Is Olive Oil Good For Faux Leather? 5 Must-Know Downsides

Is Olive Oil Good For Faux Leather?

As a faux leather aficionado, you want to keep your furniture, jackets, shoes, etc., looking their best. Although it is generally known that faux leather is easy to care for, it can be tricky when it comes to what you can and cannot use on them.

Today’s article discusses whether olive oil is good for faux leather and some important tips to remember when cleaning your faux leather products.

So, is olive oil really good for faux your faux leather goods? When it comes to caring for faux leather, the most important thing to remember is that it needs no conditioning or oiling.

Faux leather is a synthetic material with no fibers or pores that can absorb things like olive oil. This means that olive oil will actually sit on top of the faux leather, which can eventually lead to it becoming sticky and attracting dirt and dust.

Let me establish my stands and say emphatically, despite its gentle nature, olive oil is not good for faux leather. But this does not mean you cannot use it on your faux leather products.

In the rest of the article, I will delve deeper into the cons of using olive oil on faux leather and give you some tips on the best ways to care for your faux leather products.

Stay tuned for more interesting insights!

The Downsides of Using Olive Oil On Faux Leather

Here are a few reasons why you should not use olive oil on faux leather:

1. Olive Oil Will Make Your Faux Leather Sticky

One of the main reasons why oil or conditioners are applied to leather products is to nourish and condition their fibers.

For this to happen, the oil or conditioner will have to seep through the pores of the leather into the natural fibers of the leather.

However, because faux leather has no pores or fibers, the oil will just sit on top of it.

This can cause the surface of your faux leather surface to become sticky after a lot of the olive oil has evaporated.

We all know how difficult it is to get rid of sticky surfaces, and you certainly don’t want that on your beautiful faux leather products.

2. Olive Oil Will Attract Dust and Dirt

Once the olive oil sits on the surface of the leather without being properly absorbed, the oil residues that sit on the leather will begin to attract dirt and lint.

Before you know it, your once beautiful faux leather product will be covered in a layer of dust, dirt, or lint.

And it will be even more difficult to clean because the dirt and dust will now be stuck to the sticky surface of the faux leather, which can build up very quickly.

So if you want to avoid all of these problems, it is best not to use olive oil on your faux leather products.

3. It Can Get Transferred Onto Your Clothes

Another problem with using olive oil on faux leather is that it can easily get transferred onto your clothes.

So if you use olive oil on your faux leather seats, couch, or jacket, there is a chance that the oil will transfer onto your clothes when you sit on or wear them.

This can be very difficult to remove and can cause permanent stains on your clothes. If you are wearing light-colored clothing, the olive oil will definitely show up as stains.

And even if you’re wearing dark-colored clothing, the oil can still transfer onto your clothes and leave behind an oily residue.

Not only that, but olive oil can also transfer onto other materials and surfaces that come into contact with them.

So if you want to avoid all of these problems, it is best not to use olive oil on your faux leather products.

4. Olive Oil Makes The Leather Shiny

One of the main things that give away faux leather is sometimes the shine it comes with. Natural leather is known to have very little to moderate shine.

This gives it the luxurious look most manufacturers of faux leather are going for.

Faux leather, on the other hand, can be very shiny. And this is because of the chemicals used to create it.

So if you use olive oil on your faux leather products, it will only make them look more fake and cheap.

It will most likely give away the fact that it is not real leather if you’re trying for your faux leather goods to look like real leather.

So, if you are trying to avoid that, then you should definitely not use olive oil on your faux leather products.

5. Olive Oil Will Not Soften Faux Leather

Olive oil is not the way to go if you want to soften your faux leather products. As I mentioned earlier, faux leather has no natural fibers or pores for the oil to seep into and soften.

The oil will just sit on top of the surface of the faux leather and will not do anything to soften or condition it.

So, while most blogs may tell you using oils like olive and coconut oil will help soften your faux leather, it is best not to use them as they will not actually do anything.

If you want to soften your faux leather products, you should look into using PVC moisturizer or products specifically made for faux leather.

These products are designed to help soften and condition faux leather without damaging it. More on this later!

Best Alternatives to Olive Oil for Faux Leather

Now that we know all the reasons why you should not use olive oil on your faux leather products let’s talk about some of the best alternatives.

1. Damp Microfiber Cloth

As far as faux leather goes, all you need is a damp microfiber cloth to clean it. Doing this a few times in a day or week is all you need to give your faux leather items the pristine look and feel.

You can use the damp microfiber cloth to clean your faux leather products without worrying about any of the problems I mentioned earlier.

For tough stains and sticky residue, you can use mild dish soap or warm water to help remove the grime without damaging your faux leather goods.

You simply wipe the faux leather surface down with the damp cloth until it is clean.

If you want to disinfect your faux leather products, you can use diluted vinegar or alcohol. Just make sure to spot test an area first before using either of these on the entire surface.

2. PVC Moisturizer

PVC moisturizer is one of the best alternatives to olive oil for faux leather. This is because it is specifically designed to soften and “condition” faux leather without damaging it.

PVC moisturizers help keep your faux leather products looking new and clean. They also help protect your faux leather goods from cracking and drying out.

To use a PVC moisturizer, simply apply a small amount to a clean microfiber cloth and wipe it down on the surface of your faux leather product.

PVC moisturizers are usually clear or have a very light color, so you don’t have to worry about them staining your faux leather goods.

3. Leather And Vinyl Conditioners

Instead of using olive oil or any type of oil, you’re better off using a leather or vinyl conditioner on your faux leather products.

There are some leather conditioners that can be used on both real and faux leather. These are usually made with natural oils.

While these conditioners will not actually soften your faux leather, they can help give it a bit of shine and make it look healthier.

Some of the well-known products in this space are Leather Honey Leather Conditioner and Bick 4 Leather Conditioner

To use a leather conditioner on your faux leather goods, simply apply a small amount to a clean microfiber cloth and wipe it down on the surface of your product.

You can use these conditioners once or twice a month to help keep your faux leather products looking new.

Final Thoughts

That just wraps up my topic for today.

I hope this article has helped clear some things up for you. In short, the answer is no – olive oil is not good for faux leather.

Olive oil will not soften your faux leather products and can actually damage them. It is best to use damp microfiber cloths, PVC moisturizers, or leather and vinyl conditioners on your faux leather goods.

Kwabena

Hi! I’m Kwabena, the owner and founder of Favored Leather. I’m a huge Leathercraft enthusiast and I’ve been that for almost 13 years now. I'm excited to share my experiences and all the new stuff I learn each day about leather craft, leather cleaning & care, and everything in-between!

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