Each of us at least once in our lives has encountered a problem - dirty stains on a leather jacket, coat, gloves or shoes. The first thing that comes to a sound mind is to take it to the dry cleaner. This option, of course, is appropriate, but there are times when you need to clean a leather product urgently, literally right this minute, and dry cleaning will not help much. A real man should be able to do everything! Today we will talk about how to clean leather products using traditional methods and more!
When purchasing products made from genuine leather, we hope that it will serve us for many years, and we do not think about the fact that, despite the high quality, leather products require care. Formally, skin cleansing can be divided into 2 methods: skin cleansing using traditional methods and special means.
How to clean a leather product
In specialized stores and large supermarkets you can easily find many different leather and suede care products - special creams, sprays and shampoos, as well as wipes are quite simple and effective. All that is required is to follow the instructions correctly. In addition, such products have a softening and disinfectant effect.
Special leather cleaning products
Before using them, experts recommend conducting a small test to determine the effect of the selected drug on the leather product. To do this, you need to apply a small amount of the product to a small area (preferably in a place invisible to the naked eye).
Products designed for cleaning leather furniture are easily suitable for cleaning leather clothing, accessories or shoes. But it’s better to read the descriptions on the label before use, in case there are notes of a different nature.
Any leather product requires regular cleaning - it is enough to wipe it with a damp cloth 1-2 times a week, and if necessary, you can use a soap solution, which must be applied to the surface with a soft sponge, and then wiped several times with a damp cloth. To add shine and remove excess moisture after cleaning, use a soft cloth.
There are many folk methods for cleaning leather products, the most common of which is treating the product with glycerin. You can buy a bottle of glycerin at a regular pharmacy at a very low price.
Useful tips
- To avoid stains, treat items with water-repellent leather products.
- Store leather products in dry, ventilated areas.
- To allow your skin to “breathe,” do not keep it in plastic bags.
- After each cleaning of the product, rub the item with special creams or regular hand cream.
- When using chemicals, wear rubber gloves in a well-ventilated area.
Important! We will also tell you how to restore the color of clothes if the washing was unsuccessful on the pages of our website.
If you properly care for and clean your leather products, following our recommendations, they will certainly serve you for many more years and will be pleasing to the eye.
Folk skin cleansing remedies
Before cleaning shoes or clothes, you need to clean them from possible stains of dirt, grease and oil stains. For this, our grandmothers used simple and accessible means. So, to remove grease or oil stains, you need to treat the contaminated area with gasoline - moisten a cotton pad or a piece of soft cloth with gasoline and gently wipe the surface in the area of contamination.
To remove grease or oil stains, you need to treat the leather with gasoline.
A mixture of acetic acid (table vinegar 70%) and alcohol will help remove ink stains, which should also be applied to a piece of cloth or a cotton pad and carefully applied to the contaminated area. Ordinary tape will help remove a fresh stain from ballpoint pen ink.
Table vinegar 70% will help remove ink stains from leather products
A damp cotton cloth soaked in a warm soapy solution will help you quickly clean a leather jacket, jacket or coat of dirt. After you have cleaned the product from dirt, wipe it with a dry soft cloth.
Coffee grounds will also help remove dirt and add shine to a leather product. The recipe is simple: 1 teaspoon of used or freshly ground coffee must be diluted in 100 grams of warm water, stirred until smooth, then apply the resulting slurry to a cotton pad and gently wipe the product. After you have cleaned your shoes, jacket or jacket with coffee, rinse off the remaining coffee with water and wipe the product with a dry soft cloth (it is best to use flannel for these purposes - a soft, velvety cotton fabric).
Coffee grounds can help remove dirt from leather items.
It should be noted that this cleaning method should not be used for fair skin. In this case, it is recommended to clean the products using a soap solution with the addition of ammonia, for the preparation of which you will need 10 grams of soap, ½ cup of warm water and 1 tablespoon of ammonia. The surface must be wiped with a soft cloth or a cotton pad, after which the cleaned surface must be wiped dry.
Does an air conditioner protect the interior of a new car?
Protective compounds are conventionally of two types:
- Conditioners: consist of silicones, paraffins and other substances of inorganic origin.
- Cream waxes: wax-based products with the addition of plant and animal oils, as well as other organic ingredients.
Both products do a good job of protecting and restoring, but silicone-based sprays are suitable for artificial leather and eco-leather, and wax is suitable for natural leather. The compositions prevent the penetration of dust and dirt into the pores, increase the elasticity of the material, and prevent drying out.
If you see a two-in-one conditioner-cleaner on the counter, don’t buy it. The product will neither fully protect nor clean the interior. For stain removal and maintenance, you should have two different products.
Leather care
To preserve the structure of the leather, extend the life of the product and give it shine, products such as petroleum jelly, castor oil or glycerin are used. Apply a small amount of one of the products listed and gently rub into the surface. Leave it for several hours so that it completely absorbs the applied product.
To add shine to the skin, use regular glycerin from the nearest pharmacy.
If exposed to rain or sleet, the leather item must be thoroughly dried using a dry soft cloth, and then placed for further drying. Do not dry leather products near open flames or heating devices, including radiators.
To store shoes or other leather accessories, use special covers that will help protect them from dust and at the same time provide the necessary air exchange.
You can care for a leather jacket or coat with a regular shoe sponge. I don’t know how beneficial it is for the skin, but I use a regular sponge to wipe my shoes before each season. Of course, the sponge must be new and not used for its intended purpose. It is important to note that the leather becomes softer and more shiny after the jacket is treated. In addition, after exposure to rain, there are significantly fewer water stains left than before treatment with a sponge. I’ll repeat again, I don’t know if this is good for leather products, but my jacket has been pleasing me for the 4th year now with its softness and pleasant appearance =) take note.
The shoe sponge is also suitable for wiping a leather jacket, coat or leather accessories
Recommendations
Do not dry natural and artificial leather jackets near heaters, radiators, etc., or in direct exposure to sunlight. This will cause the leather to crack and harden, making the product uncomfortable to wear.
- Drying should be carried out at room temperature.
- It will be enough to hang the clothes on hangers, wait a little and they will dry on their own.
- After this procedure, the skin needs to be additionally moisturized so that it remains soft and smooth to the touch.
The jacket can only be worn if it is completely dry after washing and care.
Cleaning your car's leather seats
Our life is connected not only with clothes. Many men have a car, the seats of which are often covered in leather. Therefore, information on how to clean leather goods in a car yourself will not be superfluous.
To clean the leather interior of your car you will need:
- atomizer (spray) with pressure pumping;
- soft cloth (you can purchase a special microfiber cloth);
- foam sponge;
- brushes;
- soap solution or all-purpose cleaner.
You need to add a soap solution or a universal car interior cleaner to the sprayer, and then use a soft brush or microfiber to clean the surface. If the dirt cannot be removed, repeat the procedure several times. If you use a soft cloth, remember to change it whenever it gets wet, this way you will avoid soapy streaks and excess moisture accumulation. If there are stains or stains on the surface from a soap solution or cleaning agent, fill the spray bottle with warm water and spray it onto the surface, then wipe it with a dry and clean piece of soft cloth.
Cleaning leather car seats
Car washes often offer a service such as treating leather interiors with conditioner, which will help preserve and extend the life of the leather. You can purchase such an air conditioner yourself, using the services of online stores or visiting a specialized real car store. It is necessary to apply the conditioner strictly following the manufacturer's instructions.
Video material
To remove stubborn stains, use perchlorethylene. This is a chemical that perfectly dissolves grease and other contaminants without damaging the structure of the fabric. Be extremely careful when using the product, as its strong cleansing effect can change the color and elasticity of the product.
Important! Before use, carefully read the instructions for use of this product.
What not to do
Along with recommendations, there are also “contraindications”, which should never be done when it comes to cleaning light-colored leather items. Many housewives are mistaken in believing that they can speed up the drying process of clothes or shoes made of genuine leather by placing them on a radiator. This action can lead to drying out of the material and the appearance of cracks. The same applies to drying leather products in direct sunlight. True, the consequences in this case are different - the appearance of yellowness, which cannot be removed.
Another common mistake is washing light-colored leather clothes in the washing machine and soaking them. This material does not tolerate water procedures very well, due to which it darkens, cracks, and becomes deformed.
In such cases, it is better to use a soapy solution for cleaning. After completing the procedure, the item must be dried with a paper towel. If it comes to machine washing, then you should set the delicate mode without spinning.
Soft, light-colored skin requires special care. For cleaning or coating, you cannot use creams and sponges that are used for dark leather shoes and clothes. Snow-white shoes made of natural material cannot be stored next to colored items. This is fraught with tarnishing of an expensive product.
Cleaning white leather at home is not an easy task, but it is quick. It is enough to correctly determine the degree and type of contamination, select suitable folk or chemical remedies and thoroughly wash the traces with a soft sponge. All that remains is to dry and air things out, after which clean clothes can be worn outside again.
What to do with scuffs?
Often, especially in jackets, abrasions appear on the elbows or shoulders. The skin in these places begins to turn white and crack, after which it slowly crumbles. There are several stages in dealing with this process that will help slow it down and return the jacket to its normal appearance.
- Clean the area with regular shoe polish (colorless or leather-colored). This method is good at the first stage, when the cracks are small. After cleaning the damaged area with cream, thoroughly sand the surface with a flannel cloth. This way you will smooth out and absorb the cream as much as possible.
- Use nitro paints in aerosol form. This method can be taken into account when the skin begins to crumble. The paint should be applied in a thin layer, otherwise it will only speed up the process.
- Liquid skin. This remedy will help in especially serious cases, including restoring and fastening torn and cut areas.
