Hand sanitizer can be clear, or lightly colored. Hand sanitizer is used a lot nowadays and so a few spills here and there are quite common. Leather is a unique fabric that needs special care, and careful cleaning, and today I will explain if it’s possible to remove hand sanitizer stains from leather.
As a general rule, use isopropyl alcohol to remove hand sanitizer stains from leather. Apply a tiny amount using a cotton bud and rub it into the stain. In some cases the hand sanitizer can discolor leather. To return it to normal, apply a leather dye, and then a leather conditioner.
Leather comes in a few different colors, therefore, to remove the lightened area you will need to use a leather dye that is the same color as the leather. For example, if the leather is black you will need to use a black leather dye. Below, I will provide step by step instructions for how to completely restore leather that has a hand sanitizer stain.
Can You Remove Hand Sanitizer Stains from Leather? (How To)
Leather needs to be looked after to make it last as long as possible, and stains need to be carefully removed so as not to damage it. Hand sanitizer is a bit of an unusual liquid that unfortunately stains leather. Here’s if it’s possible to remove hand sanitizer from leather.
Overall, you can remove hand sanitizer stains from leather. Use isopropyl alcohol. Pour a few drops into a cotton bud, and then gently wipe the area to remove it. In general, hand sanitizer will discolor leather and make it lighter in color. Apply a leather dye to return the color back to normal.
If the leather is conditioned a leather conditioner should also be applied to make the finish the same as the rest of the bag. This is applied after the leather dye.
How to Remove Hand Sanitizer Stains from Leather
Typically, leather stains can be taken to professionals, but because the process is a little bit complicated it can often be quite expensive. The good news is it can be done yourself. Below are full step by step instructions for how to remove hand sanitizer stains from leather.
In general, wipe the hand sanitizer stain with a cotton bud that is lightly dipped in isopropyl alcohol. The cotton bud should be very lightly damp with isopropyl alcohol. This will remove the hand sanitizer. You will typically need to use leather to dye to restore the color of the leather.
After that you should use a leather conditioner to restore the finish. Isopropyl alcohol is a very inexpensive product that you can find in most large supermarkets, and stores such as Walmart.
But, you may already have some around the home. You only need a tiny amount.
The steps are to:
- Rub the area using a cotton bud that is very lightly dampened with isopropyl alcohol
- For colored hand sanitizer use water a few drops of liquid detergent
- Apply different leather dyes to return the color back to normal
- Apply a leather conditioner to protect the leather
There are two types of leather naked leather – also called raw-hide and soft finish. Soft finish is a lot softer, and is more shiny. This is the kind of leather you typically see in car seats.
Naked leather does not need a leather conditioner to be applied afterwards. However, a soft finish will need leather conditioner to protect the leather after you have cleaned off all the hand sanitizer and dyed it back to its original color. A ratio for the liquid detergent and water mix is 1 gallon of water to 2 to 3 drops of liquid soap.
It’s typically a good idea to rub the hand sanitizer stain a few times. Each time you use a cotton bud with isopropyl alcohol it will remove a bit more of the stain. Hand sanitizer will make leather lighter in color.
For example, if the leather is a dark brown, it will now be light brown. The only way to return it back to its old color and completely mask the discoloration is to re-dye the leather using a leather dye. After you have applied the leather dye you should then apply a leather conditioner to protect the leather.
Can You Remove Hand Sanitizer Stains from Leather Bag/Purse?
A leather bag or purse is always close to you, and so getting a bit of hand sanitizer on it is reasonably common. Leather requires special care so as not to damage it, and hand sanitizer can leave stains. So, here’s a rundown of whether it’s possible to remove hand sanitizer stains from a leather bag or purse.
Overall, it’s possible to remove hand sanitizer stains from a leather bag or purse. However, hand sanitizer will almost always lighten the leather permanently. If this happens you will need to apply a leather dye that is the color of the bag to mask the discoloration.
Leather bags and purses are made of a range of different colors. Black leather bags or purses are the easiest to apply a leather dye. But, with other colors like brown, it can be difficult to get the exact color.
And you can need a few different leather dyes that are different shades to get the color exactly right. Leather dyes are around $7 to $10 each.
So, it can be a better idea to take it to a place that restores leather, depending on how much they charge. Especially if it’s an expensive leather bag or purse such as Chanel.
Can You Remove Hand Sanitizer Stains from Leather Car Seats?
Leather car seats look and feel great but they require special care to make sure they keep their look. Hand sanitizer is a bit of a pain if it gets on leather because it doesn’t come off with water and a cloth. This is whether it’s possible to remove hand sanitizer from leather car seats.
In general, you can remove hand sanitizer stains from leather car seats. Hand sanitizer can be removed with isopropyl alcohol. But, it will typically lighten the leather and cause a permanent light area. It needs to be recolored with store bought leather dye.
This content is owned by Wabi Sabi Group and was first published on Aug 23, 2022..
If the color is slightly off, the dyed area will still be slightly visible. So, it can be a good idea to take it to a professional leather restorer, or car groomer to apply the leather dye.
Can You Remove Hand Sanitizer Stains from Leather Shoes?
Leather shoes are typically more expensive than regular shoes. If a blob of hand sanitizer gets on them it will leave a white mark that is difficult to remove. Leather also requires special care, so here’s if you can remove hand sanitizer stains from leather shoes.
Overall, you can remove hand sanitizer stains from leather shoes. It can be removed using isopropyl alcohol. However, sanitizer tends to permanently lighten the leather. To cover up the area of lightened leather a leather dye needs to be used.
The most difficult part of removing a hand sanitizer stain from leather shoes is getting the color to look the same. It can require a few different shades of the color of your shoes. Luckily, leather dye is reasonably inexpensive at about $7 to $10 a bottle.
Which makes it cheaper than buying a whole new pair of leather shoes. It can also be used to restore scratches, or scrapes in the leather.
This article was first published on Aug 23, 2022 by Wabi Sabi Group..
In general, you can remove hand sanitizer stains from leather. But, it will typically lighten the leather where the stain is. So, it requires leather dye to return the color back to normal. Use a cotton bud lightly dampened with isopropyl alcohol and rub it on the stain to remove the hand sanitizer.
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WabiSabi Group is the owner of this article and was published on Aug 23, 2022 and last modified on .