How to Clean Colored Leather

Doing a Basic Cleaning

Vacuum or shake off loose debris. Use a furniture attachment to remove all extra dirt and debris from your furniture. Be very gentle when vacuuming so you don’t scratch the leather. Brush dust and debris off of other leather items, like purses and gloves.

Make a basic cleaning solution with mild soap and water. Mix one part mild soap with eight parts distilled water. Use a mild liquid soap, baby soap, or a gentle facial cleanser. Avoid detergents. Pour the solution in a spray bottle to make the process easier if you like. You can also use commercial leather cleaner or cream. Use a little saddle soap for gloves and furniture instead of the soap and water solution. Avoid saddle soap with handbags.

Dampen a soft cloth with the solution. Spray a little cleanser on a soft cloth. Don’t saturate the cloth -- it only needs to be a little damp. Try a microfiber cloth for really gentle cleaning and to avoid lint.

Wipe the damp cloth with the grain of the leather. Don’t rub the soap and water into the leather. Also avoid applying the soap and water solution directly on the leather. Always use a cloth for wiping -- paper towels can disintegrate and get stuck in the leather.

Wipe off the soap. Very lightly dampen a clean microfiber cloth with plain distilled water. Use this to wipe off any residual soap and dirt. If you’re worried about your leather getting too wet, you can wipe the soap off with a clean, dry cloth.

Let it dry. Allow the leather to dry completely. You can accelerate the drying process by buffing the leather with a clean, dry cloth. Try stuffing a handbag with paper or cloths to help it retain its shape. Don’t put brightly colored leather in the sun to dry. This can fade the color of the leather.

Removing Spots and Stains

Address spills as soon as they occur. Blot up spills gently and quickly to avoid set-in stains. Use a clean, white cloth to wipe water-based (juice and other drinks) stains from your furniture. Also use a clean white cloth to wipe up oil-based stains like butter. Don’t use soap on these spills. Use the soap and distilled water cleaning procedure above for more stubborn stains.

Absorb grease with cornstarch. Completely cover a greasy stain with cornstarch until the stain is blanketed. You can also use talcum powder or baking soda. Let this sit on the leather until the cornstarch sets.

Clean off the cornstarch, talcum powder, or baking soda. After it sets, brush off any excess. Next, buff the area with a slightly damp clean cloth. Wipe the area completely with a dry, clean cloth and be sure it’s dry before using your leather. If the stain is very heavy, first wipe it off with a solution of mild soap and distilled water as described above. You can apply leather conditioner after this.

Use shoe polish. Find shoe polish in a color that exactly matches your leather. Rub a minute amount of polish into the stain using a soft cloth. Next, use a clean soft cloth to buff the leather where you applied the shoe polish. Be sure to use the shoe polish very sparingly so the color blends well with your leather.

Maintaining Colored Leather

Condition your leather. Rub a commercial leather moisturizer into the leather to condition it after cleaning. Alternatively, put a few drops of olive oil on a clean, dry microfiber cloth to buff and condition your leather. You can condition your leather every few months even if you’re not cleaning it.

Make your own leather conditioner for darker leather. Combine ½ cup (120 mL) of olive oil, ¼ cup (60 mL) of brewed tea, and ¼ cup (60 mL) of white vinegar in a spray bottle. Lightly spray this on your leather and let it sit for five minutes at the most. Wipe it off with a clean, dry cloth. A combination of ½ cup (120 mL) of olive oil and ¾ cup (180 mL) of white vinegar can also be used as a homemade leather conditioner.

Apply a protectant. Coat your leather with a sealant to protect it from water. Sealants will also protect your leather from the elements, like snow and ice. Use mink oil, shoe cream, or other leather polishing protectants to add a light layer of protection and to make your leather look shinier and cleaner.