How do I clean & Remove a stain from leather furniture?

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I recently bought some leather furniture (second hand) it is in fairy good condition but is filled with dust and dirt as well as a stain on one of the cushions.

What method should I use to clean the furniture? What products should I buy and use? Is there a way to get a light stain off of the black leather?

Thanks

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  1. annieR says:
    July 4, 2009 at 2:57 pm

    Please do not use shoe polish on your leather as it will come off on your clothing and once used may make any correc repairs impossible due to silicones and waxes that are present in the shoe polish.

    A light stain could be any number of things and if it will not clean off (see below) then you may have to have the area recoloured. Have this professionally done and do not use DIY kits off the internet as these generally will not work and the results usually look dreadful.

    Using household products, cheap supermarket cleaners and ‘old wives’ remedies are very short sighted when it comes to cleaning and caring for leather and can become very costly in the long run as problems they generally cause will be costly to put right. (although it does keep people like ourselves busy as we rush round fixing problems caused by using the wrong things!!!)
    Firstly check the type of leather you have so that you understand the results that are possible:http://www.lttsolutions.net/whatkindofleather.asp

    You need to use a good quality water based foam leather cleaner. (LTT Leather Shampoo) With light coloured leather dye transfer from clothing can be a problem although using a good quality leather protector (LTT Leather Protect) will help inhibit this.

    For dye transfer (which can be a real problem on pale coloured leathers) and ingrained dirt you may need a much stronger cleaner like Strong Cleaner or Maxi Cleaner (this should be used with caution)

    DO NOT use anything containing oils, waxes or silicones. (Most ‘conditioners’ contain waxes or oils) and furniture polish (pledge) contains silicones which will eventually destroy the finish on the leather. Most car cleaners also contain oils or waxes so should not be used as they leave residues on the surface of the leather which attract more dirt which eventually leads to cracking.

    BABY WIPES are the worst thing you can use as they will destroy the finish on your leather. This has been verified and proved to be the case. They are actually a very strong product and this is why they break down the finish. Leather is not like skin and should not be treated as such.

    Saddle soap should never be usd on upholstery leather or garments it is meant for saddles which are very different from todays finished leathers.

    A lot of leather wipes contain chemicals which will also destroy the finish or leave residues on the leather which will damage it. They are not cheap in the long run as you would need a lot to clean. A bottle of foam cleaner should do your car about 3-4 times.

    Fairy liquid contains more salt these days to get dishes clean and this will break the finish down on your leather. This has been verified by the manufacturers (as with the baby wipes).

    Magic Erasers should not be used unless you are going to renew the finish on you r leather. We have tested these recently and they sand away the top finish on the leather.

    Lux flakes (although they used to be a good thing to use) now contain ingredients that will damage the finish on the leather and cause it to peel off like a skin (we have seen these happen hundreds of times at customers who have been ill advised by shops)

    You should also follow cleaning with a good water based leather protector which will act like a ‘scotchgard’ and inhibit dirt and stains from being absorbed and make cleaning easier the next time. Conditioners are totally unnecessary and only a product push by manufacturers.

    Dry leather needs rehydrating with water and oils and waxes should not be used as the natural oils do not dry out of leather. Wiping over with a damp cloth regularly will help to do this.

    It is important to maintain a regular cleaning regime cleaning dirt off the surface regularly and inhibiting the absorption of body oils into the leather with a protector is the best way of doing this. The only ‘moisturizer’ a leather needs is from water.

    The alternative is a brand new product on the market called Lazy Leather. This is the latest technology in cleaning and combines an effective cleaner with a protector. It is quick and easy to use and should be used as a maintenance product once your suite has been cleaned or fr
    Source(s):
    http://www.LTTsolutions.net

  2. MASTERGARDNER says:
    July 4, 2009 at 2:57 pm

    Leather is just skin. Use a mild soap and water solution to wipe it clean and try using black shoe polish to fade the light stain on the leather.

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