We all know that leather is a sturdy material. It can withstand the harshest treatment and still look good or even better after being through the wringer.
But we all worry about what’s lurking on our shoes, jackets, belts, and bags in between cleanings. How can you possibly disinfect your leather products while keeping them looking their best?
Clorox and Lysol wipes effectively disinfect leather items, but you will need to complete an extra step after wiping to avoid damaging your leather.
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Can Clorox or Lysol Wipes Be Used On Leather?
As a general rule, Clorox or Lysol wipes can be used on genuine leather, but the leather should be immediately treated with a conditioner to restore the moisture lost from the wipes. However, synthetic leather can be cleaned with Clorox or Lysol wipes without any additional treatment.
Clorox and Lysol wipes have a ton of ingredients, but when it comes to leather, there is one ingredient in those wipes that requires our attention. Alcohol!
Alcohol is in most of the disinfectants that we use. Some of the common alcohols include “isopropyl alcohol” or “ethyl alcohol.”
Let’s look at how alcohol affects different types of leather.
Genuine Leather
Alcohol is great at disinfecting, but it also removes oil and moisture from the surface of genuine leather products. The removal of oil and moisture causes the genuine leather surface to become dry, leading to cracks and splits in your leather product.
You can replace the lost moisture by applying a conditioner to the surface. But using alcohol on your leather and following it with a conditioner is something that should be done occasionally.
Leather watches develop foul-smelling odors for a ton of reasons. But you can eliminate the smell, by wiping it down with a disinfectant wipe. Additionally, disinfectant wipes are effective at cleaning the interior of leather gloves.
The constant changes in the moisture level of your leather products will cause them to break down at a faster pace. So I suggest limiting your use of Clorox or Lysol wipes on genuine leather.
Synthetic Leather
Faux Leather, pleather, PU Leather, and leatherette are common types of synthetic leather found in apparel, accessories, and vehicles. I have found the synthetic leathers are more resistant to alcohol due to their construction.
Synthetic leather is a fabric such a polyester with a polyurethane coating. The polyurethane coating is not porous like genuine leather. So the application of alcohol doesn’t have the same drying effect that it has on genuine leather.
You can wipe down your synthetic leather with a Clorox or Lysol wipe with little to no issue in most cases. I have been wiping my synthetic leather products for over six months, and I haven’t noticed any drying, cracking, or color changes.
Will Excessive Use of Clorox or Lysol Wipes Ruin Leather?
Excessive use of Clorox or Lysol wipes on any leather will cause a breakdown in the fibers and ultimately ruin the leather. Although synthetic leather is more resistant to disinfectant wipes, the leather can still break down from excessive alcohol exposure.
When applying alcohol to genuine leather, use a conditioner immediately to avoid cracks and splits. But people get germ happy and start disinfecting their leather pieces to death.
Listen, I get it.
We have just gone through a pandemic, and people want to be safe.
But the problem arises when people condition their leather pieces after using the Lysol wipes.
Well, you said we were supposed to condition our leather after using a conditioner. You’re right I did… And it is the correct thing to do. But Here is the problem.
You can over condition your leather. I wrote all about how applying too much conditioner leads to the premature breakdown of your leather products.
What Are Some Alcohol-Free Leather Disinfectants?
Vinegar
Acids can work as disinfectants, and if you have read any of my other articles, you know that I am big on using Greenwise cleaners.
Healthline also discusses the benefits of vinegar as a disinfectant.
Vinegar is a weak acid that can act as a disinfectant. Here is a quick recipe that I use for making a vinegar disinfectant solution.
Mix one cup of vinegar and three cups of distilled water. You can make more or less of the solution as long as you keep the ratio to one part vinegar and three parts distilled water.
Alcohol-Free Disinfectant Wipes
If you don’t want to make your own mixture, Babyganics has an alcohol wipe that works wonders. The wipes kill 99.9% of germs, and it provides some conditioning as well.