Leather care is really important for keeping your leather soft, supple and lasting a long time. In my previous post I discussed ways to prolong the lifespan of leather. Today, my post is about what products can harm or ruin leather. So, check out the list below to see 25 cleaning products that will ruin leather.
There are many oils, chemicals and cleaning products that will ruin or shorten the lifespan of leather. Hides can be torn, scratched, stretched, left in the sun, heated, burnt or covered in water. Generally, any alcohol, paint thinner, turpentine or petroleum based product will degrade leather.
The chemicals listed below are a summary of some of the most frequent products that people use for cleaning leather. These should never be used on Full grain or Top grain leather for cleaning or conditioning. Remember the number one rule: Always test a cleaning product on a spare piece of hide or on an area of the leather that won’t be seen. This way you can check to see if the product is harmful.
Will tanning agents influence what leather can be cleaned with.
Leather hide is made up of different layers and what kind of leather you are working with, will depend on how it reacts to certain chemicals. If the hide is chrome tanned or vegetable tanned will influence its reaction to chemicals, oils and cleaning agents. Tanning agents used during the tanning process vary greatly depending on what part of the world the leather comes from.
Will changing the PH of leather ruin it.
The PH of leather is ideally between 4.5 and 5.5. Values from 1- 6 are considered acidic. 7 is considered neutral. Normal drinking water’s PH can range from 6 to 8.5 depending on its hardness. Distilled water is generally 7. Values from 8-14 are more alkaline. To give you some idea, Bleach has a PH of 12.5.
As leather ages it will dry out (if not cared for properly) and become hard and brittle. This is because the PH value has shifted to a more alkaline value causing the tannins and fat to leach out. This is not ideal. Many cleaning products and conditioners are alkaline based and are therefore not good for leather. Always check the PH of the conditioner you are using before applying it to leather. Let’s take a look at the list below to see what products can ruin leather.
25 Cleaning products and oils that will ruin leather
- Do not use pure lemon juice on leather as it can bleach leather.
- Do not use caustic soda (lye or sodium hydroxide) to clean leather.
- Do not use linseed oil in its raw form on leather.
- Do not use Windex on leather. Its ammonia based product which will harm leather.
- Do not use mineral oil on leather.
- Do not use ammonia on leather.
- Do not use gasoline to clean leather. The smell alone should be enough of a reason to avoid.
- Do not use chlorine to clean leather as it can damage its surface and extract leathers oils.
- Do not use silicone spray on leather.
- Do not clean leather with 100% vinegar. Do not use vinegar directly on leather. It should be diluted to 50% water and 50 % white wine vinegar. Some remedies also say that linseed should also be added to the solution.
- Don’t use hand sanitizer to clean leather as it contains alcohol.
- Do not use bleach to clean leather it will destroy leather hides and react with dyes.
- Do not use petroleum based products to clean leather as they damage leather and leather stitching and cause it to deteriorate
- Do not use furniture polish such as Pledge on leather.
- Do not use olive oil on leather as it will cause stains and the leather to deteriorate. The only oil you should use is Leather oil which is specially made for use on leather. Mink oil can also be used.
- Only use leather shoe polish on shoes. Do not apply it to bags or jackets as these are very different to the leather used on shoes.
- Do not use salt water on leather. If left to dry it will form crystals under the leather surface.
- You shouldn’t use tap water on leather as it can contain chlorine. Many people do recommend using distilled water on leather because it has none of these elements and has a neutral PH.
- Do not use Acetone based products on leather. Items such as nail polish remover contain acetone.
- Do not use alcohol on leather as it will damage it. There is however rubbing alcohol that you can use which will not harm leather.
- Do not use methylated spirits on leather. It is alcohol based
- Do not use turpentine on leather. Turpentine is not an alcohol but will still result in damage to leather.
- Do not use paint thinner on leather as it contains alcohol.
- Do not use lighter fluid for cleaning leather.
- Pet urine will stain leather and cause it to dry out and become brittle if not cleaned quickly.
Avoiding using any of these chemicals above will help prolong the life of leather. It is important to remember that leather needs to be conditioned at least once every 2 months to keep its natural PH. This will prevent it from drying out and becoming brittle.
If you would like to purchase a great leather conditioner, then please check out this link to Amazon for Leather Honey. its a tried and tested product made in the USA.
Conclusion
There you have it, 25 chemicals to avoid if you want to keep your leather in good condition. Hope you found the post useful. Please check out my other posts as well as this one on cleaning and repairing leather.