Best Leather Cleaner
Most people who have invested in a leather jacket, bag or couch, want to know what they need to do to extend its life. If you've recently bought a leather item, you'll probably not only want to extend its life because of its relatively high cost, but also because you're so fond of it. If you want your leather product to retain its beauty, you need to care for it, which includes cleaning and conditioning. Leather goods that are used on a regular basis, such as purses or seats, are exposed to a fair amount of wear and tear. It will get scuffed, pick up dirt and dust from the floor or any other surface and be exposed to hand oils and the elements of weather.
Leather that is soft and supple needs more care than 'hard' leather, because it has not gone through many layers in the treatment process. If this is the kind of leather you have invested in, you will need to use a good leather cleaner and conditioner on it. After all, it is much easier to spend time in leather cleaning and conditioning, than spending money to try to salvage it later.
How to Select the Best Cleaner for Leather Objects
Most people are aware of the fact that there is no such thing as an all-purpose leather cleaner. While selecting the best cleaner for leather handbags, jackets or any other product, you need to keep a few factors in mind.
- The best leather cleaner for car seats or rather for any leather item is the one that the manufacturer has recommended. Most products come with cleaning and maintenance instructions, but if yours did not, or you've lost them, check online. The manufacturers web site is sure to provide you with the information you need. It may also provide the facility to post questions, or it may provide a toll free number. Alternately, if it not too much of a hassle, go back to the store where you brought it from, and ask them to suggest a cleaning product.
- Another option is to get in touch with a cleaning service that specialize in cleaning leather products. They will be in the best position to tell you what product you should use on what item. They can also tell you what contents to look out for in the product you buy.
As mentioned before, the different types of leather need to be treated differently. Find out the kind of leather the item is made of and accordingly select a product. For example, pigmented top coated leathers, which are colored with a pigment (paint like) finish, and also have a clear sealer coat for protection, have a good resistance to fading or color loss so it needs comparatively less care. However, if the leather is the kind that does not have protective surface coating (nubuck-suede leathers), then you need to use a product that will provide one.
Other steps you can take to preserve your leather is to keep it out of direct sunlight. Also clean it regularly with a soft cloth or micro-fiber cloth, so that dust or grime does not accumulate on the surface. While using a leather cleaner, be sure to follow the instructions that come with it, and never leave the product on for longer than the recommended amount of time. Another aspect to keep in mind while cleaning leather is the condition the leather is in. If you find your leather beginning to crack, that means that the product you are using on it does not retain suppleness. The best leather cleaner in this case would be the one that provides conditioning and cleaning.
