Start by cleaning the leather or vinyl with a 3:1 mixture of water and white vinegar. Step up to pure white vinegar if necessary. Use a soft toothbrush to gently scrub the stains and mineral deposits. Allow absorbent leathers to completely dry. Milk, urine and other pet stains require different treatment, as do oil stains.
Any lingering stains can be concealed with Rub ‘n Restore® colors. Click here to learn about more removing stubborn mineral deposits, which may migrate through a new finish.
However, if after cleaning, you can still feel the silhouette or outer perimeter of the stain, if it remains stiffer than undamaged areas, the material has been irrevocably etched. No amount of colored refinishing, moisturizing or massaging can correct etching.
I have a water stained healing couch
I think I over-cleaned the seat cushion on a leather “Chair & a Half”. I used Farnham Leather New Easy-Polishing Glycerine Saddle Soap and the color is now a deeper Terracotta color. Will I be able to remove or lighten that with denatured alcohol? If not the denatured alcohol, what would you suggest?
Probably not. Worth a try, but the resulting discoloration may require a pigmented finish to conceal it. Saddle soaps are very alkaline and were designed to soften tough vegetable-tanned leather by breaking down the internal fiber bundles the hide, softening the saddle leather in the process. Saddle soap is a poor choice for thinner, more supple upholstery or automotive leather and may shorten its life-span as a result.