Tips on Cleaning Leather Suits

Leather is a type of animal hide that will last long if you care for it properly. This is true on leather clothes as well. Caring for leather suits involves spot cleaning stains as soon as you notice them and deep cleaning every few months to remove all-over stains and debris. Follow tips and tricks to ensure that you are working efficiently and that you aren't damaging the leather.

Don't Over Wet Leather

One common mistake in leather cleaning is applying too much water to the leather surface. Regardless of whether you are working with finished or unfinished leather, applying too much water will dry out the leather and cause it to wrinkle to crack. Avoid this by applying the cleaning solution to a cloth or sponge and then wringing it out so that it is just slightly damp before using it on the leather suit.

Brush Unfinished Leather

Unfinished leather is leather from the inside of the animal hide. This leather is not waterproof and should never be cleaned with water-based cleaning solutions. Unfinished leather has a short and nappy surface that will hold dust, dirt and other debris. Remove the dirt from it by brushing it with a suede brush or with a stiff-bristled brush. This will remove the dirt before it has a chance to get wet and stain the leather. When cleaning leather suits, pay special attention to brushing the collar, cuffs and waistband because they tend to get dirtier faster.

Condition Leather

Even if you don't use too much water, your leather suit can get dried out due to the cleaning process. This happens because the cleaning process removes the leather's natural oils along with the dirt and debris. For your leather suit this could mean that the leather will appear stiff and less supple. Avoid this by using a leather conditioner to improve the leather's texture before it has a chance to crack the suit.

Dry Leather Completely

Most finished leather cleaners whether they are homemade or commercial, are water-based. Most cleaners require you to rinse the area completely after you've cleaned it. Even if you use as little water as possible this means that some water will be on the surface of the leather. Letting the water air dry will simply encourage the leather to dry out. Avoid this on your leather suit by wiping the entire suit with a clean cloth to dry it off. Do this while the suit is hanging so that any drops of water will fall to the floor.

References

• Mrs. Clean: Leather Cleaning
• Mrs. Clean: Removing Leather Stains
• Mrs. Clean: How To Clean Leather Shoes