Leather is a luxurious and expensive material that should be treated with care. It’s important to clean leather regularly to remove dirt, dust, and other particles that can cause it to look dull and aged.
There are a lot of household items you can use to clean your leather items, but will coconut oil clean leather?
Generally, coconut oil will do a better job at conditioning leather than cleaning it. To treat leather using coconut oil, you need to first clean the leather with saddle soap, leather cleaner, or mild dish soap before applying a thin layer of coconut oil.
But there are certain instances where coconut oil will clean your leather items. You can use coconut oil to clean sticky residue and ink stains on natural, faux, or patent leather.
Below are the details of the instances where you will be able to use coconut oil to clean your leather surfaces.
1. Coconut Oil Can Clean Sticky Residue From Leather
If you have a leather item with sticky residue, you can use coconut oil to remove it. This includes sticker residue, tape residue, and any other type of sticky substance.
These types of residues are usually difficult to remove from leather due to their sticky nature.
But you can use coconut oil to loosen the residue and then wipe it away with a clean cloth. To remove sticky residue from leather;
- Step One: Apply a small amount of coconut oil to the affected area and rub it using circular motions.
- Step Two: Continue rubbing until the residue is loosened, and then wipe it away with a clean cloth.
- Step Three: Wipe the leather surface with a clean, dry cloth.
- Step Four: Let the leather air dry. Done!
You can also use it to remove gum from leather. Just place a small amount of coconut oil on the gum and wait for it to soften. Once the gum is soft, you can scrape it off with a butter knife.
2. Coconut Oil Can Remove Water Stains From Leather
Due to the porous nature of leather, it can sometimes get stained by water. This usually comes when you use hard water to clean your leather items or allow water to dry on the leather surface.
The truth is that water stains can be difficult to remove from leather. However, coconut oil can help remove these water stains from your leather.
- Step One: Apply a small amount of coconut oil to the stain and rub it in.
- Step Two: You want to rub until the water stain is lifted, faded, or saturated with the oil.
- Step Three: Wipe away any excess oil with a clean cloth.
- Step Four: Once the water stain is gone, apply the coconut oil to the entire surface of the leather so that you do not end up with a patch of lighter leather.
- Step Five: Leave the leather in a cool, dry place for it to air-dry.
You can also use this method to remove sweat stains from leather.
3. Coconut Oil Can Help Clean Patent Leather
Patent leather is a type of leather that has a smooth, shiny surface. It’s often used to make shoes, handbags, and other accessories.
While patent leather is more accessible to care for than other types of leather, dirt on patent leather is usually a lot more visible.
Fortunately, you can use coconut oil to clean your patent leather items and make them look new again.
The benefit of using coconut oil on leather is to clean it and enhance its glossy finish.
The best part is using coconut oil to clean patent leather is very simple; To clean patent leather with coconut oil;
- Step One: Pour a small amount of coconut oil on a clean cloth.
- Step Two: Gently rub the cloth over the patent leather surface in circular motions.
- Step Three: Continue until you’ve covered the entire surface.
- Step Four: Wipe away any excess oil with a clean, dry cloth.
- Step Five: Buff the surface of the leather with a clean, dry cloth.
- Step Six: Let the patent leather air dry.
4. Coconut Oil Cleans Ink Stains From Faux And Patent Leather
Faux leather and patent leather both have a plastic or synthetic finish and so when they get stained with ink, it can be very easy to remove with coconut oil.
This is also because patent and faux leather have a smooth and non-porous surface.
The best way to remove an ink stain from leather is to use a cotton ball soaked in coconut oil. Here are the steps you need to follow;
- Step One: Dampen a piece of cotton ball or microfiber cloth with coconut oil.
- Step Two: Begin to rub the ink stain with the dampened cotton ball or microfiber cloth. Make sure to use a quick back and forth motion and try to blot the ink stain as you go along.
- Step Three: Once the ink stain has been removed, use a dry clean cloth to wipe over the leather surface to remove any coconut oil residue.
- Step Four: Let the leather air dry completely before using it again.
Does Coconut Oil Ruin Leather?
Coconut oil is a natural product that will not damage or ruin your leather. In fact, it can actually help to protect, extend the lifespan of your leather goods, and as we have learned clean leather.
The main thing you want to be careful of when using coconut oil on leather is using too much. You only need to use a small amount of coconut oil to clean and condition your leather. Here are a few of the reasons why coconut oil does not ruin leather;
- Coconut Oil Nourishes And Moisturizes Leather
Coconut oil is a great natural moisturizer for leather. It helps keep the leather supple, and soft and prevents it from drying out and cracking. Using coconut oil on leather will also help to make it more resistant to stains and dirt.
- Coconut Oil Prevents Leather From Fading
Coconut oil can also help to protect your leather from the sun’s harmful UV rays. This will prevent your leather from fading and keep it looking new for longer.
- Coconut Oil Is A Natural Cleaner
As we have seen, coconut oil is a great natural cleaner for leather. It can help remove dirt, stains, and even ink from your leather without damaging it. You will stand to benefit from using coconut oil to clean your leather because it is gentle, natural, and effective.
- Coconut Oil Is Non-Greasy
Coconut oil is a non-greasy oil that will not ruin your leather. In fact, it can actually help to protect and extend the lifespan of your leather goods. You only need to use a small amount of coconut oil to clean and condition your leather.
- Coconut Oil Does Not Contain Any Harmful Chemicals
Coconut oil is a natural product that does not contain any harmful chemicals. This means it will not damage or ruin your leather. In fact, it can actually help to protect and extend the lifespan of your leather goods.
- Coconut Oil Restores Shine To Leather
Coconut oil can help to restore the shine to your leather. Meaning leather goods made from patent leather, faux leather, and other types of smooth leather would benefit from a bit of coconut oil.
Downsides To Using Coconut Oil To Clean Leather
The only downside to using coconut oil to clean leather is the smell. Not everyone is a fan of the coconut smell, and it can be quite strong. If you are not a fan of the coconut smell, then you may want to try another method to clean your leather.
But generally, the smell of coconut oil does not last long as it will dissipate over time. So if you can get past the smell, then using coconut oil to clean your leather is a great option.
Final Thoughts
Now that you know how beneficial coconut oil can be for cleaning and conditioning leather, you should use it to care for your leather goods. Be sure to test a small area first before using it on the entire piece of leather.