Proper cleaning is necessary to restore leather or vinyl. Cleaning may not remove stains, but a new finish (leather paint) will hide them.
A solvent like alcohol or lacquer thinner is essential, as is testing for adhesion with painters’ tape.
First, determine if unworn areas absorb water. This indicates the type of finish and which cleaning products should be used. The video below demonstrates how to clean leather.
- 0:12 – Is the material absorbent?
- 0:51 – Use alcohol to clean leather and vinyl (including aniline, semi-aniline, top-grain, full-grain, and finished leather)
- 1:31 – Leather or vinyl that repel liquids must also be cleaned with a mild all-purpose cleaner like our Flite®
- 2:28 – Test for adhesion with painters’ tape
- 3:16 – How to deglaze a waxed finish
How to Clean Absorbent Leather
How to Clean Non-Absorbent Leather or Vinyl
Need a Deglazer or Dewaxer?
What About Oil, Ink, Mold, Pet Stains?
Cleaning Absorbent Aniline or Semi-Aniline Leather
- Use denatured or rubbing alcohol. If changing color, use lacquer thinner. Pour the solvent onto a rag, not the surface.
- Wipe the surface in smooth, fast strokes. The leather may temporarily darken. Take care not to chafe or abrade any worn, suede-exposed areas.
- Allow to dry.
- Test for adhesion by applying a piece of masking or painters’ tape to the cleaned surface. ‘Scrub’ the tape onto the surface with a nail.
- If the tape sticks well and does not curl up at the corners, proceed.
- If tape does not stick well or if you experience issues with color adhesion, try deglazing with a more aggressive solvent.
Cleaning Non-Absorbent Leather or Vinyl
- Start with a mild all-purpose cleaner like our Flite® on non-absorbent or unworn areas. If changing color, use a toothbrush or nailbrush to clean the deeper lines of the grain. Do not use other leather cleaners, anything caustic or antibacterial.
- Allow to dry.
- Follow with denatured or rubbing alcohol on all areas, including any absorbent spots. Lacquer thinner is recommended if changing color. Pour the solvent onto a rag, not the surface itself.
- Wipe the surface in smooth, fast strokes.
- Allow to dry.
- Test for adhesion. Apply a piece of masking or painters’ tape to the cleaned surface. ‘Scrub’ the tape onto the surface with a nail.
- If the tape sticks well and is not curling up at the corners, proceed.
- If tape does not stick well or if you experience issues with color adhesion, try deglazing with a more aggressive solvent.
Need a More Aggressive Leather Deglazer or Dewaxer?
Lacquer Thinner is our first go-to. We used it for years to prep all our leather and vinyl, as it will remove grease, adhesive or wax where alcohol does not.
Acetone is the most aggressive solvent and should be used with caution. It will soften and remove most finishes to varying degrees. It rarely darkens absorbent leathers but can bleach them. It can be very effective in neutralizing silicone treatments (Armor-All®, Son-of-a-Gun®) as well as Scotch-Guard® type treatments on finished leathers prior to repair. It evaporates very quickly.
d-Limonene is a milder solvent with low toxicity that is primarily used as a degreaser and can be effective in removing waxy residue. It is better suited to non-absorbent leathers, as it may darken absorbent leathers. It is fairly safe on most finishes but can be mixed with alcohols to increase chemical aggressiveness. It is slow to evaporate.
- Test in a small, inconspicuous area.
- Pour the solvent onto your rag, not the surface itself.
- Wipe the surface in smooth, fast strokes.
- Allow to dry.
- Perform the tape test to check for adhesion.
- Repeat steps 2-5 as necessary.
What About Ink, Oil Stains, Vomit?
Learn more about pre-treating:
I have used Angelus leather paint on my sofa in the past..it was a burgundy leather. ..I dyed it beige. I like the beige but it was scuffed and chipped in moving. I would like to dye it (leather paint, I suppose) again but I think it should be deglazed or sanded before attempting a lighter beige . Is it possible to remove the painted finish before proceeding with a new finish?
“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Where attention is needed, try a solvent. See the second scenario about flaking finishes here for instructions.
OK so I am a little confused as to where to begin. I have leather furniture which I really have not done anything with as far as conditioning and it is 15 yrs old. I like the color but it has cat scratches on it and it could use a makeover. How do I begin? I watched your cat scratch video and I have none that deep but alot of lighter ones where she would jump up. Can you tell me what I need to do to get started? I did see a couple of colors which are close to my color. Thanks!
If the scratches can be felt, they need repair. Otherwise color will correct them. We suggest looking at customer reviews of each of our colors and then ordering swatches. Alternatively, you can send a sample and pay a fee for help matching a color.
can I use Flite as sealant after painting the leather sofa with your Rub and restore colour product ?
No, Flite is a cleaner, not a sealer. We recommend our Clear Prep+Finish.
Thank you can I buy Clear Prep+ Finish in Australia?
I prepared my sofa as folow:
cleaning with a rubbing spirit and then used flite.
let it dry and used 2 coats of a filler for scratches let it dry for 2 days
and then used sanding paper to to prepare for painting the colour.
But on the smooth surface the filler formed a thin film and started to peal while sanding what have I done wrong.
Here is troubleshooting for leather filler. Clear Prep+Finish™ is only available through our website. It’s not necessary unless a more lustrous finish is desired or if you are working with a red color. Try dry buffing the color with a rag to polish.
If I decide to use a brush to paint my sofa what type/kind of brush has the best results?
We recommend a sponge. A brush may lay it on too thickly, doesn’t massage the color in as well, and may also leave lines. We only recommend small angled artist brushes for ‘cutting in’ different colored panels, piping or stitching.
Is there a cleaner similar to Flite that I can buy at Walmart or Target?
Old school 409 degreaser diluted with water. We boycott Walmart due to their poor business practices.
Can I clean leather prior to painting with methylated spirits ?
Yes, methylated spirits is the same as denatured alcohol.
My project is an open/bow rider boat. The dashboard. The instrument panel itself is very worn but I’m not sure if it is made of vinyl or a very hard plastic mold. If it is the latter, can I restore this using your products? Thankyou
Plastics need a primer for the best results.
Hello,
I bought a West Elm chair on super clearance that was supposed to be a a beautiful marina blue and well, it’s purple and faded quickly. It’s described as poly leather but the tags read: new material, polyurethane foam pad 65%, resinator polyester, fiber batting 35%. I don’t see anywhere on the tags that actually say leather. Can I use the midnight blue Rub n Restore leather and vinyl finish?
Thanks for your time!
The tags sometimes only refer to the interior stuffing, not the outer material. You can usually trust the description online. If the material remains a mystery, you can either mail a swatch for us or gamble on a 2 oz. bottle and see if it adheres.
I have a 20 year old lazy-boy couch. The leather is tan buckskin. After time it has become soiled from food and head oils. Is this leather acceptable to your product. I also would like to turn the leather dark brown or even black if the soiled areas would hide better.
Sounds like an aniline or semi-aniline, which is the best quality and candidate for a color change, so long as the oil stain is not sticky nor resists a new finish. It’s usually less maintenance to restore to original, and the color will cover a darker stain with sufficient coats. Submit the evaluation if you want our professional assessment and tailored instructions.
Hello! What’s the best way to approach a tufted piece of furniture so that all the folds get stained uniformly?
Thanks in advance!
See here about recoloring or refinishing tufted leather. You can always find specific articles like this by searching the single keyword (like ‘tufted’) in the search bar of the FAQs or the site’s footer.
Thank you for the speedy reply!
See here about refinishing or recoloring tufted leather. You can always search for a keyword like “tuft” in the search bar of the FAQs to find specific articles like this.
I’m so confused! lol. I received my order and am at a loss as to where to start! I love the color of my sofa so I am not planning on recoloring it….only touching up the very worn areas where people sit…with sunscreen etc… (I know..) Anyway, so my sofa is leather and in the unworn areas it is not absorbent; however, in the worn areas, it is absorbent. I am questioning myself b/c I have ingested so much information I’m not sure what is what anymore!
As I said before I am just blending this, I have the colors, my struggle is where to start. Do I use 409 or alcohol? How long do I let it dry before applying the color? I purchased the clear prep & finish; when I’m done should I put the sealant on? How do I ensure that the color does not transfer to clothing when people sit on it? Ugh….help please!!
Use 409 on non-absorbent areas. Use alcohol on everything, even worn, absorbent areas. If these worn areas are chafed, shaggy, cracked, scaly or suede is exposed, consider repairing with filler. Otherwise, mix equal parts Clear Prep+Finish with color and apply to the worn, absorbent areas as a base-coat. Let dry. Gently sand any roughness with 320 grit. Continue with more finish. Color alone gets better coverage. Clear alone as a topcoat will dry very shiny, so you may want to stick with a glaze (mix of color and clear) throughout. If you need more help with your project, email photos of the damage.
I have forest green leather recliners. Are there any colors beside black that can be used to change the color? Buckskin?
Yes, Camel, Taupe, or Stone are all significantly lighter and would cover well. Please see here about changing color to ensure your recliners are good candidates.
when I prep the leather with rubbing alcohol the color came off. Should I clean until most of the original color is off before using the color restore product. will leaving some original color cause uneven or different look to the restored color? My sofa is light brown and I want to restore it to taupe.
Great question! If you were restoring the original brown, I’d say “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” But if you’re changing to a lighter taupe, may as well strip off whatever you can. It may prove to be a less dramatic change of color to the taupe and also wear better.
Can I use 90% Isopropyl alcohol to clean absorbent part of my sectional? I see that you are referring to either denatured alcohol or rubbing alcohol for cleaning. I cleaned the rest with your cleaner, but the leather on one part of the sectional is very worn out and based on what I read on your website alcohol will do a better job. Thank you for your help.
Yes, you want to use solvents only on absorbent areas. 70% or 90% alcohol have more water content. Denatured alcohol (pure ethanol) has none and is stronger. When changing color, we recommend stepping up to lacquer thinner.