How To Prevent Cracks And Mold When Storing Leather Furniture

Leather furniture is beautiful and comfortable, but it's also quite delicate and prone to cracking and molding. If you're going to be putting your leather sofa, chair, or other piece of furniture into storage, it's important to keep this in mind. Here are some ways to prevent cracking and molding of leather furniture while in storage.

Cover the furniture in something breathable.

While you want to keep dust from landing on your furniture, you don't want to seal it off from airflow completely. Stay away from plastic furniture covers and "furniture bags," as these will trap air -- and moisture it contains -- against your furniture, eventually leading to mold growth. Instead, place a plain, cotton sheet or a breathable cotton furniture cover over your leather items during storage. The cotton will breathe, keeping your leather dryer so it does not mold.

Condition your leather about a week before putting it in storage.

Giving your leather a good coat of conditioner before you place it in storage will help prevent it from cracking. However, you don't want to do this too close to the time when you lock it away in storage, or you'll put the sofa at risk of molding when the excess conditioner is trapped against it by your cotton cover.  Use a good-quality conditioner, and apply it according to the instructions on the package about a week before you need to store the sofa. This will ensure the conditioner is fully absorbed and distributed through the leather by the time your storage date arrives. Make sure you use a soft cloth to wipe any excess conditioner off the leather's surface.

Place the furniture on a plastic platform.

Even if your furniture has wooden legs, you don't want to set it directly on the floor. The legs may absorb any water that accumulates on the storage unit floor due to flooding or spills, carrying the water up to the leather where it will cause molding. Don't put the furniture on wooden pallets, either, as the wooden pallets can absorb moisture, too. Either place your furniture on a plastic platform or cover a wooden pallet in a waterproof tarp before setting your furniture on top.

In addition to following the tips above, it's important to choose climate-controlled storage. This way, you know the air won't be too moist or too dry, so your leather will be at a lower risk of cracking. For more information and tips, contact a local storage company like Guardian Self Storage


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