How to Clean Leather – Tips and Tricks
Leather, due to its texture and durability, is one of the most used materials for fashion and interior design: high-end upholstery, elegant shoes, bags backpacks, etc. However, you must keep in mind that the quality and sophistication of this material require specific maintenance care that you cannot forget.
If you want to learn how to properly clean your leather furniture, clothing, and accessories to extend their durability and improve their appearance, keep reading this article. From FoxWiki we reveal to you how to clean leather correctly in different elements.
Topics Covered in This Article
How to clean car leather
Leather is the great ally of luxury automobile upholstery in the world. This material gives any car elegance and sophistication, but…What happens when we don’t give it proper care?? One of the things that can happen is that the leather begins to dry due to lack of hydration and, consequently, loses its shine, gets dirty more easily, and gives off that annoying old smell. If you want to offer the best care to your car, don’t miss this step-by-step on how to clean car leather correctly:
- The first step is to find all the appropriate materials for cleaning the leather of your car: a microfiber towel, water, chamois, a leather cleaning detergent, a body conditioner, and a vacuum cleaner.
- Now you can proceed to clean the first layer of dirt from the leather seats. Generally, this is made up of dust, so a good vacuum will be enough to remove it.
- Afterward, you should take the microfiber cloth and moisten it with water. With it, you can clean the car seats to remove stains and any traces of dust left behind. After this process, remember to dry the fabric quickly.
- To finish cleaning the leather in depth, you should take the special detergent for this type of material and a suede cloth. Once the cloth is soaked with the cleaner, wipe the surface of the leather seats in a circular motion and gently.
- As a final step, you will have to use the leather conditioner and apply it to the seat covers to hydrate the material so that it is not damaged after cleaning.
Before starting to clean the leather seats, you must keep in mind the type of cleaner you are going to use, as only a specific one will be suitable. Also, keep in mind that you should always care for leather car seats with some caution and that you must carry out this cleaning at least twice a year.
How to clean leather armchairs
Having armchairs upholstered in leather has multiple advantages, which is why many people opt for this material when designing their home: durable, elegant, beautiful, natural material, etc. The problem with leather, as with other similar materials, is that without good care it can have a rather short useful life. Apply the advice we give you below to always carry good care and so that your armchairs last for many years. These are the steps to follow to clean leather armchairs:
- Removing the first layer of impurities is the first step. To do this, we are going to take a vacuum cleaner or a soft bristle brush and proceed to remove the coarsest dirt particles from the chair. You should always try to do a deep cleaning in those corners that seem unreachable since that is where lint, bread crumbs, and other debris hide the most.
- Next, wipe a damp towel over the leather of the chair to finish removing the remaining dirt and more visible stains.
- The third step is to take a leather chair cleaner and apply it to the chair using a suede cloth to avoid damaging the leather.
- Finally, and just as we have done with the leather car seats, the leather conditioner is applied. This is one of the most important steps, but you must be careful with the type of product you use since not all of them work the same.
An important recommendation to keep in mind is that you should always cleanse in an area that is ventilated so that the skin dries quickly and without damage. If you want to discover in more detail how to clean a leather sofa, don’t miss this simple step by step.
How to clean a leather jacket
An original and quality leather jacket will always have a special place in our wardrobe, as it is an elegant and beautiful garment that is also not particularly economical. To amortize the money and so that you can enjoy your leather jacket for many yearsfrom FoxWiki we show you the correct way to clean a leather jacket.
There are two main ways to clean a leather jacket. The first of them is using common detergents under strict preparation and application so as not to ruin the material. The second, and the most recommended, is with the use of cleaners specially designed for leather.
How to clean a leather jacket with common detergents
- Use the detergent of your choice, as long as it does not contain bleach. Combine some soap with warm water in a container, then add liquid detergent to thicken the solution. Remember that the final derivative must be soft so as not to damage the garment.
- Find a sponge or towel and soak it in the prepared solution. Remember to squeeze the sponge or towel before using it to remove excess liquid.
- Now, run the towel or sponge over the outside surface of the leather jacket, making sure to cover all areas. Make gentle movements and pay close attention to the small spots that form.
- Continue removing the soap with a cloth moistened with water to remove any stains that may have remained from cleaning.
- Finally, dry the leather jacket with a towel.
You ask yourself how to wash a leather jacket inside? In this case, you should know that to remove stains from the inside of your jacket, just wipe with a damp cloth with water. If you want to wash a leather jacket inside more intensively, it is best to take it to a dry cleaner/store that specializes in washing this material.
How to clean a leather jacket with a special leather cleaner
- Dampen a towel with the special cleaner. Remember, before using this towel, that you must wipe a damp cloth with water over the jacket to remove the first layer of dirt.
- Next, gently apply the leather cleaner to the jacket. Use as much as necessary, but be careful not to overapply, as this could damage the material. Wait until the liquid is absorbed into the leather while you rub the jacket with the towel.
- Finally, remove excess leather cleaner with a sponge or dry soft cloth. Make sure to remove all the product, because, in the end, you should see the skin of your shiny jacket.
If you wonder how to clean the leather of a bag or how to clean brown or black leather (two delicate colors when we talk about this material) you should know that the process to follow is identical to the one we have explained to you to clean a leather jacket.
How to clean leather shoes
Leather shoes require even more special care than other objects made of this material, since since they are footwear, they are exposed to conditions that can easily deteriorate the leather if it is not treated properly. Next, from FoxWiki, we offer you a simple step-by-step so you know how to clean leather shoes and ensure that they stay shiny and last longer.
- To start, and as we have done previously, remove the main layer of dirt with a damp towel. Keep in mind that you should not apply excess force Doing so could damage your shoes. This is especially important in the seams, as it is one of the most delicate.
- Let the leather of the shoes dry completely and then apply a shoe cleaner that mostly contains specialized cream for leather shoes.
- Next, you should polish the shoes until the cleaning material is completely absorbed by the leather. This last absorption process lasts approximately one day, so it is advisable not to use them during those 24 hours.
- Finally, if you notice that there is still excess of the product, you can remove it with a dry cloth.