Keep Ottoman Leather Looking New

While some people don't mind if their ottoman leather ages and takes on a worn patina, you may want to keep the leather looking like it did the day you brought it home from the store. This is especially true if the ottoman came with a matching chair. The set should always look like it belongs together.

Keeping ottoman leather clean is not as hard as you might think for a piece of furniture that is often asked to bear the burden of street shoes. Following these tips will help you keep your ottoman leather looking new rather than just clean.

Protective Chemicals and Wax

Various chemical compounds have been developed to protect the ottoman leather from wear and tear, but your best bet is wax. The leather ottoman had a protective coat of wax when you purchased it. If you want to extend the life of your ottoman, look for wax that can be added to the leather periodically to fill cracks. This will also help protect the leather from future use. Think of the wax as an insurance policy for keeping the leather looking new.

Cleaning the Ottoman Leather

As with any furniture, keeping ottoman leather clean is the key to keeping it looking new. Household dust and dirt as well as dirt brought in on shoes can build up on the leather, causing it to look dull. If neglected long enough, dirt and dust will actually deteriorate the leather as well as the wax that protects it. By cleaning the leather, you are keeping the ottoman's protective layer clean.

Enforce a No-Shoes Policy

Shoes are easily the number one enemy of ottoman leather. Some people will want to keep their shoes on while kicking their feet up, but if you want to keep the leather looking new, declare your ottoman a shoe-free zone. Shoes can scuff and scratch the protective wax, as well as the leather itself. By banning shoes, you are extending the overall life of the leather. Keep slippers away as well; while they may be soft, any type of sole or heavy stitching can degrade the protective layer over time.

Eventually, the leather is going to age and develop a well-worn patina, which is part of its charm. But if your goal is to keep your ottoman leather looking new for as long as possible, these tips will do the trick.