Have you ever had to clean your pet poop, child poop, or poop your furry friend or child tracked onto your leather car seat? If so, then you know how difficult it can be. Leather is porous so it will retain poop stains and the smell will linger for days if not dealt with properly. This article will show you how to clean poop out of a leather car seat in very easy steps.
To clean poop out of leather car seat, first, you need to remove most of the poop using a plastic bag and then use a leather cleaner, or a solution of mild dish soap to clean any excess poop stains or residue from the leather car seat. You can use a mixture of mild dish soap and vinegar or a steam cleaner to remove any lingering poop smell from the leather car seat surface.
There are many different ways to remove poop from leather car seats, but in this article, I will focus on some of the common home remedies and the easiest methods.
Removing The Poop Itself From The Leather Car Seat
When the poop incidence occurs, one of the very first things you need to do is to remove any excess poop from the leather car seat.
This could be tough, especially if it is diarrhea or soft poop, but there are some methods you can use to remove the bulk of the poop.
Here is a list of things you can easily use for this;
- Plastic bag,
- Paper Towel,
- Brown Paper Bag, or
- Dry Cloth
The best way to remove most of the poop or feces is with a plastic bag but you can also use paper towels or dry cloth. However, if you don’t have any of those items, then you should use brown paper bags for this task instead.
1. Using Plastic Bag (For Solid Poop)
This is in fact the easiest way to lift off or pick up the poop if it is solid and here’s how to go about it;
Step 1:
- Wear the plastic bag inside out on your hand.
Step 2:
- Place your hand over the poop and scoop up as much poop as you can.
Step 3:
- When you have removed as much poop as possible, then turn the plastic bag inside out and tie it off.
- If a lot is dry, then you can use a paper towel to grab it.
- Also if there is any poop residue left that you cannot pick up grab some paper towels and wipe any excess fecal residue.
Step 4:
- Throw the poop bag in the trash can or dump it down a toilet.
- This method is good for leather car seats and is not only the easiest method but also one of the most effective ways of removing solid poop from leather car seats before cleaning.
2. Using Paper Towels (For Watery Stool)
If the poop on the other hand is soft or liquid, then you should use paper towels to remove most of the poop. You would want to remove most of the poop immediately if the poop is watery. Here is how you go about this;
Step 1:
Use paper towels to blot up as much of the poop juice or liquid poop off the leather car seat.
Step 2:
Continue to use paper towels until most of the leather seat is without any of the poop.
How To Remove Poop Stains From The Leather Car Seat
When you finish removing most of the poop either with the plastic bag or paper towels, you can now move on to clean the leather car seat.
You would want to wash or clean to remove any poop stains that may be left behind. This will prevent the leather from staining, therefore, saving you leather car seat cleaning costs or leather car seat recoloring costs.
Here are some of the most common ways to remove leather car seat stains;
- Leather Cleaner
- Using Baking Soda
- Mild Dish Soap And Warm Water
- Hydrogen Peroxide
1. Using Baking Soda To Clean
Baking soda has great cleaning properties, and that is why it can be used to remove the poop stains from your leather.
Using baking soda is especially good if the poop situation you had was a liquid one. You will need something that can absorb or pull out the poop from the leather fibers. This is where the baking soda comes in. Baking soda has the ability to absorb moisture, making it ideal for removing dampness.
Note: Make sure you have removed or blotted most of the poop before cleaning.
Here’s how to use baking soda to clean poop from your leather car seats;
Step 1:
- Take some baking soda and dump it on the leather seat where the poop is.
- Make sure the baking soda covers the entire poop stains.
Step 2:
- Allow the baking soda to sit on the surface of the poop stains for about five minutes.
- Baking soda will absorb all the wet poop stains due to its moisture-absorbing properties.
Step 3:
- Take a damp sponge and use it to scrub the leather surface where you had dumped baking soda.
- Make sure you scrub the leather surface until it is clean.
Step 4:
- You can now wipe away any of the leftover baking soda.
2. Mild Dish Soap And Warm Water
If baking soda is not an option for you, then you should use mild dish soap and warm water.
Warm water is better for leather car seats as cold water may not be able to help agitate the stains enough for their safe and quick removal.
Here’s how to use dish soap and water to clean leather car seat poop stains;
Step 1:
- Put some warm water into a bowl and put some mild dish soap into the bowl as well.
Step 2:
- Take a sponge or cloth and dip it into the mild dish soap solution and wring it out.
Step 3:
- Wipe the leather car seat where the poop is using the sponge or cloth dipped in water.
- Continue to dip, rinse, wring, and wipe the surface of the leather car seat until there is no trace of poop on the leather.
- If you want to clean your leather car seat more effectively, then you should use a leather cleaning brush with soft bristles.
Step 4:
- Once the poop stains are gone, you can now replace the mild dish soap solution with clean warm water.
- Dampen your microfiber cloth with warm water and use it to wipe the leather until all soap residue is completely removed.
Stand by for the next step after I have told you about how to clean the poop from your leather car seats using hydrogen peroxide.
If you’re not interested click here to the next step on how to clean any lingering poop stains on your leather car seat.
3. Using Hydrogen Peroxide To Clean Poop Stains (For Faux Leather Car Seats)
You can use hydrogen peroxide to clean poop stains. This is another great alternative for leather car seat cleaning.
Hydrogen peroxide should only be used in faux leather or finished leather surfaces. You can buy hydrogen peroxide from any pharmacy or grocery store near you.
Hydrogen peroxide can potentially harm leather fibers, so if you plan on using it on natural leather, make sure to test it first on an inconspicuous part of the leather car seat before applying it to the surface of the leather car seat where the poop stain is.
Here’s how to use hydrogen peroxide to clean leather car seat;
Step 1:
- Make a paste of hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and 2-3 drops of dish soap.
Step 2:
- Use a towel or soft brush and scrub the leather car seat where the poop is using the hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and dish soap paste.
Step 3:
- Use a microfiber cloth dampened with warm water to wipe off the leather car seat where you had used hydrogen peroxide paste.
4. Using Leather Cleaner
Using specially formulated leather cleaners is the best way to remove poop stains from your leather car seats without any risk of damaging your leather car seats.
However, leather cleaner is not easily available in most homes. You would need to buy leather cleaner from your local leather store or leather car seat dealer and this would be quite expensive and might not even work very well.
But once you get it, you take away all the guesswork and you don’t need to use any household items like baking soda or dish liquid.
Important: Read the application instructions on the back of the leather cleaner bottle. Follow it exactly, leather cleaners are different and have different leather cleaning instructions too.
The best part of using leather cleaners such as saddle soap or the Leather Honey Leather Cleaner is that it can clean both the poop stains and remove any odors.
Meaning you will not have to look for an odor removing solutions like when you use other substances.
Removing The Poop Smell From Your Leather Car Seats
In most instances, the poop stains and smell will come right off the leather car seats but in some other instances, there might have a little or prominent poop smell lingering on your leather car seat. But done worry, there are a few ways to get rid of these smells once and for all. Such as;
- Baking Soda
- Mild Dish Soap And Warm Water
- Dish Soap And White Vinegar
- Steam Cleaner
1. How To Use Baking Soda To Remove Poop Smell From Leather Car Seat
Step 1:
- Take 1/2 cup of baking soda and sprinkle it directly on the leather car seat where you want to get rid of the poop smell.
Step 2:
- Spread the baking soda around so that it covers the leather car seat well. Leave it for about an hour or two before vacuuming up the leather car seat.
- This will help get rid of poop smell on leather car seats because baking soda is great for neutralizing smells and odors including those smells.
Step 3: (Optional)
- Spray leather cleaner on the leather car seat where you scrubbed with baking soda. You can also use leather cleaner for this step if you have some at home.
- This is because leather cleaners are formulated to remove stains and smells from leather car seats, so it’ll help get rid of poop odor too.
Step 4:
- Apply a leather conditioner on leather car seats to protect leather from getting dried out after cleaning.
2. How To Use Dish Soap And Warm Water To Remove Poop Odors From Leather Car Seats
Another thing you can use to battle poop smells from your leather car seats is dish soap and lukewarm water. This is great because it is a common household item and does not cost much.
Step 1:
Take a clean damp cloth and dip it in dish soap and water mixture.
Step 2:
Then wipe the leather car seat where the poop smell persists to remove the leather poop smell from leather car seats.
Repeat the cleaning a few times until the leather car seat smells fresh.
Step 3:
Apply a leather conditioner to leave the leather car seat with a fresh leather smell and also restore flexibility to the leather.
Step 4:
Now leave the leather item to air dry. If you are in a hurry, you can use a leather dryer for this step.
3. How To Use Dish Soap And White Vinegar To Remove Poop Smell From Leather Car Seats
Another effective recipe for dealing with poop smells on the surface of the leather and other materials are combinations of dish soap, vinegar, and water.
It is an effective leather cleaner for poop smells and stains based on the leather cleaning properties of vinegar and dish soap.
Step 1:
Make a leather cleaning solution by adding a tablespoon of dish soap and vinegar to a cup of warm water.
Step 2:
Soak a clean cloth in the leather deodorizing solution and gently wipe the leather car seat where the poop smell is to remove the leather poop smell from leather car seats.
Repeat the wiping process a few more times and you will notice the leather car seat poop smell fading away.
Step 3:
Finally, you can wipe the leather surface with a leather conditioner or simply leave the leather car seat to air out.
The vinegar smell may linger on for a little while but should go away with a do or two.
4. How To Use Steam Cleaner To Remove Poop Smells From Leather Car Seats
The steam cleaner is another effective leather cleaner for poop smells. The way this works is by killing any microbes lingering on the leather car seat and causing smells and odors.
Steam cleaning your leather car seats can remove the leather poop smell from leather car seats without causing damage to the leather. The best part is it is a chemical-free way to deal with an odor situation on your leather car seats as it requires the use of only water, which is safe for leather.
Step 1:
- Set up the steam cleaner to start steaming leather car seats where poop smells are. Make sure the steam is adjusted to suit your leather.
- You do not want to damage leather car seats with excess water or heat.
- For added protection, put a lint-free towel between the leather car seats and the steamer.
Step 2:
- Run the steamer gently over the surface of the leather car seat to clean the poop smells.
Step 3:
- Wipe the surface of the leather car seat with a dry microfiber cloth and leave it to air-dry.
Step 4:
- Finally, apply leather conditioner to protect leather from drying out and restore flexibility.
Here Is A Comprehensive Video On How To Steam Clean Your Leather Car Seats
FAQs
Q: Can leather car seats get damaged if poop is not cleaned properly?
A.Yes, poop is usually acidic and when it is not cleaned properly it can lead leather car seats to weaken, peel off or even crack.
It is best to also clean the poop with the right cleaning solution or else this can cause the leather car seat to shrink, get discolored, stiff, and cracked if the wrong leather care products are used.
Q: How do you get diarrhea out of perforated leather seats?
A: You can use leather and upholstery cleaner to clean leather poop stains off perforated leather car seats easily.
Another option is to make a leather cleaning solution with dish soap and vinegar, soak a cloth in this leather cleaning solution and wipe the leather car seat with a leather cleaning solution.
Leave leather car seat to dry and you should notice leather starts to look clean. You can also wipe the leather car seats with a leather conditioner to protect leather car seat leather from drying out.