Are you looking for a way to thoroughly clean your leather before you prepare to dye it? We have researched this process and tested several different methods to come up with 3 choices for safely cleaning your leather.
Leather should be cleaned for dyeing by first using a mechanical process of brushing the surface with a brush composed of real horse hair. After completing the brushing process an acidic or basic solution should be applied to the leather surface to neutralize the remaining stains.
Many of the earlier instructional books and older leather crafters continue to suggest harsh methods for cleaning leather before its dyed. We believe there’s a better way…continue reading for the details.
Table of Contents
4 Recommend Ways to Clean Leather before dyeing
Loosen dirt and stains with a horse hair brush
Whenever you get a little bit of dirt on your skin what is the first thing that you do to clean it off? Brush it off right? The same thing should be done for leather. Simply brush it off and keep going.
But what kind of brush should I use?
I’m glad you asked! I have found that the best way to remove loose dirt from the leather is to use a brush made from real horse hair. The horse hair is stiff enough to break down stains and loosen dirt. But at the same time the horse hair brush is soft enough to not scratch up the leather.
And how should I use the brush?
Use a long sweep stroke to remove loose dirt. If you see a spot, use short small strokes that go with the grain and then use short small strokes against the grain.
This little trick could save you a lot of time and effort, but it’s something that’s often overlooked. I know most of us don’t think of a brush as a cleaner, but it really is the simplest cleaner.
A good brush can be picked up for less than $20.
Mix vinegar and water to remove metal stains
Vinegar scientifically known as acetic acid, has been safely used as a green wise cleaner for many years. It is highly acidic with a pH around 2.2. But there are two types of vinegar that can be used for cleaning leather.
White vinegar is a solution of water that is approximately 4 – 7% acetic acid. It is typically used as a green wise cleaner due to its antimicrobial properties. Apple cider is a little less acidic than white vinegar.
It is about 5 – 6% acetic acid mixed in water. Apple cider is used more for consumption in marinades. Both types of vinegar are pretty common and can be found in most local convenience or hardware stores.
Needed Materials
- Vinegar
- Leak proof container
- Sponge
Preparation
- Combine one part water and one part vinegar in a leak proof container
- Shake the container a few time to mix the solution
- Dip a sponge in the solution and lightly buff the stained area.
- Allow the spot to dry
- Repeat if the stain is still visible
Use lemon juice to remove metal stains
Lemons is another green wise leather cleaner. According to my research about 50% of the leather crafters preferred lemon juice as a cleaner.
They liked the fact that it was easy to get, it was cheap, and it didn’t have a strong odor. The solution was easy to make and one of the individuals stated that it removed black and grey metal stains from his veg tan leather.
Needed Materials
- Lemon Juice or lemon
- Leak proof container
- Cream of tartar
- Sponge
Solution Preparation
- Combine 1 part lemon juice and 1 part water in a leak proof container.
- Dip a sponge or cloth into the solution
- Wipe the stained areas and allow it to dry
Paste Preparation
- Alternative Solution Preparation
- Make a paste of lemon juice and cream of tartar in a 1:1 ratio
- Apply the paste on the spot and rub it into the leather
- Allow it to sit for 10 minutes.
- Wipe it clean
- Repeat the process if necessary
Use saddle soap to remove oil or grease
Saddle soap is a basic (alkaline) solution with a pH in the range of 9 – 10. Soaps for the most part have a basic (alkaline) nature. Soaps are great at doing what they are supposed to do….remove any oil on the surface.
But they don’t pick any particular oil. They attempt to remove all oils. This is why your skin feels dry when you get out of the shower. Some companies add extra oils to the soap to counter this.
The same thing happens when you use soap on leather. The soap removes oil stains on the surface but also the good oils within the leather causing it to become dry. In the process of removing unwanted oil from the surface
Saddle soap has a pH in the range of 9 – 10. Many saddle soaps have ingredients in them such as lanolin for hydration and beeswax which is used to seal and lock in moisture.
I have written a thorough report on using beeswax to burnish and seal the edges of your leather to prevent moisture loss. It can be found at Burnishing Leather With Beeswax (7 Steps for a Perfect Finish)
Saddle soap can be purchased in its solid form as a liquid from local stores or it can be conveniently ordered online.
Needed Materials
- Saddle Soap
- Sponge / Cloth
- Distilled Water
Preparation
- Combine a few drops of liquid saddle soap to create the solution
- Mix the solution until the the saddle soap is fully dissolved
- Dip a Clean cloth in the solution and use the cloth to scrub the leather
- Continue to scrub the surface until the surface is clean
- Dip a separate cloth in distilled water and wipe the soap off of the leather
Apply a leather conditioner of your choice. See…..for a full description of how to condition leather.
How to Choose the Best Cleaners
I’ve given you my recommendations for the best cleaners, but choosing the best cleaner is not always a clear cut answer. I’m going to share a little information with you about acids and base.
I promise I wont geek out on you. This is just a simple explanation to help you pick the best cleaner for your situation.
We use a scale to measure acids and bases. All chemicals fall somewhere withing the range of 0 – 14. This scale is called the pH scale.
“0” is the highest acid value.
“7” is in the middle and represent neutral or the balancing point.
“14” represents the highest base value.
Whenever we mix acids and bases things we get a balance mixture. We call this mixing neutralization and this is the key to cleaning.
An acidic stain is removed by balancing it out with a cleaner that is a base. A basic stain is removed by balancing it out with an acidic cleaner. Once you understand this you can pick the right cleaner.
Examples of Basic stains: Water spots, lime, rust, and metal marks
These stains should be cleaned with an acidic solution such as Vinegar or Lemon Juice
Examples of Acidic stains: Oils, grease, bacteria and molds.
These should be cleaned with a basic solutions such as Saddle Soap.
So the idea is to look at the type of stain that you have. If there are metal marks on the leather, then you will wan to use a vinegar or lemon juice compound. If you see dirt, grease or oil from your hands, use the Saddle Soap. And its really that simple.
Should Oxalic Acid be used to clean leather
As I was researching different types of acidic cleaners, I kept coming across Oxalic acid. I noticed that several experienced leather crafters kept suggesting it.
The name sounded familiar and it gave me a funny vibe so I decided to investigate it a little more. What I found was scary.
I’m going to summarize my findings, but the CDC and Fisher Scientific have published Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) listing all of the information.
I have attached both links for you to visit if you want a detailed explanation. Oxalic Acid CDC Information and Fisher Scientific MSDS Information
Oxalic acid is very difficult to find in the stores, but the crystals can be ordered online from Amazon.
The MSDS from Fisher Scientific lists some concerning information.
Symptoms: Irritation to the eyes, skin, and mucous membrane. You could possibly experience burning eyes, localized pain, cyanosis, shock, collapse, convulsions, or kidney damage.
And then there were respirator recommendations.
Most of the individuals from my survey that preferred Oxalic acid stated that they used disposable gloves and that they were very careful not to inhale the fumes.
Several indicated that the oxalic solution worked wonders for removing all types of stains. But some also complained of seeing unwanted dark spots on the leather after use.
Do you really want to take a chance with all of this? Why would you when you could get the same effect from using another acidic cleaner such as vinegar or lemon juice.
I only bring this up because I want to inform you of all of your options. I’ve noticed that the recommendation of oxalic acid as a leather cleaner was listed in several of the the older publications.
I’m sure they did not recognize all of the hazards, because I can’t seem to find it in newer publications.
Your safety is my concern. I strongly suggest that you avoid using oxalic acid as a leather cleaner unless you have the proper equipment and know what you are doing.
Should Acetone be used to clean leather
Acetone is the main ingredient used in deglazers. If you are unfamiliar with a degalzer it is a chemical used to remove the top coat of the leathers. The top coat is the protective finish that is applied after the dyeing process.
It creates a protective barrier making it difficult for dye to enter or leave the surface. This is great because it prevents dye from coming off of the item.
But since it’s such a protective barrier, it also prevents dye from getting in. Which means that it will be difficult to add new dye. That was the quick version of using deglazers, but more information can be found here.
In order to add dye you would need to use the deglazer to strip off that coat. So in my opinion, you should not need a deglazer to clean a natural piece of leather. Now if you are removing paint and top coats use acetone.
