Leather Care & Repair Specialists

Saturday 30th August 2008

How do I remove greasy hair and hand marks from leather chairs?

Our cleaning guru, Stephanie Zia, says, 'For light grease marks dissolve one part washing-up liquid in five parts lukewarm water. Dab with the solution, don't over-wet, leave for a few minutes and wipe off. Always test for colourfastness on a hidden area of the chair first and use a weaker solution if necessary.

'As the hair marks have probably been worn in over time, a leather furniture degreaser may be the only answer for these. Leather Degreaser (£15, from Furniture Clinic, 0191- 482 6112, furnitureclinic.co.uk) is a thick paste that draws out oil and grease stains from all types of leather except suede and nubuck. It is recommended for head grease marks, patches on the armrests, cooking oil, air freshener and food spills. Clean the leather first with a damp cloth dipped in a little glycerine soap. Apply the paste with a paintbrush and leave for about 30 minutes. Once it's completely dry, vacuum off the powder. Repeat if necessary.

'Be aware, however, that once the grease has been removed, the leather may need recolouring. If you do have to recolour, Furniture Clinic has an enormous database of shades and can match virtually any one you want. Its kits are designed for public use and it provides full instructions, including where to cut a sample piece to send for colour matching if necessary.

RELEVANT LINKS

Leather Degreaser - furnitureclinic.co.uk/LeatherDegreaser

Colour Charts pre-mixed colours for furniture & car interior