How to Tell If a Leather Couch is Real Or Faux

Due to the misinformation on price tags and descriptions of the product, it’s sometimes difficult to determine whether you’re buying a real leather couch. It is important to get close and personal with the couch – take a whiff, feel and flip over a couch to look at the fabric.

For instance, a leather-upholstered couch CHOICE tested had ‘contact’ areas (such as seats and arm rests) covered in genuine leather but the non-contact areas were a mixture of cotton and polyester.

1. Smell

A real leather sofa should smell rich and natural. False leather on the other hand often smells chemically-processed and artificial. If your couch has a bad smell, it may be caused by pet urine or stains. In most cases, a thorough cleaning will remove any smell. If you’re not happy with the results of your cleaning, apply a leather sofa with chaise conditioner. This will bring back moisture to the leather pull out couch, making it softer, less fragile, and more resistant against odors.

Baking soda is a fantastic natural odor remover that can be used to remove unpleasant odors from your couch. Mix equal parts of vinegar and water. Use a microfiber cloth to clean your leather sofa. If the cloth begins to pick up dirt, you can wring it out or replace with another. Alternatively, you can put the solution into a spray bottle and spritz it onto your couch. Let the mixture dry before wiping again.

The process of airing out your leather is another natural way to remove the smell. If possible, set the sofa outside in a sunny spot to let it air dry. This will eliminate any unpleasant odors, and give the couch a fresh, natural scent.

If you’d like to avoid unpleasant odors completely You can buy an oil-based leather conditioner that contains healthy oils. This will stop your leather from soaking up unpleasant odors and keep it looking good for longer.

The scent of leather may be appealing, but it is difficult to maintain. Over time, leather can absorb odors, such as those from cooking, smoking and even body smell. These odors are hard to remove, especially if your home has children or pets. Real leather couches do not hold in these odors the way fabrics can. This is why they are a great option for families with active children.

If your sofa smells like an odor of a dog that has peed on it It is important to take action immediately. Try some of the suggestions above or try using a dedicated product like Leather Honey to treat the problem. Prevention is the best solution however, so make sure to train your dog not to pee on the couch!

2. Contact us with any questions.

When you’re looking for a brand new leather sofa, there are a few things you should look out for. But the most effective way to determine whether it’s genuine is to smell it and feel it. Genuine leather has a distinct distinctive natural scent. This aroma can dull as time passes but it is impossible to miss it when a sofa is brand new.

A genuine leather sofa should be warm and soft to touch. Leathers made of faux and bonded tend to be colder and have a an unpleasant plastic feel. To test this, gentle press your fingers on the surface of a couch and look for bumps. If you can’t feel any bumps, the material is probably bonded or faux leather.

Another sign of a fake sofa is when you notice stitched vertical seams on the back of the sofa. This means that the leather is not one continuous piece. Genuine leather couches are distinguished by this.

The quality of the frame on the leather sofa can have a major impact on its longevity however it’s often not obvious. Find out what kind of wood was used in the making of the frame. This will help you choose an item that has a long lifespan. A solid oak frame will be the most durable and costly choice, whereas engineered and particle board frames are less robust. To ensure durability, wood frames should be kiln dried to stop the growth of mildew and warping.

If you’re on a tight budget, you can still find an authentic leather sofa you love. For instance, the Room & Board Stevens Leather Sofa is a stylish and versatile option that is often available for sale and can be easily customized to match your home.

The La-Z-Boy Manual Reclining Sofa is a different budget-friendly option. It is a classic design and is available in a wide selection of fabrics that are fade-resistant. However, this modular sofa requires at-home assembly and its back cushions are prone to slide down.

3. Backing

Genuine leather couches are different from other types of upholstery. Leather sofas are incredibly robust and withstand wear and tear far better than fabric, making them last for years to be. They are also less likely to attract dust, allergens or spills. However, as with anything else in life, there are pitfalls when it comes to purchasing a leather couch – and it’s important to know what to look out for prior to making your final choice.

If you’re not sure if your new couch is made of vegan leather couch or fabric then you must first verify the tag that identifies the material attached to the frame. This will inform you the exact type of material it is. If you are unable to find any information regarding the sofa’s material composition then you can use your senses to help you make a decision.

The surface of the sofa must be carefully examined and pay attention to the patterns, shading and texture. A genuine leather couch has natural imperfections and won’t be completely uniform in terms of structure, pattern, or shading. If the couch’s surface appears smooth and uniform, or shows a mesh-like back in place of coarse suede, this is a dead giveaway that it’s fake or synthetic leather.

Take a look at the back of the cushion casing. If it has an unstitched vertical seam on the back of the cushion, this is an indication that it isn’t authentic leather. This is due to the fact that animal hides are restricted in size and can be cut only to a certain extent. 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 raise one corner and look at the padding on the back. If the back of the padding is covered with a woven material or polyurethane then this is an indication that the sofa isn’t genuine leather. Genuine leather should feel firm and coarse when the touch is made.

4. Patterns

A genuine leather sofa is a classic, and with good reason. The natural, warm look and feel of the material can enhance any living space. Modern tanning techniques give it extra durability, so it is resistant to cracking or sliding. Each hide is distinct, with its own marks, grain and blemishes.

The best way to tell whether the leather you are buying is genuine is to examine it in person. Examine the surface texture, structure and pattern to get an even more precise view of its authenticity. If the structure is completely uniform and there aren’t visible flaws, it’s most likely fake or bond leather.

A polyurethane back on the sofa is another dead giveaway. This is a typical feature of bonded leather. Genuine leather will appear more natural and be supported by materials that closely match the fabric used in making the furniture.

Look at the back of your couch to determine whether there are any vertical seams. This is an indication of a top-quality piece of leather that has been constructed with care to last. If there aren’t any seams, and the back looks like a continuous cloth, then it’s likely to be a fake or bonded leather couch.

If you’ve decided that the couch is authentic leather, the next step is to pair it with the rest of the furniture in your living space. For a crisp, coordinated look, match your couch with other furniture made of wood, and accent it with pillows that reflect the color scheme of your room. You can also opt for an energizing, relaxing arrangement by putting the couch between two pieces of furniture, with a coffee table between.

Remember to keep your leather sofa in a well-lit area so that it doesn’t fade or leave scratches from direct sunlight. And if you want to safeguard your investment by prolonging its life, you should consider applying a leather protection agent once or twice a year.