Your couches are one of the main pieces of furniture within your living room, but they can also take up a huge amount of space. Whether you simply want to free up some space within your home, or simply want to keep your couch out of the way during a remodel, you may want to consider renting a storage unit to keep your couch within. However, since leather couches are relatively fragile and can become stained or damaged in the wrong conditions, you need to make sure that you properly prepare your couch for storage before you move it.
Cleaning and Polishing
The most important thing that you can do for your leather couch before you move it into a storage unit is to make sure that your properly clean and protect its surface. This means vacuuming under the cushions to remove all debris and dirt which may contribute to mold growth or staining, as well as using a specialized leather cleaner and polish with a clean rag to rub down the entire upholstered surface. This helps protect your couch from moisture damage and staining.
Wrapping
In order to leave a second layer of protection over your leather couch, you should wrap it in its entirety. However, stay away from plastic wrap, tarps, and other protective layers that are completely waterproof. These will actually trap moisture and humidity against the surface of your leather couch, making staining, moisture damage and mold growth much more likely, as counterintuitive as it seems. Instead, you should use regular fabric moving blankets, available at most moving and storage supply stores, to form a protective layer, as they are breathable enough to allow moisture to evaporate.
Proper Storage Technique
Finally, when moving your leather couch into a storage unit, you need to make sure that you store the couch in such a way to minimize the risk that it is exposed to. Raising the couch up by placing it on wooden pallets can help keep pests and moisture from setting into the bottom of your couch. In a similar vein, make sure that the back of your couch is not in contact with the walls of your storage unit, which can cause temperature and moisture damage to the leather surface. Further, you should always store your couch in the same position that you would sit on it, as storing it on its side can cause the stuffing inside to shift and the entire form of the couch to become irregularly shaped.
To learn more, contact a company like LoDo Self Storage & Moving Center.
