Mink oil has been used for years as a way of nourishing leather goods. It is commonly used on high-end natural leather purses, shoes, etc. But can you use mink oil on vegan, synthetic or faux leather?
Mink oil is safe for use on faux leather if you want to make your faux leather supple-feeling, shiny, more resistant to moisture, and give it a nice leathery smell. One of the main downsides, however, is that faux leather is non-porous so will take forever to absorb mink oil.
In the remaining parts of this article, I’m going to discuss the pros and cons of using mink oil on faux leather and share a few tips on how to use mink oil on faux leather. Keep reading to get the full scoop.
Pros Of Using Mink Oil On Faux Leather
To begin with, let’s try to understand all of the major benefits of using mink oil on faux leather.
1. Mink Oil Makes Faux Leather Water-Resistant
Mink oil is high in fat, which makes it good at waterproofing. It coats the surface of your faux leather to make it water-resistant.
This is a great solution for those who live in areas that receive lots of rain, or just want to protect their faux leather from getting dirty.
It is safe to say that most faux leather such as those made from polyurethane or polyvinyl chloride is generally water-resistant. However, using mink oil on them make them more resistant and protective.
You will notice that when you apply mink oil on faux leather goods such as faux leather purses, bags, etc, it will allow water splashes to bead on the surface of the faux leather without wetting the leather.
This benefit is important because mink oil prevents watermarks from appearing on your faux leather over time.
2. Mink Oil Makes Faux Leather Supple
Mink oil also has the added benefit of making your faux leather soft and supple.
Mink oil is made up of large amounts of fat, which makes it highly effective in softening and restoring leather.
Faux leather can often feel stiff because it is made from polymer plastic. The fat content in mink oil helps to restore this stiffness and make your faux leather supple.
The benefit of this is that it helps to break into faux leather goods that may be stiff due to age.
This is important because faux leather goods made supple are more comfortable and pleasing when used.
3. Puts A Nice Shine On Faux Leather
One of the reasons that mink oil is often used on high-end natural leather goods such as purses and shoes, is because it adds a nice shine to the leather.
Mink oil contains large amounts of fat, which makes it shiny when applied to high-quality natural leathers.
With this, the same can be said for mink oil on faux leather. Mink oil will also make your faux leather items shiny and beautiful – especially if that is the kind of look you are aiming to get.
But I also understand not everyone appreciates a shiny appearance on their leather clothing and bags. So make sure to use a minimal amount when you want a nice shine.
4. Mink Oil Takes Away The Chemical Smell Of Faux Leather
Another benefit of using mink oil on faux leather is that it takes away the chemical smell.
Polyurethane and polyvinyl chloride, which are the main materials used to make faux leather, can smell rather strong.
This is due to their chemical components and manufacturing process. Luckily, mink oil can help with this.
When mink oil is applied to the surface of faux leather it masks these chemicals and masks their smell while still keeping the benefits of using it on faux leather.
5. Relatively Inexpensive
Mink oil is relatively inexpensive and a little goes a long way. A tub of mink oil at only a few dollars can last you a very long time.
You only need to apply mink oil on faux leather goods once every week or two, depending on how much you use your items.
It goes without saying that mink oil is definitely worth the investment.
Cons Of Using Mink Oil On Faux Leather
Now that we have discussed all of the benefits- let us talk about the negatives.
1. Faux Leather Is Not Absorbent
First and foremost, faux leather is not as absorbent as real leather is so when you apply mink oil on your faux leather items it will not get absorbed as quickly as it would on real leather.
This is due to the fact that faux leather is a non-porous material.
This can make the mink oil stay on top of your faux leather rather than penetrating into the material.
Any amount of mink oil you apply on the surface of faux leather will stay on the surface of the leather and chances are if you do not buff the leather surface after its application, the oil will get transferred onto other surfaces that come into contact with the leather.
This is important to keep in mind because if you do not buff off mink oil on faux leather it will make other surfaces more difficult to clean.
2. Attracts Dirt, Dust, and Debris
Because faux leather is non-porous and as a result, the mink oil you apply on it stays on the surface, it tends to attract dirt, dust, and any other debris that may come into contact with the leather.
This is important to keep in mind because it can make your faux leather look dirty.
It can also make it more difficult to clean because of the oil that is on top of the faux leather surface.
This is particularly a big problem on large surfaces such as furniture or couches, but it is something you might not be worried about when it comes to smaller faux leather items like handbags, shoes, or even clothing.
3. Not Cruelty-Free
As the name implies mink oil is made from the mink oil of minks. And if you did not know, minks are an animal that is often raised for their fur.
This means that mink oil is not cruelty-free. If you are someone who does not buy products made from animal materials, then this may not be the right product for you.
If this is something that bothers you, then there are other options on how to treat faux leather with oils and conditioners that do not involve the use of animal products.
How To Apply Mink Oil On Faux Leather
Now that you know how to use mink oil on faux leather, it is time to learn how you should apply the product.
Things Needed:
- Microfiber Cloth
- Mink Oil
Procedure:
Step 1:
- To begin with, be sure that the surface of your faux leather item is rid of any dust, debris, or dirt.
- You can use a dry microfiber cloth to clean the faux leather surface.
- You can use a microfiber cloth dampened with soap solution if you have stubborn stains or dirt on the surface of your faux or vegan leather item.
- Whatever be the case, make sure the surface of your leather item is completely clean before applying the mink oil onto it.
Step 2:
- Load a liberal amount of mink oil onto your microfiber cloth.
- Do not soak your microfiber cloth with too much mink oil.
- Put just enough to give the faux leather surface a thin layer.
- Do not over-saturate your faux or vegan leather item.
Step 3:
- Next, rub the mink oil into the surface of faux leather with your microfiber cloth.
- Make sure to work it into all of the hard-to-reach areas of the faux leather item.
- Again, do not apply too much mink oil at once. Although faux leather is non-porous, doing so can leave the faux leather surface very sticky.
- If necessary, wait for the oil to dry by the material before applying more.
Step 4:
- Lastly, buff off any excess mink oil with a clean cloth or towel.
- This will prevent the oil from transferring onto other surfaces.
It will also prevent the faux leather surface from being too shiny or having a sticky residue over its surface.
Step 5:
- Finally, leave the faux leather item to gradually air-dry before you put it to use.
Important Tips To Remember When Using Mink Oil On Faux Leather
- Make sure you do not have any other alternative before you use mink oil on faux leather.
- It’s best to use the right tools for the right materials in this case the right conditioner for the right kind of leather material.
- When using mink oil on faux leather, remember that a little goes a long way. So use as little as possible.
- You do not need to apply the product multiple times unless you want to have an intense scent of shine from the oil.
- Always buff the surface of the faux leather as soon as you’re done applying the mink oil to prevent it from getting transferred onto other surfaces or making the leather surface too shiny than you will actually want.
- Always allow your oiled faux leather surface to dry thoroughly before putting it to use.
- Never use a wet towel to buff off the surface as this can cause the faux leather surface to be cloudy or dull.
Final Thoughts
This article answered the question can you use mink oil on faux leather?
Mink oil can be used to treat any kind of material that is non-porous such as faux leather and vegan leather.
To use mink oil on faux or vegan leather, you can follow the steps mentioned in this article to make sure you are using the right materials for your faux leather item.
If you want to use mink oil on faux leather, make sure that you know exactly what the product is and how it works. Be sure to use mink oil sparingly and only when necessary.
I hope I was able to do justice to the question on the table. Thank you for sticking around!
