How to Clean and Care for Patent Leather
Patent leather is easy to care for without spending lots of money on expensive products designed specifically to maintain the leather's shiny, high-gloss finish. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Cleaning and Care of Patent Leather
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Use a dry, lint-free cloth to remove dirt and dust. Do not rub too hard or you will scratch the leather. If there is lots of dirt or mud on your patent leather, moisten a lint-free cotton cloth to remove it.
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Get another lint-free cloth and dab it into the petroleum jelly.
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In a circular motion, rub the petroleum jelly onto the leather, covering the entire surface.
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Once the entire leather surface is covered with a thin layer of petroleum jelly, let it stand for about five minutes.
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Using a clean section of the same cloth, buff the entire surface to a high shine.
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To ensure that the leather is free of residual petroleum jelly, get another clean, dry, lint-free cloth and buff the entire surface again. Any residue left on the patent leather will attract dirt and dull the shine. Pay close attention to seams, around shoe eyelets, or anywhere the petroleum jelly is not easily removed.
Caring and Stroage of Patent Leather
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Cleaning your patent leather after each use will keep it looking new for years and will help to hide small, light scuffs. Petroleum jelly also prevents the leather from drying out or cracking.
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After cleaning your patent leather, store it properly. Items like purses should be hung with a small piece of tissue paper placed over them to prevent scratching and dust accumulation.
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Place shoes in a shoebox with a piece of tissue between them to prevent them from scuffing.
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Tips & Warnings
Do not use a large amount of water on patent leather. Do not use regular cleaning products on patent leather. Do not use a lot of petroleum jelly; a dab should suffice. Manufacturers of patent-leather cleaning products do not agree with the use of petroleum jelly to clean patent leather. Information about this controversy can be found at www.urad.org/ResultsEng.cfm.
