Cleaning leather: home remedies and tips

How do you clean leather? If you are looking for helpful tips and tricks for cleaning leather, then you should read this article carefully. We will tell you what you absolutely have to pay attention to.

Cleaning leather is not complicated and can be done with simple household products . However, it is important to keep a few things in mind to avoid accidentally damaging the high-quality material.

In this article you will learn what is important when cleaning leather.

What is the best way to clean leather?

You shouldn't just clean your beloved leather bag. Your leather sofa and other leather furniture also need regular cleaning and care to stay beautiful for a long time.

If you want to clean leather, it's really not rocket science, you just need to know what kind of leather you want to clean and use the right leather cleaning products .

But that doesn't mean you have to clean them every week. Remove dust and dirt regularly and learn in our article how you can clean and care for leather using household products.

Before you start cleaning, always test the cleaner on a small, inconspicuous area. When cleaning stains, you should only dab or rub gently , never too hard, as this will damage the surface.

Also use distilled or boiled water to avoid limescale. You can find out more about leather in our article These are the leather properties that amaze us

Cleaning suede

You should regularly remove dirt and dust from this velvety soft leather, ideally with a suede brush or a cotton cloth . Suede does not like moisture very much, as it is an open-pored leather .

Expert knowledge : For fresh grease and oil stains, you can use baby powder, flour and baking soda . For older grease and oil stains, you can use a dry shampoo .

If you don't feel confident enough, get a special suede cleaner and follow the instructions. We particularly recommend this for water stains , as these are not so easy to treat with household remedies.

1. Remove dust and dirt with a suede brush or cotton cloth.
   
   
2. Treat grease and oil stains with flour, baking soda or baby powder.
   
   
3. Spread the powder generously on the stain, allow it to work, then gently brush or tap the remaining powder off the leather.
   
   
4. Care for the suede with a waterproofing spray or wax spray specifically for suede, which you can buy from specialist retailers. Please never use leather grease for rough leather (suede, nubuck leather and suede), as the grease sticks to the surface and makes it smooth.

You can read how to clean and care for nubuck leather in this article.

Cleaning smooth leather

Smooth leather also needs regular cleaning to keep looking good for a long time. Don't worry, it's quick and easy. For dust and light dirt, you can dissolve some soap in lukewarm water and use it to clean the bag.

 Microfiber cloths are taboo when cleaning leather ! They can attack the surface and degrease it. For fresh grease stains, you can proceed as you would with suede and remove them with flour, baby powder or baking powder.

Step 1: Remove dust and light dirt

Remove dust and light dirt with a lint-free cloth.

Step 2: Remove stains

Remove stains (fresh grease stains).

Step 3: Spread powder on stains and allow to take effect

Spread the powder generously on the stain and let it work.

Step 4: Remove remaining powder

Gently tap any remaining powder from the leather or remove it with a cloth.

Step 5: Apply waterproofing spray

After cleaning, you can care for and protect the smooth leather with a waterproofing spray.

Cleaning artificial leather

Artificial leather also needs to be cleaned regularly , of course. Dust and light dirt can be removed with a damp cloth. Stains can also be removed with soap and water , but baby wipes are also suitable as they do not contain alcohol .

For discoloration and stubborn dirt , you can use an artificial leather eraser , which you can buy from specialist retailers.

1. Clean the artificial leather evenly with a damp cloth.
2. Remove dirt and stains with a mixture of soap and water.
3. Care for the artificial leather with a care product specifically for artificial leather.

5 household remedies for cleaning leather

Here we list five of the most commonly used leather care home remedies that are suitable for cleaning natural leather. If you would rather clean your leather with a leather cleaner, then choose a product that is tailored to your leather and follow the application instructions.

You've already read how to clean leather and what you need to look out for. Now it's time to get down to business. Take a look in your cupboard and see which of the following cleaning products you already have at home. We would like to ask you to test all household remedies on an inconspicuous area first.

Vinegar

Vinegar is ideal, especially for larger surfaces. So if you want to clean a leather sofa or have cleaned your car seats, this household remedy is perfect. Vinegar has proven to be particularly effective for cleaning smooth leather. Important: Please never apply pure vinegar to stains , as this could damage the leather.

1. Add a few drops of vinegar essence to lukewarm water.
2. Moisten a cotton cloth with the mixture until it is slightly damp and carefully wipe the smooth leather.
3. Pat the leather dry and treat it with a leather care product specifically for smooth leather.

Dishwashing liquid

You can clean leather with dishwashing liquid, but please never use it on stains .

1. Mix dish soap with water and pour it into a spray bottle.
2. Spray the mixture onto the leather, but do not make it too wet.
3. Gently brush the leather with a suede brush.
4. Impregnate the leather with a specially formulated waterproofing spray to protect it from dust, dirt and moisture.

For suede leather, dishwashing liquid should only be used with extreme caution and we would recommend that you avoid it and use a professional suede cleaner instead .

Baby oil

You can use baby oil to clean smooth leather , but please do not use it on suede as this would smooth the velvety surface. Baby oil or alternatively baby oil wipes can give dry leather a new shine and also remove small scratches or stubborn stains.

Curd soap

Smooth leather can be easily cleaned with a mixture of soap and water .

1. Dissolve a little bit of soap in lukewarm water.
2. Moisten a cloth with the solution, but not too wet, and treat the leather carefully.
3. Let the leather dry slowly and pamper it with a care product for smooth leather.

Baking soda

Baking soda is not only used for baking or cleaning fruit and vegetables, you could almost say it is an all-rounder. Baking soda can absorb odors and dirt and thus freshen up the leather.

1. Spread the powder generously on the leather to be cleaned and leave it to work overnight.
2. Then knock or brush the powder off the leather. It should now be fresh and clean.
3. Then treat your leather with a leather care product. You can use it for smooth leather and suede.

Typical mistakes when cleaning leather

Where there's planing, there's shavings, or what was it? Yes, you can definitely make mistakes when cleaning leather . We've listed the most common ones here for you. So you're on the safe side.

1. Using the wrong leather cleaner (for example, using leather cleaner for smooth leather on suede).
2. Cleaning the leather with a damp cloth.
3. Rub with plenty of pressure to remove stains.
4. Apply household remedies undiluted (dishwashing liquid, soap, etc.).
5. Dry the leather quickly (heating or direct sunlight)

Conclusion

As you can see , cleaning and caring for leather yourself is really not difficult . It is just important that you use the right cleaner for the leather in question and follow the tips above.

If you want to give your leather a wellness holiday, you can of course have it professionally cleaned .

No matter what you choose, your leather will thank you with long-lasting loyalty.

FAQ

1. How do I protect leather products from stains?

Impregnation can provide good protection against stains . However, if a mishap does occur, it is important to act quickly and remove the stain.

2. How often should you clean leather products?

You should clean and care for your leather regularly every 6 months or as needed. You can quickly remove dust with a damp cloth or leather brush.

Treat your leather to a little wellness session with leather care and waterproofing every 6 months. Then you will be able to enjoy your favorite leather piece for a long time.

3. Can you wash leather in the washing machine?

Yes, there are special leather cleaners that can be used in the washing machine on a gentle or wool cycle , the temperature should not exceed 35° . However, we would recommend that you do not use this and clean the leather by hand.

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