To lift water and beverage stains from leather, reach for two simple household ingredients: distilled water and white vinegar. Milk is the exception and should be treated like urine and other pet stains with an enzyme cleaner.
Start with a 3:1 mixture of distilled water to white vinegar, stepping up to pure white vinegar if the stain resists. Using a soft toothbrush, gently scrub the perimeter of the stain and let the leather dry.
Any stain that lingers can be concealed with Rub 'n Restore® colors. If stubborn minerals migrate up through the new finish, more distilled water, and even light sanding, may be needed.
Any lingering stains can be concealed with Rub 'n Restore® colors. However, if stubborn mineral migrate through a new finish, more distilled water and even sanding may be the solution. See here.
Keep in mind that some water damage is permanent. If, after cleaning, you can still feel the silhouette or raised perimeter of the stain, or the area stays stiffer than the surrounding leather, the material has been etched. No amount of moisturizing, massaging, sanding, or refinishing will reverse it.
Would you follow up the vinegar/water spot cleaning with a full alcohol wipe down?
Yes, we recommend it if you’ll be doing any repairs or restoration.
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.
I have a water stained healing couch