Nowadays, artificial leather is an animal-friendly alternative to the original. However, to ensure that the material stays fresh and stain-free for a long time, proper care is crucial. We explain how you can clean dark and light faux leather and restore it to its former glory.
Cleaning white faux leather: How to get your couch and sofa clean again
Whether for living room furniture, clothing or shoes: artificial leather is a material that has a wide range of applications. Visually, artificial leather is in no way inferior to the original. Its only disadvantage: the material is very sensitive and requires gentle cleaning. Otherwise, discoloration can quickly occur.
Certain drinks, textile paints and ballpoint pens can also leave unsightly stains that penetrate deep into the porous material. It is therefore recommended, especially with white and light artificial leather,Stains and discolorationto be removed as quickly as possible. The quickest way to do this is with some home remedies.
Remove textile paints and ballpoint pens from artificial leather
Have your favorite jeans bruised or a ballpoint pen left marks? There are several home remedies that can be used to remove these. The rule of thumb is: the faster you treat the stains, the better results you will achieve! And a tip: first test the home remedy in an invisible area. This will ensure that there is no discoloration.
- Ballpoint pen strokescan be removed with baby wipes. Another variant is to mix gall soap with water in a ratio of 1 to 1 and wipe the lines with a soft cleaning cloth. Apply the home remedy in circular movements without applying pressure. Rubbing vigorously can damage the sensitive material.
- For particularly stubborn onesBallpoint pen stainson artificial leather, use medical alcohol from the pharmacy or lighter fluid. Dissolve this in water in a ratio of 1 to 2 and then fill the solution into a spray bottle. Don't just treat the stains, but also the entire piece of furniture. Otherwise the dirty area may become discolored.
- White wine vinegar and apple cider vinegar have proven effective at removingTextile paint stainsproven. Apply 1 to 3 tablespoons to the area and let the vinegar work for about 5 to 8 minutes. Then wipe the area with a damp cloth.
Clean yellowed faux leather: This is how your favorite jacket becomes sparkling white
Small yellow spots appear from contact with the skin (usually on the collar and sleeves). Large stains usually occur when the jacket comes into contact with other items of clothing in the closet. If the material is completely yellowed, this is usually due to sunlight. Strong sun rays can damage faux leather clothing.
Around theTo remove discoloration, you should wash the jacket by hand. Use a special detergent for leather or gall soap. Pour a little detergent onto a damp kitchen sponge and apply liberally to the garment. Then wipe the jacket with a damp cloth and allow it to dry.
Get dark faux leather beautiful again with liquid soap
Discolorations and stains on light artificial leather are noticeable. But dark leather can also become discolored. In this case, liquid soap or shampoo will help. Add a few dabs of soap to 1 liter of lukewarm water and wipe the faux leather. Then wipe again with a clean, well-moistened cleaning cloth. Then wipe dry with a clean, dry cleaning cloth.
Caring for artificial leather: Coconut oil makes the shoes shine
To ensure that the artificial leather shoes retain their shine, proper care is crucial. Coconut oil can help with shoes that are past their best. Proceed as follows:
- First clean your shoes.
- Then melt the coconut oil in a water bath
- Then coconut oilPlace on a clean cleaning cloth and rub into the shoes using circular movements without applying pressure.
- Let the oil work for about 5 minutes and then wipe the shoes with a dry cleaning cloth.
- The coconut oil can not only polish the shoes, but also seal the pores. This means that no rainwater can penetrate the shoes.
Also interesting:Remove scratches from leather: surfaces look like new – leather shoes, leather sofas, leather seats, etc.
If artificial leather smells unpleasant: baking soda can help
Artificial leather has a specific smell that not everyone likes. However, the material can also absorb other odors. Baking powder helps against this. Simply apply baking soda liberally. Use vacuum bags to seal the clothing airtight and let the baking soda sit overnight. The next morning, unpack the clothes and wipe them with a damp cloth. Furniture is simply sprinkled with baking soda. After 24 hours you can vacuum and wipe the piece of furniture.
