Leather sofas and chairs can lend a distinguished appearance to your living room, but they'll need some periodic attention to keep looking their best. Including this furniture in your regular cleaning routine will help keep it from cracking or fading.

Certain conditions in your home will make your leather furniture more susceptible to damage or staining. Lindsey Mather, writing for Architectural Digest, says leather is more likely to dry out if it is placed in front of a frequently used fireplace, near any heating or air conditioning elements, or in direct sunlight. Dogs and cats may also scratch the leather. You may want to take steps to relocate the furniture or teach your pets to leave it alone.

All types of leather will benefit from a simple dusting. Abe Abbas, writing for About, says you can wipe down the furniture with a clean white cloth about once a week. The home improvement professional Bob Vila says you can also take this step after you vacuum the furniture. Vacuuming should be done periodically, using a brush attachment to remove any dirt and debris from the crevices.

This cleaning can alert you to any parts of the furniture that are wearing down more quickly and need attention. These spots should be moisturized using a cloth dampened with an equal mixture of water and vinegar. Periodically rinse the cloth to remove any dirt, and make sure you don't get the furniture too moist. Once you have wiped down the furniture, use a clean cloth to dry it.

There are different types of leather, and the cleaning treatments will vary from piece to piece. Julie Sheer, writing for the home design site Houzz, says aniline leather has no protective coating, giving it a more natural look and feel. Protecting leather contains pigments, polymers, or other coatings to make it more resistant to stains and dirt.

Check the manufacturer's instructions to see if they have any specific recommendations for leather cleaning. While protected leather is less vulnerable to scratching and other damage while cleaning, all types of leather furniture can be harmed by improper cleaning materials. Avoid abrasive and caustic cleaners such as detergents or saddle soap.

Mather recommends using gentle motions while cleaning to avoid damage. You can also try the treatment on a less visible area first to make sure it works well.

Conditioning your leather furniture can help it retain its appearance and texture. Check the manufacturer's recommendations to see how often this treatment is needed. Sheer says silicone or wax conditioners are not recommended, since they can make the furniture feel sticky.

Spills should be addressed as soon as possible. Liquid spills should be blotted out of aniline leather, while they can be wiped away from protected leather using a damp cloth. If the stain is more persistent on the latter type of leather, use a mild soap to address it.

Oil or grease stains should be removed with a dry cloth. Vila says dry grease stains can be treated with a sprinkling of baking soda, which will help draw the grease out of the leather. After a few hours, brush this baking soda away.

For ink stains, wiping with a cloth dampened with rubbing alcohol can remove the material. Abbas says small points from ballpoint pens can fade over time, but larger ink stains may need to be professionally treated.