How to Clean Leather
Leather goods can be a very expensive commodity. After spending so much money on a leather product, getting a stain on the leather can be devastating. It also can be quite costly to take it to a professional (however, when it doubt it is always best to consult a professional!). Cleaning leather can be very risky, so it’s critical to know the proper way to clean leather!
First you need to determine the type of leather you have (mislabeling your leather can lead to damage, so make sure you know the type for certain). There are two types of leathers.
1) Finished Leather (coated) - (i.e.: furniture, luggage, and garments)
2) Unfinished leather (raw) - (i.e.: work boots, saddles, and baseball gloves)
Before you start trying to clean you leather, you should always test any cleaning method on small spot on your leather that is unseen to be sure of no adverse affects!
Unfinished Leather
Unfinished leather is the hardest of the leathers to clean. The best way to keep your unfinished leather clean is to regularly wipe it down with a lightly-dampened cotton cloth to remove topical dust. Unfinished leather absorbs stains so when stains do occur they can be nearly impossible to remove safely. When removing unfinished leather stains you should follow these 3 steps:
1.) First try using a lightly dampened cotton cloth to wipe away the stain, if that doesn’t work you can use the damp cloth to rub saddle soap gently into the leather forming a light lather.
2.) Wipe away the lather from the saddle soap and let the leather air dry.
3.) After the leather is dry, oil the leather with a leather preservative with a product such as mink oil.
Finished Leather
Finished leather is the easier of the two leathers to clean because finished leathers are commonly coated with a soft acrylic color coating. This helps create a film that protects the leather and provides wear, stain, and fade resistance. As with unfinished leather you should periodically dust the leather with a damp cloth. When removing finished leather stains, these 5 steps should be followed:
1.) Get a damp cloth with a small about of moisturizing soap (i.e. Dove) and rub it into the cloth bringing it to a light lather.
2.) Rub the lathered damp cloth on the leather without putting too much water on the leather.
3.) With a clean damp cloth, wipe away all of the lather. Don't ever directly rinse the leather in water!
4.) With a clean dry towel, wipe/polish the leather.
5.) After the leather has completely dried, you should treat it with a good leather conditioner.
If none of these home cleaning solutions work, you should consult a professional leather cleaner. Keep in mind that some stains might just be impossible to remove, but many leather products have a manufacturer warranty so don’t give up hope! It is quite possible that the manufacturer might even have specific tips for helping clean your product.