Will storing a leather couch in a self storage garage damage the leather?

Question

I have a very nice leather couch that I paid $3500 for and now I'm moving in with my girlfriend and have no room for it. I'm renting a self storage garage and looking to put it in there but I'm worried about the cold/warm weather and what it can do to to the leather. Any suggestions?

Answer 1

Leather is pretty durable stuff.....A few months of stuffy conditions or cold has no effect on leather at our cottage....

A vastly more serious threat is rodents......

They could nest in the padding and destroy it.

Answer 2

If you must store it, you need to get a climate-controlled unit.  Extreme temperature fluctuations can cause your sofa to split, shrivel, or otherwise damage it.  Leather must "breathe", so the option of covering it in a tarp is viable only if you can find one made of fabric, not plastic. If you do this, first treat the entire sofa with a spray-on leather conditioner (available where they sell leather jackets, purses, etc.).  Check on it at least monthly, and clean with a leather cleaner as necessary.  Most important, though, is to keep it from extreme temperature changes.