Storing Your Leather Furniture In An Outdoor Storage Unit? What You Should Know!

While it is highly recommended that you store leather furniture in an indoor, climate-controlled storage unit, there may be reasons that that isn't doable. You may be unable to find an indoor unit when you need one or you may not have the extra money to spend on an indoor unit. If you need to place your leather furniture in an outdoor storage unit, there are extra precautions you can take to help protect your furniture. Here are a few tips to help you keep your leather furniture as safe as possible in an outdoor storage unit.

Condition the Leather Before Placing it Into Storage

Before you place your leather furniture into storage, it is a wise idea to clean and then moisturize it. Cleaning it helps to ensure that any items left on the couch won't cause stains. Moisturizing or conditioning it helps to prevent it from drying out. Use your favorite leather cleaner and conditioner and follow the directions carefully for best results. Allow the conditioner to seep into the leather and fully dry for a couple days before placing the furniture into storage.

Line the Floor and Wall With a Tarp

Prior to moving your leather couch, chair or other piece of furniture into storage, take the time to line the floor and walls of the unit with a tarp or plastic sheeting. Lining the storage unit with plastic helps to keep moisture out. Moisture can damage your leather or cause mold or mildew to develop on it, so this is an important step to take.

Absorb Moisture With Charcoal or Clay Cat Litter

Speaking of moisture, another method you can use to control the amount of moisture or humidity in an outdoor storage unit is to place small bowls of charcoal briquettes or clay cat litter in the corners of the storage unit. Both of these items absorb moisture, helping to control it. However, you will need to replace the charcoal or cat litter (every 30-60 days), so make sure you leave them in an accessible area. Once again, this will protect your leather furniture from damage due to moisture in the air.

Cover Your Leather Furniture With a Cotton Cloth

The last tip for storing your leather furniture in an outdoor storage facility is to cover your leather furniture with a cotton cloth. The cotton cloth or sheet serves many purposes. Cotton allows air to circulate, allowing your leather furniture to breathe. However, it helps keep dirt and dust off of the sofa, and protects it from scratches that can occur if boxes shift or fall.

When you place a piece of leather furniture in a storage unit, you don't want to pull it out at a later date and find out the leather is damaged. Ideally, you will want to place the leather furniture in an indoor, climate-controlled facility. However, if that isn't a possibility, conditioning the leather before placing it into storage, lining the floor and wall of the storage unit with plastic, absorbing excess moisture in the unit and cover your leather furniture with a cotton cloth can help protect the leather.

For more information, contact a local storage facility, like Capitol City Storage.