Fat or oil is the worst. Grease spills on your favorite jacket, purse, or leather furniture look very dirty and seem insurmountable. However, there are several cleaning methods that can be done at the right time and with the right ingredients. You can quickly and effectively make leather goods shine again with homemade cleaning agents. Take a look at Step 1 below for more detailed information.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Quick Cleaning
Step 1. Prepare the necessary materials
If you just spilled a little butter on your boots, or your couch got lard, you should act immediately. If you act fast enough, to clean an item of leather you will only need:
- A sheet of microfiber cloth
- Talc powder
Step 2. Use a cloth to dab as much fat as possible
Gently blot the grease stains, trying to absorb as much fat as possible in the shortest possible time. The difficulty in cleaning leather goods is because leather tends to absorb liquids, especially fats. The fat that has been absorbed makes it difficult to clean.
Avoid rubbing the leather. Rubbing can damage the delicate grains on the skin and make blemishes worse. Absorb gently and use a lint-free type of microfiber cloth
Step 3. Look for the grain-which creates the texture-in the leather
Like wood, leather also has a texture direction. You will have more success using any cleanser if you apply it along the direction of the texture, as opposed to crosswise. In other words, every time you rub or absorb leather, you need to do so in the direction of the grain/texture.
If you're having a hard time finding the grain, try to start cleaning the stain from the "outside" inward. This way you will at least be able to shrink the stain
Step 4. Sprinkle talcum powder on the stain
Use regular baby powder to absorb the oil/fat. Apply the use of loose powder liberally. The powder will really work on pulling the fat off without damaging the leather because it's more absorbent than leather, as long as you handle it in time.
Leave the baby powder on the stain overnight, or at least a few hours for it to react
Step 5. Gently brush the talcum powder off the leather item
Using a piece of cloth, remove the talcum powder from the stain. Being careful not to rub the powder back into the skin, lift/pull the fat outwards.
Method 2 of 3: Using Liquid Laundry Soap
Step 1. Prepare the necessary materials
One way to remove grease from smaller items that are really very effective is to use a small amount of dish soap and distilled water to create a lather and clean the leather item. You will need two clean microfiber cloths, soap and water. Consider using a spray bottle to make the job easier.
Step 2. Use laundry soap
Dip a piece of cloth in liquid laundry soap. Rub the test area with the cloth, treat the grain/texture of the skin gently.
Step 3. Soak the leather item in distilled water
Use your clean finger to rub the test area until it produces a soft lather. Add more water as needed to clean the stain.
Step 4. Use a clean cloth to suck it dry
Allow the leather item to dry completely before you attempt to clean it again. Before the stain is significantly reduced or completely gone, you may want to try some other cleaning agent. Give the item time to dry before you attempt to clean it again.
Method 3 of 3: Using Homemade Cleaning Solution
Step 1. Prepare the necessary materials
To make your own simple and effective cleaning solution, you only need a few basic ingredients used to make a loaf of bread:
- 3/8 cup distilled water
- 1/8 cup sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon bread flour
- 1 tablespoon of baking soda
Step 2. Mix all ingredients in a bowl
Use a spoon or fork, and make a paste of the salt, flour, and baking soda mixture. This paste is very effective at gently removing grease stains from the skin without affecting the grain of the skin on the stained area.
Alternatively, you can try other mixes
Step 3. Perform the test on a small area
Look for less visible areas of the item to be cleaned to test your chosen cleaning agent. No matter how your leather item is dyed, different types of cleaners can affect the color. So choose a separate small section to do the testing.
Step 4. Dip a cloth into the slurry-like mixture and apply it on the test area
Use a small amount of the mixture on the cloth and apply it very gently. You need to use the same basic principles as the quick cleaning method, apply gently and let the cleaner react. Don't make the stain worse by scrubbing.
Step 5. Pat it with another cloth to dry the area
Do this gently and allow the area to dry completely before you attempt to clean it again. It may take a few ways to completely clean the stain, or shrink it better, but give the leather item some time to recover, before you clean it again.
Step 6. Try some alternatives
There are many different types of cleaning solution recipes that are used with varying degrees of success. Try a few different recipes if you're not getting as clean as you'd like. Use the same basic method for cleansing, but try different combinations of the natural ingredients you have. Several people have reported successful use of the following ingredients:
- Equal amounts of water and white vinegar
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Equal amounts of lemon juice and cream of tartar
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One part vinegar to two parts linseed oil
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Ingredients
- A fabric of the same color as the stained material, with two additional fabrics
- Spray bottle for Solution B
- Patience
Homemade Cleaning Paste
- 1/2 cup brine (3/8 cup distilled water and 1/8 pure sea salt)
- 1/2 teaspoon of sifted bread flour
- 1 tablespoon of baking soda
How to Clean with Soap
- Gentle liquid soap (choose the appropriate brand)
- Distilled water in a spray bottle
Tips
- At first, grease stains may look really bad, but all blemishes tend to go away on their own as they are absorbed by the skin.
- Cleaning will not work on aniline leather (aniline - a natural leather type without coating). For this type of skin cleansing to be successful, you will need a special grease-cleaning product.
- There will always be more grease stains on the back of the skin than you can see on the front
- If you have colored leather (pigmented/dye coated), a good foam water based leather cleaner (LTT brand) should solve the problem as it will remove any residue from the leather's surface.
- Using a good leather guard made of chemicals containing phosphorus will make it easier to clean the leather because it will absorb oil and dirt.
