Leather cleaning help?

welkin

Really Experienced
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Sep 1, 2010
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So I was browsing through this boutique and saw a cute leather jacket that looked great on me. The only problem is, there are some white blotches of paint? on one of the sleeves with a minor broken spot (see picture), and because of this, it's discounted to $90.

I am considering getting the jacket, but even though $90 is a super reasonable price for a leather jacket, the white spots are kinda obvious. :( Having never owned leather clothing before, I thought I'd come here for opinions first (since I'm sure there are lots of leather lovers here :)). Does anyone know if and how the blotches can be removed from the leather? Or if there are cleaners that can take this kind of request? How much would that cost me?

Thanks a million in advance!
 

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Call some professional cleaners who do leather, including minor repairs. Show them the damage and get their opinions worst-case price, assuming they can do the work if it's actually paint. Even if you buy some special cleaning products yourself, you may very well find the cleaning and repair could push the price above a pristine jacket.

Also, with the info on the cost of a pro repair in hand, you may be able to negotiate the price of the jacket down even more with the shop. They may be happy to take what they can get for it, especially this time of year (assuming you're north of the equator).
 
Bikers and horse people use Lexol cleaners and conditioners. You might call them and ask them about the paint issue. (Are you sure it's paint? In photo, it almost appears to be something else.)
Lexol has been in business for years. Neats Foot Oil was the standard for horsemen to keep their reins and saddles conditioned, now it is Lexol.
Here is the corporate website link: http://lexol.com/solution.aspx#
 
Thanks Erika and swtrthnhoney! I'm not sure if it's paint, so now I'm also having second thoughts. =\ I'll think hard about it and maybe drop by some leather store to ask for their opinion... but what you two said are definitely good things to keep in mind for the future! (Sigh... expensive stuff are all so high maintenance!)
 
I have a thin soft leather jacket that is starting to show small spots that might look like that if they were bigger. At first, I thought I had gotten something on it but it didn’t come out when I cleaned it. I do have other leathers that are more durable and have never seen this but this jacket is so soft that I think it is damage to the leather itself. It could possibly be fixed with dye but that is a lot of trouble for a jacket you have not invested in yet.

Another thing to consider and I know you didn’t mention it but if that jacket has any colored suede on it, a dry cleaner will not want to touch it and if they do, they will not guarantee the work because it will bleed.

I get more compliments from my 100 dollar Jaclyn smith genuine leather from k-mart than I have ever gotten from my Wilson Leather jackets. This past year, I didn’t like them very much but hoping for a new one next year. I wouldn’t consider them for riding if you are looking for a little bit of protection but for style, I would suggest you look around a bit, especially for your first buy. Buying leather that isn’t worth it, could turn you off to investing again and that would be a shame.
 
Thanks 4bidnfruit! I should shop around more then (whee! what girl doesn't like shopping :D). I didn't even think to check the regular department stores since I assumed leather to be super expensive, but good to know!
 
Really good leather stuff usually is very expensive. You might find a style you like, but you're not going to find quality at Kmart, Walmart, Target, etc. (the ONE exception I've found is shoes - Kmart sometimes has fairly good quality leather upper shoes at really good prices, if they're on sale, but that's the only thing I ever go there for). You *might* do OK at a discount department store that typically has higher end stuff (TJ Maxx, Marshalls, etc.), but you have to be really careful to find the gems among the junk, and you probably won't have much luck this time of year.

Is the damaged jacket you're considering used, or new? If it's new, it's curious the store accepted it from the wholesaler/manufacturer in the first place. The same goes for a return. If the damage happened in the store,they probably have some idea about what the white stuff is.

At any rate, it sounds like you're on the right track by shopping around more before you buy this, or any other, expensive jacket. :)
 
This thread reminded me I need to condition my leather jacket. It's only a couple years old, but there are a couple light scratches, and it could probably do with oiling. I'm extremely suspicious of products which don't say what's in them however. This usually means it contains plenty of undesirables, like dyes and perfumes. Even the MSDS contains no information at all.

Is pure neatsfoot oil good for jackets? Mine is similar to the one the linked here.
 
You might check out the Lexol brand of things. It leaves leather very soft and supple (or renourished). Not sure what is in it. I posted a thread earlier with link to company website. They have a cleaner and a conditioner. I use the cleaner only if my leathers are dirty.
Most motorcycle riders and horsepeople use it on their leathers, even their saddles and reins instead of neats foot oil.
The company will even send you a sample of their product (not sure if they charge for this - maybe shipping).
 
I once got white paint off a black leather attache case (it had been set too close to something recently painted and still a little tacky) with Avon's Skin-So-Soft lotion.

Left it on for a little while, wiped, about half came off, repeated until it was clean. It didn't harm the leather.

However that's more of an option of last resort. I'm not sure I'd recommend doing it on something you're planning to buy new, especially if you're not sure the stain is paint.
 
So I was browsing through this boutique and saw a cute leather jacket that looked great on me. The only problem is, there are some white blotches of paint? on one of the sleeves with a minor broken spot (see picture), and because of this, it's discounted to $90.

I am considering getting the jacket, but even though $90 is a super reasonable price for a leather jacket, the white spots are kinda obvious. :( Having never owned leather clothing before, I thought I'd come here for opinions first (since I'm sure there are lots of leather lovers here :)). Does anyone know if and how the blotches can be removed from the leather? Or if there are cleaners that can take this kind of request? How much would that cost me?

Thanks a million in advance!
I think by the time you make your decision about this leather jacket it will be sold to someone else.
 
This actually has the makings of a good thread, given how many people on here I suspect are into BD/SM and so forth. Leather to last has to be cared for (and I agree, cheap leather generally looks like cheap leather, better off for the price with some of the fake leather, it actually can look better), the difference with a leather skirt between a cheap one and a good quality lambs leather one in terms of look and quality is stunning.

We used to use neats foot oil on our baseball gloves, it worked a lot better then the commercial glove oils. Not sure how it would work on jackets, never tried that, I generally use saddle soap and found it works great. Also, some of the products they have for car leather interiors works pretty well, including armor all leather wipes:).

If you get paint on leather, it depends on the type of paint. If it is an oil based paint it is going to be a bitch to get off, latex paints would be easier (water based). If I had dried paint on leather, I would do what I have done with car interiors that got hit like that. I would use rubbing alcohol and soak a bit into a rag (do not pour it on the leather), and try rubbing the paint spot with it, generally a thin layer will come off, and keep repeating that, using very little alcohol each time, until the paint was gone, then I would use a leather treatment on the leather (alcohol tends to dry stuff out).

If you get paint on a leather garment, I doubt leather cleaning places will touch it, or if they do will prob do so without any guarantees.

Alcohol can also work on leather toys, to clean them, I would follow the same procedure (I know someone who used to recommend dousing them in alcohol, that is not a good idea). Disinfecting them is a different matter, that one takes specific knowledge, there are some good guides on the net I recall.
 
It would be a good idea also to try to identify which of the eleventeen dozen types of paint you're dealing with. Some remove quite easily but some are far tougher than any leather beneath them.
 
So I was browsing through this boutique and saw a cute leather jacket that looked great on me. The only problem is, there are some white blotches of paint? on one of the sleeves with a minor broken spot (see picture), and because of this, it's discounted to $90.

I am considering getting the jacket, but even though $90 is a super reasonable price for a leather jacket, the white spots are kinda obvious. :( Having never owned leather clothing before, I thought I'd come here for opinions first (since I'm sure there are lots of leather lovers here :)). Does anyone know if and how the blotches can be removed from the leather? Or if there are cleaners that can take this kind of request? How much would that cost me?

Thanks a million in advance!

Is leather finished or unfinished?

If water beads off it, then it is finished & has a layer of plastic coating on it (the plastic coating peeling off might be why one poster has problems with the elbows of a coat they mentioned)

Unfinished leather is softer, more supple, and does not bead water... if the jacket is laying flat, then water will sit or slightly run rather than bead off.

Most jackets are finished so they can endure at least small amounts of rain

If it is finished and the paint is latex, then the paint should peel up (although it might take your plastic finish with it)

If it is finished, then try 91% or higher Isopropyl Alcohol (found at Walmart)... Put the alcohol on a cotton cloth... dab it first & see if you pick up paint.... if that does not work, then lightly & gently rub it.... latex paint & and any grease marker (white or black) should come off easily

oil base paint could have worked itself into the finish, or the pores in the leather & could prove impossible to safely clean off (especially with dark dyes on leather)

leather, even finished, needs to be properly moisturized and nourished or it will dry out & crack

On dark leather, I use saddle soap (when necessary to clean) and mink oil (to help prevent water absorption)... these products will darken light colored leather products


Lots of experience with leather... saddles, bridles, as well as leather chaps, leather pants, leather skirts, shoes, purses, etc.............


EDIT TO ADD: I had to call mom & ask her what she uses on light colored leather (or to use on leathers that she does not want darkened... mink oil will darken.... I don't mind the darkening, but I use dark leathers to hide stains)

she said Neatsfoot... and said she uses: http://www.lexol.com/Product_neatsfoot.aspx


this is the same product recommended by at least one other poster in this thread
 
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