We all have that favorite and unique garment in the closet, the one with which we feel unique and with a unique style. Mine is a beautiful, elegant and authentic leather jacket. However, despite being chemically prepared and manufactured to be flexible, robust and not to be damaged over time, it is no secret to anyone that the cleaning and maintenance of this material requires special care to avoid losing its original appearance.
Regardless of the leather surface you want to clean, be it the sofa upholstery, car seat, shoes, bags, or an item of clothing, it is vital to learn how to take care of it to maintain its natural texture and shine for a long time. In this article we tell you What clean leather correctly with a homemade, effective, safe and simple trick. You won’t want to use any other method!
How to Clean Leather Correctly: 5 Steps
Leather is a material made from the skin of a wide variety of animals, including: sheep, goats and cattlehowever, generally the cleaning method is very similar, too bad that when I had my first leather garments I did not have the knowledge that I have now, and I did not know an essential piece of information that I will reveal to you: leather is not washed, it is cleaned.
Therefore, regular maintenance is the basis so that your belongings made of leather have a very long useful life. A slight neglect will cause it to dehydrate, lose its characteristic shine, get dirty faster and worst of all: a nauseating smell will fall on it. So pay attention and follow these steps to clean stained leather fast and easy:
- Eliminate the layer of dust: First of all, vacuum or wipe with a soft cloth to remove all surface dust and dirt. This will prevent it from staining when moistened and being more difficult to remove. This applies to leather upholstery, car seats, shoes or clothing.
- Create a solution with household products to clean leather: Natural allies are the best option, since they are harmless and quite affordable. To prepare it you must mix 100 ml of distilled water with the same amount of apple cider vinegaray shake well so that both liquids are integrated. Remember that pure vinegar can damage leather.
- Clean with this cleaning solution: Moisten a microfiber cloth and rub the surface with it. Gently massage until you feel the vinegar take effect and stubborn dirt comes off. In addition to cleaning and removing tough grime, it will disinfect the area and neutralize unpleasant odors.
- Let dry: Once clean and disinfected, pass another dry cloth over the leather and let it dry completely in the open air, but in the shade. Never leave it directly in the sun, as it will be very aggressive and will damage the skin.
- polish the leather: If you want to polish and beautify dull leather, do it with general purpose beeswax. You just have to heat the wax a little without letting it become liquid and add a few drops of essential oil of the aroma of your choice (my favorite is coconut). Dip a cloth in this mixture and gently massage the leather surface, remove the excess with another dry cloth, and watch how it shines!
We recommend that you perform this procedure in an area where there is enough ventilation and light for the leather to dry well and the humidity does not play havoc. Don’t forget that liquid or grease stains should be treated immediately, as the porous nature of leather tends to absorb and stain quickly.
