Cleaning Leather Safely
by: Yelena Gertsenova
If you invest in real leather, you know you want it to look good as long as possible! It’s a big investment! Negligent cleaning of leather leads to dried and cracked leather. Leather is known for its durability and can definitely handle an intense cleaning.
What’s the stain or problem afflicting your fine leather? And, what specific type of leather do you own?
First determine whether your leather is finished or unfinished. Finished leather products have a slight sheen and include clothing, furniture, and luggage. Unfinished products include baseball gloves, work boots, and horse saddles. And suede.
Supplies: leather conditioner, hand soap, damp and dry cloths, sponges, leather protection spray, leather cleaning kit. Olive oil. Water.
For finished leather:
Lather up with a gentle, moisturizing soap a washcloth until it becomes sudsy. Should only need to be slightly damped, not soaked. For a small stain, only dampen as much as you need, but if you are cleaning a large area,such as a sofa, get the whole thing damp. Small amount of hand soap. Too much water damages leather.
Rub the cloth in a circular motion onto the stain, but try not to press excess moisture into the leather. Rub lightly.
Wipe away the soapy residue with a fresh, damp cloth. Do not rinse the leather in water.
Let it it air dry for a few minutes so that if any water was absorbed, it can be released. Polish the leather with a dry towel.
After it has completely dried, treat the leather with conditioner and seal with protectant. Such as a small dab of olive oil on a cloth.
For leather furniture, determine what type of leather it is by checking the tag in the cushions. Aniline Pigment leather furniture can handle a moisturizing soap, but Nubuck leather only needs distilled water and a damp towling. Do not use oils or varnishes on leather furniture.
For unfinished leather, more complicated and you may damage it if not done correctly, so it’s best to get professional help, still.
Use a special saddle soap instead of regular soap, same as step 1 for finished leather.
Wipe away again and let it air dry.
Use a leather preservative such as mink or linseed oil mixed with vinegar to lengthen the leather’s life.
If you don’t trust your water management skills, it doesn’t hurt to go to a professional cleaner.
There is plenty more to learn about keeping your home clean at our Denver cleaning service website, just click through to the blog when you get there.
About The Author: Yelena Gertsenova practiced pediatric medicine for 17 years. Yelena saw a clear connection between the cleanliness of one’s surroundings and one’s health. Yelena started a Denver cleaning services company in 2002 after having moved to the States. The author invites you to visit: http://www.denverscleaningservice.com
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