Caring for Skai/PU
A regular routine of protection and cleaning will not only help protected your furniture from stains and damage, it will also add years to its life. Some types of soiling only affect the way your furniture looks, others can actually damage the upholstery. Dust and perspiration are both particularly damaging. Dust is abrasive: it acts like sandpaper. Over time dust can cause serious damage to the furniture’s upholstery. Perspiration and body oils contain salts, enzymes and fatty acids, all of which cause stains and damage. It is important to prevent perspiration and body oils from building up. Particular care needs to be taken if you regularly take medications, as they can increase the damage caused by perspiration and body oils.
Protect your furniture
Before you use your new furniture, protect it with Skai/PU Maintenance Cream or Protecting Skai Conditioner*. When applying protection products, focus on the contact areas – arm rests, head rests, seats etc. It is only necessary to protect areas that do not come into contact with the body if there is a risk that something will be spilled on them. For example, if the back of your lounge is facing the wall, it probably doesn't need protection.
Clean regularly, but not excessively
Every Week: Dust and Light Clean. The best way to dust your furniture is using a vacuum cleaner. Use a soft brush head or upholstery attachment and set the vacuum cleaner to low suction. After vacuuming, use a cloth dampened with a little water to wipe over the areas that come in contact with the body (headrests, armrests and seats etc). You don’t need to use a skai cleaner every time you clean your furniture, a soft cloth dampened with a little water will do the trick.
Every 3-6 Months: Thorough Clean. Clean your furniture with Skai/PU Cleaner or Hydrating Skai Cleaner* to remove built up dirt and grime. How often you need to clean your furniture will depend on its colour and how quickly it becomes soiled. If you have light coloured furniture or if your furniture is heavily used (particularly by pets and small children) you will need to clean your furniture more often. Do not clean your furniture more than necessary, excess cleaning causes unnecessary wear on the topcoat.
Re-protect
After every thorough cleaning (every time you use a skai cleaner) re-apply Skai/PU Maintenance Cream or Protecting Skai Conditioner*. It is important to re-apply protection. Every time you clean your furniture with a skai cleaner, such as Skai/PU Cleaner or Hydrating Skai Cleaner, the protective layer is removed.
* Protecting Skai Conditioner and Hydrating Skai Cleaner are only available in GreenGard Leather Care Kits with Warranty.
Attend to spills immediately
The fresher a stain is, the easier it is to remove.
Golden Rules of Skai/PU Care
- Use protection. protect your furniture with Protecting Skai Conditioner before you use it. Re-protect every time you use a leather cleaning product.
- Clean your furniture regularly but not excessively. Keeping it clean is one of the best ways to extend the life of your leather furniture. Accumulated perspiration, body oils and dust can all cause serious damage.
- Select care products carefully. Only use products specifically designed for skai. Never use strong detergents, chemicals, saddle soaps or hide food. Always test leather care products before use.
- Keep your furniture away from heat. Position your furniture at least 30cm away from any sources of heat.
- Avoid sunlight. Never place your furniture in direct sunlight.
- Protect your furniture from damage. Be careful when moving leather furniture. Lift it don’t drag it. Avoid leaving sharp objects on your furniture. Keep your furniture safe from pets. Take care when smoking. Take care when using chemicals (nail polish, nail polish remover, cleaning products, etc) on or near your furniture.
- Beware of dyes. Dye from newspapers and fabrics – such as clothing, cushions and throws – can transfer to your furniture’s leather upholstery. Stains caused by dye transfer are very difficult to remove. Always make sure throws and cushions are colour fast before putting them on your lounge. Never sit wet towels or clothing on your furniture. Don’t leave newspapers or printed plastic bags sitting on your furniture. The products in the Stay Bright Kit are specifically designed to protect light coloured leather and skai from dye transfer. These products can be used in addition to the products in the GreenGard kit to provide extra protection against dye transfer.