Leather is arguably one of the most stylish and comfortable materials on the planet. The combination of its soft yet durable texture and classic appearance make it the perfect choice of material for clothes and accessories. Whether you are looking for a new jacket, skirt, belt or even a pair of shorts, you can’t go wrong with leather. But what happens when your leather becomes dirty and needs cleaning?
It’s bound to happen sooner or later: you accidentally spill a cup of coffee on your new leather jacket, leaving behind a large and visible stain. It’s discouraging (to say the least) when incidents such as this occur, but the good news is that you CAN clean leather. All it takes is the right approach, which we’re going to explain in further detail in today’s blog post.
Surface Cleaning
The easiest way to prevent visible stains from developing on your leather jacket (or any leather garment/accessory for that matter), is to give it a good surface cleaning once in a while. Allowing dirt, dust and debris to accumulate on the surface can lead to damage later down the road.
To “surface clean” leather, take a lint-free microfiber cloth and simply glide it across the surface. This should wipe away most dust and dirt, assuming it hasn’t settled into the pores. It’s recommended that you use a dry microfiber cloth when performing a surface clean, as adding cleaning solutions or even water may reduce the effectiveness of this technique.
Dealing With Tougher Stains
Using the aforementioned technique should make easy work of surface dust and debris on your leather garment. However, you’ll need to come up with a different solution to clean deep stains.
Leather contains thousands upon thousands of near-microscopic holes (AKA pores). These holes are designed to absorb moisture from the surrounding environment, yet it’s not uncommon for dirt and debris to make its way inside them as well. This can make cleaning deep stains a real chore.
So, what’s the best way to clean tough stains on leather? First and foremost, clean the surface using the technique mentioned above. Next, use a special leather cleaning product like Saddle Soap to really clean deep inside the leather. It may take a little bit of elbow grease, but this method should clean even the hardest leather stains.