stuck a small amount of gentle soap (like dishwashing soap) could be applied to the cloth. Make sure to dry it thoroughly after you get it clean.

Never store table leaves standing. They will warp and won’t fit back in the table. Store leaves under beds or on closet shelves. An old sheet or blanket wrapped around them will protect the finish from being scratched while they are stored.

Don’t ever drag any piece of furniture. Dressers and chests could damage flooring or dragging them could damage the legs. Dining tables drug across floors will have loose or broken legs. Use two people to move furniture every time.

Grandfather clocks, curios, china cabinets and chests (especially in children’s rooms) should be anchored to the wall. By using a small bracket you will avoid tipping caused by ground movement (earthquakes,) accidental bumping or kids climbing on furniture like a ladder.

Don’t place plastic or rubber directly on wood surfaces. They could cause a chemical reaction and mar the finish. Always use felt pads on the bottom of items you might place on table tops or shelves.

WOOD AND METAL FURNITURE WARRANTIES
WARRANTIES ON WOOD AND METAL FURNITURE VARY SOMEWHAT LIKE THEIR UPHOLSTERED COUSINS SO THESE ARE SOME GENERAL GUIDELINES. YOUR FURNITURE MIGHT HAVE LONGER WARRANTIES ON SOME PARTS LIKE DRAWER GLIDES OR FINISHES. SOLID WOOD PRODUCTS SOMETIMES HAVE A LIFETIME WARRANTY AGAINST CRACKING. WOOD FURNITURE MUST BE IN A STABLE ENVIRONMENT OR IT WILL DO ALL KINDS OF CRAZY STUFF. AVOID EXTREMES IN TEMPERATURES AND HUMIDITY TO KEEP YOUR FURNITURE LOOKING NEW. WARRANTIES ON WOOD FURNITURE APPLY TO MANUFACTURER DEFECTS SO MISUSE, ABUSE OR DOWNRIGHT NEGLECT WON’T BE HONORED. JUST LIKE WARRANTIES ON UPHOLSTERED FURNITURE, LABOR CHARGES ARE $30.00 PER HOUR AND TRANSPORTATION IS NOT INCLUDED. WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO PICK IT UP IF WE’RE IN THE AREA FOR FREE. IF WE MAKE A SPECIAL TRIP IN TOWN PICK UP CHARGES IS $30.00, OUT OF TOWN WILL BE MORE DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU LIVE. METAL PARTS ON FURNITURE LIKE TABLE BASES OR LEGS GENERALLY HAVE A ONE YEAR WARRANTY. THERE IS NOT MUCH THAT CAN GO WRONG WITH A PIECE OF METAL FURNITURE UNLESS IT’S DRUG ACROSS A FLOOR AND CAUSES THE LEGS TO LOOSEN. WE TRY TO KEEP PARTS IN STOCK SO IF YOU HAVE AN ISSUE WITH ANYTHING THAT YOU HAVE BOUGHT FROM US, PLEASE SPEAK UP AND GIVE US THE CHANCE TO MAKE IT RIGHT.