Leather is present in many ways in our daily lives, whether as clothing, furniture or personal items. In addition to conveying elegance and charm, leather is also very comfortable. However, it is one of the types of fabric that most concerns those who value it, so it is important to know how to clean leather.
Because it is a durable material, it is necessary to take certain care with leather, so that it does not lose its appearance and quality over time. Below, we have separated some tips for how to clean leather so you can keep it in top condition.
How to Clean Synthetic Leather
Before following a method of how to clean leather, it is important to know which type of material it is, because each one has a different way of cleaning.
Synthetic, or ecological, leather is one of the easiest types to clean. Because it is made of polymers, this type of leather is more resistant to stains, which facilitates the cleaning process.
To clean synthetic leather, you will need:
- Mild soap;
- Sponge;
- White cloth;
- Mild detergent;
- Alcohol;
- Cotton balls;
- White towel.
The amount of these products will depend on the size of the surface to be cleaned.
So just follow the steps:
- To start, apply the soap to a damp sponge and carefully rub it over the entire surface. After that, clean the soap with a damp white cloth.
- Then, put a small amount of detergent on the sponge, so that it will foam. Rub the sponge over the fatty spots until the stain is gone. After that, clean the detergent with a damp white cloth.
- With a cotton ball, lightly dipped in alcohol, gently rub the remaining stains until they disappear.
- Wipe the entire surface of the leather with a clean white cloth, using a little cold water, to remove excess soap. Pay more attention to the places where the alcohol was used, so it is possible to avoid discoloration.
- Finally, dry the leather with the white towel.
How to Clean Shoe Leather
One of the most common pieces made of leather is shoes. Made with high quality material and skilled labor, leather shoes deserve special attention and are not that complicated to clean.
To maintain the shiny appearance of these types of shoes, you will need:
- Flannel;
- Neutral detergent or leather cleaner;
- White cloth;
- Brush with soft bristles.
Once you have gathered the materials, just follow the steps:
- First, rub the soft bristle brush gently until all the outer dirt on the surface is removed.
- Then remove the laces to avoid damage. Then, moisten the flannel and apply a little detergent. Clean the leather surface gently.
- Finally, moisten a cloth and clean your shoes again, this way, the excess detergent will be removed.
How to Clean Black Leather
Dark-hued leather is very popular because it suits any situation, especially black. To keep that leather tone clean, two cloths are needed, one wet and one dry.
The cloth moistened with water must be wiped over the surface to remove dirt, being very careful not to damage the leather.
The dry cloth will be used to remove excess water and polish the fabric.
How to Clean Moldy Leather
Leather, like other types of material, can also be a victim of mold. Many people discard leather items because they don’t know how to get rid of mold. However, the solution is very simple and inexpensive.
How to clean moldy leather clothes, bags and shoes
To clean the mold that appears in items such as clothes, bags and shoes, you need to wipe with a cloth moistened with white vinegar, as this product ends up with fungi without leaving a smell. In the case of bags and shoes, this cleaning must be done every 3 months.
While for colored leather pieces, the recommendation is to dip the damaged region in a boiled bed. The milk should not be too hot and a few minutes is enough to remove the mold.
How to Clean Moldy Leather Sofa
Mold impregnation on sofas is difficult to occur due to their size. However, the humidity of the environment, combined with time, ends up affecting the sofa. Thus, mold and stench can arise.
To solve this problem, you need to clean the leather of the sofa with a homemade leather cleaner. This product is made with the following ingredients:
- One tablespoon of baking soda;
- A tablespoon of vinegar;
- 500 ml of water.
Then just follow the steps below:
- Apply the solution to a clean cloth;
- Then, pass the cloth over the entire length of the sofa;
- Only rub the cloth on the stains if the mold is very impregnated in the furniture, always lightly.
How to clean white leather
White leather is one of the shades of the material of most concern, as they can easily be grimy. Keeping these items clean is a difficult task, but it is not impossible.
Below are some tips for how to clean dirty leather, specifically, white leather.
How to clean white leather tennis, bags and clothes
It is important to consider that the cleaning of smaller objects is done differently than the cleaning used for furniture. To clean bags, sneakers and clothes, just follow the steps below:
- Use a homemade leather cleaner. It can be done with liquid soap and warm water.
- Then use a spray bottle or fiber cloth to apply the solution on the surface of the white leather, as a direct application can damage the material.
- After applying the product, just use a clean cloth to clean the leather.
White leather stains can also be cleaned with the help of a melamine sponge, leather soap, talcum powder or corn starch.
How to clean white leather from sofas
Cleaning the white leather sofa only requires clean cloths, soap or neutral fabric softener and vinegar. The steps are as follows:
- Mix the water with the soap or neutral softener and then apply the mixture to the cloth;
- Remove excess mixture from the cloth and cover the sofa;
- Lightly moisten another cloth and add the vinegar. Finally, pass this cloth on the sofa and let it dry.
How to clean suede leather
Suede is a type of leather, however, it is fuzzy and much more fragile than its normal version. Because of this fragility, greater care must be taken when cleaning products made from this fabric.
The simplest and quickest way to clean suede is to use a brush with soft bristles. Just brush the material towards the fibers.
For the removal of stains, it is recommended to mix a tablespoon of hair conditioner, white, with two tablespoons of water.
Pass a cloth moistened with the mixture towards the fiber and let it act for 10 minutes. Then wipe with a clean cloth dampened with water.
Homemade leather cleaning products
One option to avoid spending on specific leather cleaning products is to use some homemade leather cleaner. Therefore, throughout the text, we list some options that are used for each type of cleaning.
Below, we present some other solutions that can be done at home for cleaning leather:
- Neutral liquid soap mixed with eight parts of warm water.
- Two parts of vinegar mixed with one part of linseed oil.
- Paste of equal parts of lemon juice and potassium bitartrate.
- White vinegar mixed with baking soda.
Don’t forget, it’s not enough to just know how to clean leather. To maintain its good appearance it is necessary to take some care with this material, such as protecting the leather from sunlight and always cleaning this material by hand.
If you still have any questions or suggestions, share them below!
