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Cleaning your leather items, including clothing (like leather jackets) and upholstery, isn’t the same as cleaning items made of other natural or manufactured materials. Leather comes from the hide of various animals, with unique qualities, which require special care. It’s distressing when your leather furniture or leather upholstery has a stain, but with some helpful tips, you can clean it safely and restore its beauty.
Caring for leather
Never place leather furniture in direct sunlight, and if you expose clothing items like a leather jacket to sunlight on a regular basis, it requires extra maintenance to keep it looking its best. Cleaning leather regularly is essential to maintaining its appearance. To clean soiled leather, follow these steps:
- Use a microfiber or other soft cloth to remove surface dust
- Use saddle soap or other leather-safe moisturizing soap applied to a damp cloth to clean the leather
- Buff the leather, don’t rinse with water
Before you use any product on leather, test it in an inconspicuous area to make sure it won’t cause damage or discoloration.
Removing spots from leather
Whether you have leather furniture or leather clothing, the chances are good that it will accumulate stain spots from various sources on occasion. Different types of stain spots require different cleaning methods, and as previously suggested, always test a hidden area first.
- Inkspots – Get a cotton swab, dip it in rubbing alcohol and gently rub the spot out, or apply a non-oily cuticle remover, let sit overnight, wipe off with a damp cloth.
- Soil spots – Make a paste of lemon juice and cream of tartar in a 1:1 ratio, work into the spot with a soft cloth and let sit for a few hours. Apply more paste if necessary, work it in, and then wipe clean.
- Dark stains on light leather – Make the same paste as above, rub it in, let sit for 10 minutes then apply the second layer and repeat. Remove the paste with a plain damp sponge or damp sponge with a moisturizing soap.
- Water spots – Moisten the area around the spot with a small amount of water and let air dry out of direct sunlight.
- Road salt – Make a solution of 1 part water to 1 part white vinegar, dip a cloth into the solution and blot lightly to remove all the salt.
Nourish Leather
Along with removing spots, it’s important to keep leather supple and moisturized, so it doesn’t crack or dry out. Pour a solution of 1 part white vinegar to 2 parts linseed oil into a jar with a lid, shake well, apply with a cloth, let sit for 12 hours, then buff. For large leather pieces like a sofa, work the solution in a circular motion over the entire surface and rub it in thoroughly. Allow the area to sit for 10 minutes then use a soft cloth to buff it until it shines. Store the remaining solution for later use. Make sure you use a clean cloth each time, so you’re not risking staining the leather.
If you’re uncertain about cleaning leather without damaging it, trust Embassy Cleaners to do the job for you. We offer professional leather and suede cleaning services that use the latest innovations to ensure the best results.
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