Leather · Care Guide
Faux Leather
Polyurethane over a fabric backing
Maintained As
Synthetic Leather
Smooth and slightly cooler than real leather. Less breathable, so it can feel warm to sit on.
Durability
Everyday resilience
Good in the short term, limited in the long term. Expect surface cracking and peeling to begin somewhere between year three and year eight.
In the Collection
0 pieces
Every piece we carry in faux leather, cared for the same way.
About This Material
Faux and PU leather bond a polyurethane surface layer to a woven or knitted backing. It is easy to clean, consistent in colour and considerably cheaper than hide — but the polymer layer hydrolyses over time, which sets a real limit on its life regardless of care.
How To Spot It
A perfectly uniform grain repeating across panels, a fabric backing visible at any cut edge, and a cooler feel than genuine hide.
Perfectly uniform grain and colour with none of the natural markings of real hide. Bonded leather contains ground leather fibre in a polyurethane binder and is the least durable variant.
Specific To Faux Leather
Never apply leather conditioner. Its oils accelerate the breakdown of polyurethane, and this is the single most common way faux leather is unintentionally destroyed early. Keep it away from heat and direct sun, which are the other two accelerants.
At A Glance
How it holds up
Each bar shows how well faux leather resists that stress — five means it shrugs it off, one means it is the first thing to damage the surface.
Typically Used For
What It Does Well
- Wipes clean instantly
- Consistent colour and grain
- Far cheaper than hide
What To Accept
- Hydrolyses and peels — a finite life
- Conditioner accelerates its destruction
- Does not breathe
Daily Care
The everyday routine
- Wipe with a barely-damp cloth — this material cleans up more easily than any leather.
- Blot spills promptly, though the surface is non-absorbent and forgiving.
- Keep away from direct heat, which accelerates the breakdown of the polyurethane.
- Avoid sitting in the same spot every time, as flex points crack first.
Deep Cleaning
Step by step
- 01 Vacuum seams and crevices with a soft brush attachment.
- 02 Wipe with a soft cloth wrung out in warm water with a drop of mild washing-up liquid.
- 03 Rinse with a second damp cloth to lift all detergent residue.
- 04 Dry immediately with a soft cloth.
- 05 Do not condition. Leather conditioners contain oils that break down polyurethane and will actively shorten its life.
Safe To Use
- Mild washing-up liquid in warm water
- Barely-damp soft cloths
- Dedicated vinyl or synthetic leather cleaner
- Soft brush attachment for seams
Never Use
- Leather conditioner and oils, which degrade polyurethane
- Alcohol, acetone and solvent cleaners
- Abrasive pads and powders
- Bleach
- Direct heat, which cracks the surface layer
Stain Removal
Lift it without making it worse
Blot rather than rub, and test any treatment somewhere out of sight first.
Wipe with a damp cloth and dry. The surface is non-absorbent and almost nothing penetrates.
Mild soapy water on a damp cloth, then dry. Prompt attention leaves no trace.
Washing-up liquid in warm water. Rinse thoroughly and dry.
Try mild soapy water first. Isopropyl alcohol on a cotton bud may work but can dull the finish — test somewhere hidden, and accept that ink often stains PU permanently.
Common on light PU. Mild soapy water immediately; once set, it is generally permanent.
Wipe with mild soapy water, rinse and dry. Check that nothing has run into a seam and reached the backing.
Not a stain but the end of the material's life. The polyurethane layer has hydrolysed and no cleaning or treatment will reverse it.
Prevent Damage
What actually causes the harm
- Heat
- The largest accelerant of breakdown. Keep well clear of radiators, heaters and sunny windows.
- UV
- Sunlight hardens and cracks polyurethane. Blinds materially extend the life of the piece.
- Oils and conditioners
- Do not apply leather products. They soften and break down the polymer.
- Flexing
- Cracking starts at seat fronts and seams where the material bends most. Rotate cushions where possible.
- Body oils
- Headrests degrade first. Wipe them down regularly.
- Humidity
- High humidity accelerates hydrolysis, the reaction that ultimately causes peeling.
Never Do This
Damage that cleaning cannot undo
Each of these changes the surface permanently.
Leather conditioner
Its oils break down polyurethane. It is the most common way synthetic leather is unintentionally destroyed early.
Alcohol or acetone
They dissolve the surface layer on contact, leaving a permanently dull, tacky patch.
Abrasive pads
They cut straight through the thin polyurethane to the fabric backing.
Bleach
It discolours and embrittles the surface.
Direct heat
It hardens the polymer and brings forward cracking by years.
Expecting it to last like hide
This is a finite material. Planning for replacement is realistic; there is no maintenance that makes it permanent.
Repair
Putting it right
A vinyl repair kit with colour-matched compound gives a serviceable result on flat areas.
Not repairable. Patches will not adhere to a surface that is itself delaminating. The piece needs recovering or replacing.
Cannot be reversed. Keeping the piece cool and out of sun slows further spread.
Restitching is straightforward for an upholsterer if the surrounding material is still sound.
Often just transferred material. Mild soapy water usually lifts them.
Maintenance Schedule
A rhythm worth keeping
- daily
- Wipe spills.
- weekly
- Wipe down with a barely-damp cloth.
- monthly
- Vacuum seams and clean headrests and arms.
- quarterly
- Clean thoroughly with mild soap and inspect seams and flex points for early cracking.
- annually
- Assess overall condition and plan ahead if cracking has begun.
Where To Put It
Indoor placement
Easy to clean, but with a finite life. Keeping it cool and out of the sun is what extends it.
Site It Like This
- Site away from radiators and sunny windows — heat and UV are what age it.
- Wipe down regularly, especially headrests where body oils collect.
- Vary where you sit; cracking starts at flex points.
- Plan for eventual replacement rather than restoration.
Not Here
- Leather conditioner — its oils actively break down polyurethane.
- Alcohol, acetone or any solvent, which dissolve the surface on contact.
- Very humid rooms, which accelerate the hydrolysis that causes peeling.
- Abrasive pads, which cut straight through to the fabric backing.
Weekly Care
The five-minute routine
Wipe down with a barely-damp cloth.
Then monthlyVacuum seams and clean headrests and arms.
Common Questions
What owners ask us
Because the oils in leather conditioner break down polyurethane. It is the most common way faux leather gets destroyed early — people treat it kindly using entirely the wrong product.
No. Peeling means the polyurethane layer has hydrolysed, and patches will not adhere to a surface that is itself delaminating. The piece needs recovering or replacing.
Five to ten years looking good if kept cool and out of sun; two to three if it sits by a radiator or a sunny window. It is a finite material and we would rather be straight with you about that.
Look for a perfectly uniform grain repeating across panels, and check a cut edge for a fabric backing. Genuine hide has irregular markings and pore variation.
Try mild soapy water first. Isopropyl alcohol on a cotton bud may work but can dull the finish, so test somewhere hidden. Ink often stains polyurethane permanently.
Not at all — it wipes clean instantly, holds colour evenly and costs far less than hide. You are buying a look for a defined period rather than a material that improves, and that is a perfectly reasonable trade.
Lifespan & Ageing
How it will look in ten years
With Proper Care
Five to ten years looking good, with careful placement away from heat and sun.
With Poor Care
Two to three years before cracking and peeling set in.
How It Ages
Synthetic leather does not patina. It looks its best on day one and declines from there — first losing sheen, then cracking at flex points, then peeling. The honest framing is that you are buying a look for a defined period rather than a material that improves.
Faux Leather Specifically
Does not patina. Looks its best on day one and declines from there — first losing sheen, then cracking at flex points, then peeling. Plan for replacement rather than restoration.
Not Sure
We will check it for you
If you are unsure which material your piece is, or you have a mark you would rather not experiment on, tell us the piece and what you are unsure of; when we reply, you can attach photographs.
Ask us