Ask Mrs. Clean: House Cleaning, Stain Removal and Organizing Tips

[Jayb]

My dining room chair seats are covered in leather. Oil was dribbled on one of them, leaving a few dark blotches . Am I doomed or is there someting I can do besides blotting which did nothing.

Jayb

[mrscleannw]

Hello Jayb and Welcome to Mrs. Clean's Forum!
Cornstarch, talcum powder, and fullers earth are all good stain absorbers. Just sprinkle some onto the oil spots, leave it for several hours and then dust or vacuum it up. You may need to repeat this process a few times.

Be sure to test in an inconspicuous spot before using on a larger area. If this does not work, you will have to seek professional help.
Good Luck and let me know how it turns out!

Mrs. Clean

[jayliber]

Hi Jayb,
At Seattle house cleaning, We remove that with special solution, but when i have some oil stains on my leather couch at home i do next: oil stains can be treated and successfully removed if you have the patience. Corn starch (or in a pinch, talcum powder) rubbed briskly into the stain with your fingers until the heat from the friction is felt. That heat loosens the oil and allows the corn starch to absorb the oil before the leather can. Vacuum or brush the powder off. Repeat until the stain is gone. This method rarely takes out any color but does take out the oil. Patience and persistence are the keys to success. Good luck! :wink:

[mold removal tampa]

Here are some easy steps that you can follow to remove stains from the leather....

=> Mildew stains. Mix 1 cup (8 fl oz/250 ml) rubbing alcohol with 1 cup (8 fl oz/250 ml) water. Moisten a cloth with the mixture and wipe the affected area. Leave to dry.

=> Ink stains. Spray the affected area with hairspray, then wipe it off with a clean cloth. Ink can be extremely difficult to remove, so you may need to consult a leather-cleaning professional.

=> Water stains. Allow a soaked leather garment to dry slowly and naturally. Keep the item away from heat sources, and restore its softness with a leather conditioner after it's dry. For soaked leather shoes, insert shoe trees and let air-dry.

=> Grease stains. Blot excess grease with a clean cloth. Sprinkle talcum powder or cornstarch on the affected area. Let sit for at least 4 hours, then wipe off the powder.

=> Protein (Blood, Urine) Stains. Blot excess moisture with a clean, damp cloth. Allow item to dry slowly, away from a heat source.

=> Gum. Rub with a plastic bag of ice cubes to harden the gum, and then pull off the gum. For any residual gum, heat the area with a hair dryer and rub off the gum with a clean cloth.

=> Salt Stains. Mix a solution of 3 parts vinegar to 1 part water. Moisten a cloth with the vinegar solution and dab on the affected area.

=> Discoloration. For leather garments, gloves and bags that are discolored, use a leather spray designed to restore color. These products are sold at shoe repair shops; choose the color that most closely matches.

[cleanway]

It all just depends on how old the stain is. If it's been quite old it might be tougher