How to Dry-Clean Leather
Due to the fragile nature of leather, the material must be dry-cleaned to remove stains. Washing leather in a machine results in discoloration of the material and causes the material to become too soft and full of creases. The process of dry cleaning leather typically depends on the stain contents, because special products and at-home solutions work for different leather stains. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Corn starch or talcum powder
- Butter knife
- Sponge
- Water
- Leather cleaning product
- White cloth, lint-free
- Leather conditioner
Instructions
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Clean stains and spills off leather as soon as possible to prevent the stain from permanently setting into the article. Determine the source of the stain, and seek cleaning methods immediately for the type of stain or spill. Always test the remedies on a hidden part of the leather article to prevent use of remedies that fade or discolor the leather.
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2
Cover oil-based stains immediately with corn starch or talcum powder. The two powders absorb the oil more quickly than the leather, and prevent the leather from discoloration due to an oily spot. You may also try scraping away the oily food with a butter knife and allowing the oil residue to soak into the leather and disappear on its own.
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Remove water marks created from spills and condensation rings at the bottom of cold drinks by wetting the entire leather article. Use a new, clean sponge to dampen the entire leather piece, and hide the water mark by darkening the entire piece with water. Do not oversaturate the leather; dampen it only to disguise the water marks.
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Use a leather cleaning product approved for the leather material you need to clean. Most leather cleaning products help clean away stains of various colors that are both water- and oil-based. Lather the cleaning product on a sponge and apply to the stained area using light pressure in circular motions.
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Allow the leather cleaner to sit on the piece for three to four minutes. Blot the cleaner away with a lint-free, white cloth. Reapply the cleaner as many times as necessary in light coats, and blot away with the cloth until the stain no longer remains in the leather.
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Apply a leather conditioner to the material after removing stains and dry-cleaning. Allow any wet spots to dry on the article, and then apply the conditioner to hide discolorations and protect the leather from future stains.
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Tips & Warnings
If you cannot remove the stain without discoloring the leather piece, check with local professionals about having the leather piece dyed to cover the stain or replace faded colors.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit leather shoes image by Steve Lovegrove from Fotolia.com
