Recommended care for FSM smooth leather (not for a velour/Nubuk leather/FSM N-Leather)

Both stylish and long-lasting, leather is a magnificent product. Leather is natural hide – and hide that is properly cared for stays looking good for far longer. We therefore recommend that you regularly treat your FSM leather.
Correct care and cleaning of leather removes traces of use, such as dirt, grease from hair and perspiration. It moisturises the leather and provides it with substances that keep it in good condition. We therefore recommend cleaning and treating it 2-3 times a year. Do so more often for parts which come in for a lot of wear, such as arm elements, seat surfaces and head elements.

A note on general care
FSM leather contains high-quality superfatting agents and waterproofing agents, which give it its soil-repellent and water-repellent properties. It still, however, requires regular care. Here are some general instructions absolutely necessary to follow in doing so:

Protect from direct radiation by the sun and light. Direct sources of light will bleach out the colours of the leather. This is true even of the best qualities of leather. You should bear this in mind when selecting the correct location. Bleached out spots in high-quality leathers can be freshened up a bit by soaking them with water. The moisture brings the pigment particles up from the deeper layers. If necessary, such a treatment with water may be repeated several times.

Maintain a minimum distance of 40 cm to heating elements, fireplaces and stoves. The effects of too much heat will dry out and crack the leather.

Microfibre cloths have too great a scouring effect. They should therefore not be used.

Before treatment with leather care products, the leather should be cleaned and prepared with Leather Softclean.

Spray FSM Leather Softclean on a moist sponge that has been squeezed out and clean the leather with it, wiping large areas without pressure. Do so surface for surface. Only when the leather is completely dry should the seating furniture be treated with FSM Leather Cream. FSM Leather Softclean is geared for all types of FSM smooth leathers. For leather not from FSM, check compatibility on a concealed spot.

Care: Apply Leather Cream after cleaning the leather with FSM Leather Softclean (allow leather to dry well). Shake bottle, drip on a soft cloth (never directly on the leather) and rub in somewhat. For leather not from FSM, check compatibility on a concealed spot. Rub the cream into the leather over large areas, doing so in a circular motion from seam to seam. Do not rub vigorously.
For leather that has already dried out somewhat, repeat this treatment after approximately 4-6 weeks. In order to prevent differences in colour, always treat entire surfaces at a time.

As a result of differences in use and living conditions or when the leather has not been treated for a long time, the leather may react differently to care products. For this reason, always first test on a concealed spot.

Stains can be treated with a shampoo made from lukewarm water and "Rei in der Tube". Apply this shampoo to the stain, working inwards from the outside using a soft white cloth or Vileda cleaning cloth in a circular motion. Apply moist on the outside and wetter as you move towards the centre of the stain. In order to prevent splotching from forming due to changes in colour, always rub the shampoo into the entire surface area.
Dry wet spots with a hair dryer set to medium heat, working inward from the outside in circular movements. Repeat this drying procedure again and again, always working from the outside inward. Drying with a hair dryer keeps the leather supple. When the leather is completely dry, treat with Leather Cream.

To prevent over-saturating the leather, be very sure to always apply care products thinly. Treat areas under especially heavy use in areas for the head and hair sooner. If these areas turn darker, it is a sign that hair grease and other residues have already been absorbed by the leather. Clean these areas more frequently and dry wet spots moving a hair dryer set to low in circular movements at a minimum distance of 20 cm.

Grease stains: Provided they contain no dyes, grease stains will be absorbed by the leather fibres and disappear after some time. Minor stains also tend to become less visible through wear. If they remain visible, they can be removed with a leather eraser (available at any shoe store). Be sure to immediately dab any large, fresh grease stains with a paper towel, rub with absorbent paper, wait five days and then remove with an eraser.

Erase hair grease with a colourless eraser, applying light pressure and wash with soapy water. Allowed to dry and then treat with FSM Leather Cream.

Note: Denims, which are in common use and are extremely durable, are tough on all leathers. They are abrasive and their colour rubs off onto light materials, substantially shortening the life span of leather coverings. Such colour rubbed off onto light materials in particular cannot be removed.

Coffee, red wine and other liquids
Immediately absorb such liquids with a soft cloth, and wash right away over a large area with ample lukewarm water. It is virtually impossible to remove old stains which have been allowed to dry!

Alcohol stains
If alcohol or cola is spilt on the leather, quick action is necessary: Immediately dab up with a cloth and then dilute the liquid that has already been drawn into the leather with ample water, rubbing the stain with a wet sponge. After it has dried, treat the leather with Leather Cream.

Butter and lipstick should first be dabbed up with a soft cloth and then treated like a normal grease stain.

Ballpoint pen
Immediately put mildly adhesive sticky tape on the ballpoint pen mark (ballpoint pen mark must not have dried and has to be removed immediately). Do not rub the sticky tape on. With a ballpoint pen, trace the mark on the leather over the sticky tape. Repeat this procedure 2-3 times. Remove the sticky tape and erase the remainder on the leather with a colourless eraser.

Special cleaning tips
Erase small soiled spots with a colourless, soft eraser. Then wash with lukewarm water and treat with FSM Softclean and FSM Leather Cream according to directions.

Special leather care
Always be sure not to allow soiling to become too intensive. Obtain the help of a cleaning specialist for cases of very bad soiling. Your furniture dealer or local consumer advice bureau will provide you with addresses.

Never use solvents, such as spot removers, turpentine or benzene. Also never use shoe creams or floor polish!

Genuine leather is a natural product that constantly changes. This includes expanding and developing folds with use. So, learn to appreciate and enjoy the individual expressiveness your leather furniture assumes with time.

FSM care products can be obtained through your specialist dealer.