Leather is a very attractive material that is very pleasing to look at. It is also one of the most expensive materials in the furniture arena.
To maintain that luxury look of your leather furniture, your leather-based furniture is something that needs to be maintained if it is to last longer. In the case of your leather chair, one of the first signs of your chair being worn out is when it starts to make that annoying squeaking noise.
Today we look at how to stop leather chair from squeaking.
What we will discuss,
Let’s get started!
Reason 1: Squeaking from the Leather Itself
You may think it is uncommon for leather to make that squeaky sound but leather can actually make a lot of noise. This is particularly true if the leather is not of standardized quality. When you sit on the leather chair or move about while sitting, your leather chair may make a lot of unpleasant noise.
However, this may NOT BE bad news. If your chair is new-then the leather may grumble a lot as the leather material is still new. It will gradually soften once you start to sit more often.
Use your leather chair more often by sitting on it. This will eventually soften the hard texture that new leathers usually have in the beginning. If the problem still persists then it means that it is now time to not only attend to the needs of your leather but you must also clean and condition it.
Here are a few steps on cleaning your leather chair to remove that awful sound:
- Use a damp cloth to wipe your leather chair.
- Dry your chair and do not leave out any creases. Dampness can rot away the leather of your chair.
- Now apply a conditioner onto a clean cloth and apply it all over the leather in a circular motion.
We recommend using Leather Master 1 Liter Leather Protection Cream. This is a conditioner that I have been using for a very long time on my leather-based furniture.
There is an article on the mold of leather furniture. Please check it out. The quality of your leather chair entirely depends on how well you care for the leather.
Additional notes on leather care
- Keep the leather moist always by conditioning it and keeping it clean.
- Always keep your leather chair away from the sun. Direct sunlight will try out the leather. Dry leather will be more squeaky and uncomfortable to sit on.
- Cover your leather chair with a blanket or any thick material if you are not in the room.
- Keep any leather-based furniture including chairs away from any form of heat such as heaters for heating homes, fireplaces, gas stoves, fireplaces, etc.
- Apply conditioner every 3 months. This ensures the leather fabric stays soft.
Reason 2: Squeaking from the Metal Structure of the Chair
Noise from a leather chair can occur when you lay back to relax on your chair or move around your chair (this would be the case for wheeled chairs).
If you are not sure where the sound is originating from then you can listen to where the actual sound is coming from. As you fix your leather chair, you will be able to understand where the problem is. You may face a similar gaming chair going down problem.
Such sounds may not be too bothersome but I have to admit if these are not solved-the the squeaks start to get worse by growing louder in the long run. Your leather chair may grumble for 2 main reasons.
1. The screws may be loose
GREASING is thought to be a common solution to stop chairs from being noisy but really it is not always the case. One common example could be the screws that hold the chair at the base. Flip the chair upside down and take a look at the parts that hold your chair.
You can gently push and pull the different parts of the chair at the base such as the wheels, and the stand that holds your chair vertically. Also, take a look at the screws of your chair-do they seem loose?
Even if the screws seem fine, grab a screwdriver and tighten any screws where ever you see one. Tighten all the screws where you see one. Now flip the chair the right way up and sit on your chair and observe if the chair is still making noise.
If it does not make any noise then your problem is solved. Many leather chairs make an unpleasant sound because they were probably not handled well during delivery or because the “new” chair was sitting in storage for too long without proper maintenance. If you are still able to hear any sound then try the next solution.
2. The inside structure of the leather chair is dry
Firstly, try to find out where the sound is coming from. You can flip the chair if you want to examine where the sound is originating from. Leather chairs, like any hardware and machines such as cars, can make noise because the inside parts are dry.
Now is the time to apply some greasy oil. I highly recommend using oils that can be sprayed. These oils are usually in tin cans that have thin long plastic pipes attached to make it easy to spray in areas that are hard to reach. You can use a thin paintbrush if you do not have such a category of oil spray cans.
I have seen professionals use cans that do not spray oil. They have to be poured, plus You can also rub the pipes with grease to make them smooth if they are rough.
A list of Areas that You can Grease to Stop Your Leather Chair from Squeaking
- The pipe that holds your chair.
- Pipes that are jointly connected.
- The inner section of the pipe.
- Finally, the spring of your chair is inside the chair.
Remember, the pipes that hold your chair can make a lot of noise. These are the ones that move a lot. So greasing the pipes will help.
Keep in mind that the pipes are very highly likely to be metal. It is THIS metal pipe that you should be sure to oil down. Some of these metal pipes are covered in plastic rounded cylinders for protection.
You will have to take of these covers in order to access your metal pipes. Remember, applying oil to the plastic area will not solve the problem. It is the metallic areas that need to be greased well-not the plastic parts.
Many metallic pipes are jointly connected. These should not be left out too. Grease the joints as well as the inside part. Personally, I like to detach the metal joints and grease the whole part. For the inner section of the pipe, rub some grease on the inside part of the pipe with some grease using a cloth or soft brush if it is not smooth. Now let us talk about the most important part of a chair-the SPRING.
If we leave out the wheels, the metallic spring of your leather chair is the one that moves a lot. If you STILL encounter any more sound then this is likely the last reason for that squeaky noise. So grease the spring of your leather chair to stop it from squeaking.
5 Ways to Stop Your Leather Chair from Squeaking
The process involves more than just applying grease; it requires a thoughtful preparation and application strategy, consideration of the chair’s material, and sometimes even a bit of troubleshooting.
1. Preparation for grease application
Before beginning the process of silencing your leather chair, it’s critical to properly prepare both the chair and the area where you’ll be working. Start by thoroughly cleaning the chair to ensure that no dust, dirt, or grime interferes with the application of grease. This not only enhances the effectiveness of the grease but also protects the leather’s integrity, ensuring that the solution targets the squeak without damaging the chair.
2. Mess prevention tips
The process of applying grease can indeed get messy, particularly if you’re doing it indoors. To safeguard your floors, especially if you have carpeting, lay down a protective layer of old newspapers or a drop cloth beneath the chair. Additionally, ensure the room is well-ventilated to dissipate any strong odours from the grease, protecting your indoor air quality and making the process more comfortable for you.
3. Post-application waiting period
After you’ve applied the grease to the necessary components of your leather chair, it’s imperative to allow ample time for it to set. A minimum waiting period of one hour is recommended before you start using the chair again. This patience ensures the grease fully penetrates the squeaky areas and dries appropriately, reducing the risk of any residue transferring to your clothing or affecting the chair’s functionality.
4. Material considerations
The type of leather your chair is made from can significantly influence how you address the squeaking. Non-original or lower-quality leather may dry out more quickly, which can exacerbate or even cause squeaking sounds. In these cases, consider applying a leather conditioner after the grease. This not only helps in reducing squeaks but also maintains the leather’s moisture, flexibility, and overall health, prolonging the chair’s lifespan.
5. Troubleshooting squeaks
When the squeaking seems to originate from the chair’s mechanical parts rather than the leather itself, a more thorough investigation is required. This might involve partially disassembling the chair to access and apply grease directly to the internal mechanisms, such as the springs and joints. Carefully lubricating these areas can eliminate the source of the noise, ensuring that your chair operates smoothly and quietly.
FAQs on Fixing Your Squeaking Leather Chair
I applied grease but my leather chair won’t stop squeaking.
Answer: Spraying grease may not help to lubricate the metal. If you want to know how to stop the leather chair from squeaking even though you applied grease, then you will have to turn the chair upside down and pull the chair apart.
Focus only on the bottom part of the chair which helps to keep the chair standing. If there are plastic coverings-remove that and grease any metal you see. Apply oil on the metal spring that is covered by plastic as well as the joints that hold the chair up.
There are other factors to consider as well, like have you tried tightening the screws? Chairs can be noisy if the nuts, bolts, and screws are loose. Get hold of a screwdriver and tighten any screws that are loose. DIRT may also be another cause for all that noise. When you pull things apart before you apply any lubricants-use a DRY CLEAN cloth to clear out any dirt.
Dirt such as dust can cause noise as your chair makes friction. After clearing out all that dirt, do not forget to apply the grease. Forgetting to do so will not solve that horrid grumble of your chair.
What can I use to grease the metallic section of my leather chair?
For optimal gaming ergonomics, your chair should be adjusted to a height where your eyes align with the top third of your monitor screen. This specific positioning helps in maintaining a natural, upright posture, which is crucial for minimizing the risk of neck and eye strain during long gaming sessions.
Achieving this eye level not only enhances your comfort but also ensures that you are engaging with your game in a way that supports your physical well-being.
Help! My leather chair is squeaking again. What do I do?
It’s ok if you again hear noises coming out from your leather chair (even though it was silent after repair). In fact, it is very normal for furniture and electronics such as ceiling fans to make noise again after they have been repaired. If you hear the sound again even after you have repaired the chair then it means that you need to RE-APPLY the grease again.
If you used a WD-40 Lubricant then please remember that a WD-40 Lubricant tends to dry out. You will have to apply the lubricant again. You can use an industrial-strength lubricant from a spray can-they tend to last longer. White lithium grease is another good example of grease that will last longer.
If I feel intimidated to pull my chair apart, what should I do?
This is really not a very hard thing when you try to stop the leather chair from squeaking. For the metallic area-there is really not much to pull apart.
Here is a trick I learned when working with computer hardware. As you take off each part of the lower area of your chair-align the parts in order. So that you do not mess up which parts belong to which stage.
Leather chairs may be difficult to take apart for you to repair. If you do not know how to take it apart then call in a professional repairer for help. Leather-made furniture can be damaged and once they are damaged, they are usually irreversible.
Can I use metal lubricants such as WD-40 to condition the leather?
Do Not Do This at All….!
This will damage the fabric of your leather chair. Metallic lubricants are Not the same as leather conditioners. Please use Leather Master 1 Litter Leather Protection Cream to keep your leather healthy and soft.
Is it OK to use my plain hands to apply grease?
Yes, you can. In fact, I have been guilty of using White lithium grease by applying it with my plain hands. Remember to wash and clean your hands when you are done applying.
Last thoughts on How To Stop Leather Chair From Squeaking
This pretty much sums up how to stop the leather chair from squeaking. No need to buy new chairs for such a minor problem. Remember, in the case of leather chairs, squeaky noises occur either because the leather is not being taken care of OR because the metallic part of the chair needs repairing. In my experience, many of the solutions that address the metallic area are pretty much the same for hardware and electronics.
How do you deal with squeaky noisy chairs? Do you just sit on it without letting it bother you? Or are you the type that prefers to work quietly? It is not hard to know how to stop the leather chair from squeaking. You do not need to know to have repairing experience to pull a leather chair apart. Also, do not be stunned if the noise returns-this is normal. It just means you have to grease again.
Lastly, take good care of the leather of your chair-never forget to apply conditioner after 2-3 months as this is what will prevent the leather from making noise in the long run. After all, leather is a material that shines so long as it is pampered and cared for.