How to remove grease stains from headrests and armrests
Porous smooth leather (aniline) darkens over time especially in areas
that come in regular contact with skin and other body parts. This
continued contact causes body oils from skin and hair to transfer onto
the leather and penetrate the leather surface. When the leather is new,
the oils and fats are absorbed by the leather but over time with more
use of the same areas the accumulation becomes a very visible stain.
In most cases, such stains cannot be removed by general cleaning. As professionals, we have methods to absorb the penetrated fats and to refresh and renew the leather colour. However, sometimes following repairs the area will not look like new. However, in some cases our technicians have only been contacted when the problem has extremely worsened and it is only possible to aesthetically improve the damaged area.
Our recommendation for DIY solution (as good as possible):
Clean the darkened area very carefully with COLOURLOCK Degreaser. Take some Degreaser on a clean soft cloth and wipe fast over the surface without wetting too much. Allow it to dry before re-applying. This ensures you avoid getting borders or edges. This process dissolves the penetrated fats a little bit.
In most cases, such stains cannot be removed by general cleaning. As professionals, we have methods to absorb the penetrated fats and to refresh and renew the leather colour. However, sometimes following repairs the area will not look like new. However, in some cases our technicians have only been contacted when the problem has extremely worsened and it is only possible to aesthetically improve the damaged area.
Our recommendation for DIY solution (as good as possible):
Clean the darkened area very carefully with COLOURLOCK Degreaser. Take some Degreaser on a clean soft cloth and wipe fast over the surface without wetting too much. Allow it to dry before re-applying. This ensures you avoid getting borders or edges. This process dissolves the penetrated fats a little bit.
In most cases,
such areas remain darker or lighter in comparison to the rest of the
unaffected area. As the fats have damaged the surface over the years.
These areas will need to be adjusted with COLOURLOCK Leather Fresh.
Therefore, the leather colour must be more or less of one tone and the
leather shouldn’t be too porous. Leather Fresh seals the surface and
reduces the risk of a repetition of such stains.
We recommend protecting the unaffected areas COLOURLOCK Aniline Protector as it contains oils, UV-filters and antioxidants to prevent from aging. Don’t apply the protector in areas that were darkened and have been treated. This helps to avoid new stains as the protector contains oils. But the rest of the leather should be treated to keep the leather soft and to avoid aging damages. Especially areas that are exposed to sunlight must always be protected.
We recommend protecting the unaffected areas COLOURLOCK Aniline Protector as it contains oils, UV-filters and antioxidants to prevent from aging. Don’t apply the protector in areas that were darkened and have been treated. This helps to avoid new stains as the protector contains oils. But the rest of the leather should be treated to keep the leather soft and to avoid aging damages. Especially areas that are exposed to sunlight must always be protected.
Repair still possible
Only an improvement is possible
Heavily damaged. DIY solution may not give the best result and may have to be treated professionally.
Extensive damage. Possibly beyond repair.
Recommended products
Degreaser
US$18.59*
Degreaser
is used in various situations for degreasing. The degreaser is a solvent-free
product, yet powerful and gentle to the surface. It does not dissolve the color
and is therefore excellent for degreasing all types of leather.
Areas of
application:
for
degreasing smooth leather and removing care product residues before repair for
the professional and end user.
for
degreasing grease spots in the headrest and armrest areas of furniture,
steering wheels, handles and gear knobs on vehicles, handles on handbags and
suitcases, etc.for
cleaning/degreasing of "spackled" rough leathers in the furniture tradefor
degreasing greasy collars on jackets before washing with leather detergentfor
degreasing greasy areas before professional dyeing in the workshop
Amounts
of COLOURLOCK Degreaser:
30 ml is
enough for steering wheels or handbag handles.
150 ml
is sufficient for a furniture set or car interior.
250 ml
and 1 liter for more extensive degreasing work or for several objects.
APPLICATION
Always
test all products first on a concealed area for changes! Although COLOURLOCK
Degreaser does not dissolve colors, it may cause a lightening of colors in
open-pored leathers or if too much was used on smooth leather. Therefore,
pre-testing is always advisable.
Dampen a
clean, soft cloth with the degreaser and go over the greasy areas. Plain smooth
leathers can be degreased thoroughly after a test.
For open-pored
leather (suede, aniline leather, etc.), only briefly dart over the leather with
the cloth in order to avoid edging and stains caused by the cleaning attempt.
Allow
the leather to dry between all treatments. Do not blow dry.
Not all
grease spots can be removed completely. Areas of contact with skin or hair and
areas greased over long periods of time are particularly difficult. In some cases,
grease remover spray might help. For large areas, deeply absorbed oils, or
heavy greasing, seek professional advice.
After
cleaning with the COLOURLOCK Degreaser, re-condition and protect the leather
with a care product suitable for the type of leather.
Variants from US$9.45*
Refresher for scratches
Leather Fresh Dye
US$35.61*
Leather Fresh is a colour refresher (dye) for scratches, worn, or faded leather. Leather Fresh is ideal to refresh colour damages on car leather, furniture leather, leather garments and handbags. Do not use on porous leathers unless colouring the entire surface - it can make the surface appear patchy. It can be sponged on or sprayed using an airbrush.
Application
Always test any products first on a hidden area to test for colour match!Firstly, clean the leather thoroughly and prepare the surface. Use Mild Leather Cleaner for normal degrees of soiling or Strong Leather Cleaner to remove heavier dirt (where the leather has been neglected for many years). Cleaning prior to treatment ensures the paint bonds to the surface well and ensures durability. Use Leather Cleaning Brush to effectively remove all ingrained dirt. Cleaning removes dirt but for long lasting results you should also de-grease using Degreaser.Use a sponge to apply the colour evenly, working from seam to seam. Dry afterwards with a hair dryer. On small spots, a one application is sufficient. Apply multiple thin layers and dry each layer using a hair dryer.A day later, after it dries, apply Leather Protector. It gives the leather a good sheen and helps blend the repair. It contains antioxidants, which stops the leather's decay, and its UV filters protect the surfaces of old and valuable leathers from bleaching and fading. Also keeps the leather supple.
46 standard colours and prepared special colours according to sample or manufacturer name.Find car leather colours for Leather Fresh Dye in our Car Leather Repair category.