Do you like leather? Do you find the material texture soothing? Do you enjoy how color seems to be more vibrant on the surface? We know we do. However, with every leather purchase, we can’t help but wonder how to remove stains from leather.
We prefer leather seats in our cars. That’s why we head straight for the leather couches when we go furniture shopping. That’s why we try on that leather jacket and immediately say, “I’m getting this.” We know getting a stain on this material is inevitable, but what can we do to make sure the stain doesn’t stay?
That’s what we’ll be talking about here. You’ll learn how to make a quick, homemade leather stain remover. We’ll also go into detail about how to get marker out of leather, as well as oil stains and grease stains.
Remove Stains from Leather
These tips and recipes will teach you how to remove pen ink from leather bag, along with grease and dark stains whether they are on your leather shoes or leather car seats.
Removing Grease and Oil Stains using a Homemade Leather Stain Remover
Grease and oil stains are the most significant pain to get out of a leather couch, leather clothing, or any other type of clothes. However, getting a stain out of leather furniture or clothing is easy if it’s been well-polished. Just make sure that the second you see the stain on the leather surface, you immediately find a soft cloth and gently wipe the area.
An old leather stain cannot be fixed using this technique. Instead, if you’ve spotted an old grease or oil stain, grab a soft cloth and soak it in vinegar. To get grease out of leather, be soft and gentle when rubbing the leather surface. Rub in the direction of the grain for a better chance at getting the stain out.
Take the two ingredients and mix them until they form a paste. Grab a microfiber cloth, apply the paste, and rub it gently over the leather that’s been stained to remove grease from leather boots, shoes, clothing, and gear.
Sop up as much grease as possible with a paper towel or clean cloth. Liberally sprinkle an absorbent on the stain. Baking soda, baby powder, and cornstarch all work well for this task.
Wait a bit and then brush or vacuum off the residue. Treat the stain with Dawn and scrub it into the stain. Wash as usual. Check the spot before drying in the dryer to be sure that it is gone. You may need to do a repeat treatment.
Removing Ink Stains from Leather
Ink stains are hard to remove from any material, including leather. However, a DIY leather cleaner is bound to get stains out of leather a lot quicker than store-bought products.
This cleaning solution for ink will also work to get nail polish off of leather. The color in nail polish can often set into leather, so this rubbing alcohol cleaning solution will expertly clean the stain away.
To start, soak a cotton swab in rubbing alcohol and gently dab the area in a circular motion to best clean leather. Dry the entire surface and see if the stain is still present. If the stain is still visible, apply a layer of acetone as a cleaning solution and leave it on overnight. The next morning, wipe the acetone off with a damp cloth.
Dark Stains on Leather
If the leather is dark, you may not be able to see these stains all that well. However, if the leather is light, the blemishes on the material will pop out at you. For instance, dark stains from leather shoes will end up look trashy.
These dark stains will make you want to throw the ‘old things’ out. Don’t do that; instead, learn how to remove stains from leather using a homemade cleaning agent.
Home remedies for dark stain removal are simple. Start by mixing equal parts of lemon juice and cream of tartar. Apply the leather conditioner to the surface and let it sit for approximately 15 minutes.
If the stain persists, reapply and leave the leather cleaner on for another ten minutes. Then, use a damp sponge or a microfiber cloth soaked in water and mild detergent to wipe down the area.
Stains on Dark Leather
Stains on light leather are more visible than stains on dark leather; this does not make either stain a joy to clean. For instance, most car interiors contain black leather, and stains are still likely to occur on these surfaces.
Apply a moisturizing soap to a soft cloth and gently rub around the dark stained areas when cleaning leather.
Don’t apply too much water, especially when using this solution as a car seat cleaner, as you don’t want to be limited when sitting in your car. Once the stain is gone, try not to wipe the area with water too often, as this could produce water stains.
Mix the two ingredients and pour the solution into a spray bottle. Lightly spray the stained areas and gently rub off the liquid.
Products You Shouldn’t Use to Clean Leather
There are products for leather cleaning that you shouldn’t use to remove stains from leather shoes or to clean a Coach® purse, especially if it’s soft leather or suede.
First, you should read your leather care instructions to be aware of what solutions you can and cannot apply to your leather. In the grand scheme of things, you should try to avoid using abrasive brushes, ammonia, excess water, and bleach products when cleaning your leather surfaces. Almost all care instructions will state this.
Not using these products will ensure your leather is in excellent condition, as the material is very sensitive to products with a lot of chemicals in them. If you do use any of these products, your leather is likely to crack, split, or fade fast.
Instead of using products like saddle soap and talcum powder to spot test all leather surfaces, use our tips and tricks and learn how to remove stains from leather. Most of our suggestions to remove leather stains involve ingredients from around the house. If they aren’t around, you’ll be able to purchase them at an affordable price.
We hope you like our leather stain removing tips. Please share these leather cleaning ideas on Facebook or Pinterest with your friends and family.