Care of and Cleaning Leather

How to Clean Leather:
A bit of soap and water will often clean leather stains. But be very careful as the water and soap can stain the leather and does not always dry properly. Always test anything that you are going to use on an area that is not or less visible so that if it does not work or changes the color of the leather it will not be a problem.

Here are some solutions for specific problems that you may have with your leather coats or furniture. As I said earlier, always test on a less visible area! (and note that Urad will fix all of these problems in one step, ie. cleans AND conditions)

Ink Stains: Hairspray has been known to work. Ink can be very tricky depending on the type, etc. In most cases URAD will work but may take 2-3 applications. Hairspray make take several applications as well.

Mildew - Mix 50/50 water and rubbing alcohol. Use this mixture on a damp cloth to wipe area then let dry. Once dry use a leather conditioner - preferably one that will prevent mildew.

Water Stains: Let the leather dry naturally. Do not use a hairdryer or any kind of heat - this can damage the leather. Once fully dry use a leather conditioner. A product that will waterproof the leather as well is a must if it will continue to be exposed to water.

Glue or Gum: Ice! If it is a leather jacket or shoes or the like you can try putting in the freezer. Once frozen the gum or glue can usually be removed pretty easily. For a sofa or couch or chair that has gum or glue, put some ice in a plastic bag and hold it against the area for a while until it hopefully, becomes brittle enough to peel off without tearing the leather.

Grease stains: Use a dry cloth to blot off any excess. Try not to wipe as this will smear the grease. Then use cornstarch or talcum powder - sprinkle on the area and leave for a few hours. Wipe off. You may need a couple of applications.

Salt stains: A damp cloth soaked in vinegar water left on your shoes for about 20 minutes should leech out most of the salt. Once this is done treat with a product (URAD) that will protect against future incursions.

Continued..(read more)

More pages:
Automotive leather and vinyl
Shoes and boots
Instructions for use of URAD