How To Choose The Best Leather Conditioner For Your Upholstery Leather

Here’s a word of warning! There are a lot of conditioners being sold as being suitable for upholstery leather which rnunfortunately, will do more damage than good. This has been proven by independent leather testing. The problem is, most people who own leather are totally unaware of this and are unknowingly, aging and breaking down their leather finish because they don’t know any better. After all, there as so many different brands of leather conditioners for sale on the market, choosing the right product can be very confusing, to say the least. And that's what this article is about, helping you cut to the chase and uncover the best leather conditioner for your rnupholstery, a conditioner that will improve the condition and the longevity of your leather. Here are some essential facts you should know about conditioners which will give you an clear idea of what to look for when buying a leather conditioner: 1: Brand New Leather Is Infused With Natural Oils When brand new leather is made in the tannery, natural oils are infused into the hides to sustain a particular level of rnmoisture, and to help reduce the friction between the fibers. The natural oil content directly affects the leathers' pliability and softness. Now, you may be thinking, that's all well and good for new leather but what about leather which is a few years old and has been subject to direct sunlight and 'wear and tear'? Well, here's what happens: 2: The Natural Oils Evaporate Once exposed to direct sunlight, these natural oils disappear, causing the moisture content to reduce and evaporate, resulting in lost softness and pliability. For a good example of this, have a look at the top of the rear seat in some older cars with leather upholstery. You’ll find the leather, which has been absolutely hammered by sunlight has lost the natural oils, gone hard and stiff and in some cases has resulted in cracks and splitting along stitching lines. 3: Leather Conditioner Should Replace Evaporated Oils The best type of leather conditioner is one which replaces the original oils which have been lost through evaporation. More importantly, these oils should be identical to those used formerly in manufacture. Something else you should know about ... beeswax, silicone and petroleum-based products and even saddle oils can be detrimental to your leather upholstery because what happens is this, these products leave a residue or film on the leather surface which will slowly eat into the finish and destroy it. To make absolutely certain you choose the best conditioner with the right type of oils ... 4: Make Sure The Leather Conditioner Passes The Leather Testing Standards Independent Leather Testing Authorities are used by the tanneries to ensure that worldwide leather standards are met. These leather standards are to help safeguard the consumers of leather products. Many products which are being sold as conditioners have not been independently tested. And others which have been tested, have not met the standards and are consequently not recommended for use on leather. Before buying a leather conditioner, make sure it has the same oils as used originally in the tannery and most importantly, make sure it has been tested and approved by a Leather Testing Authority.