How to Clean Patent Leather – Buff Scuffs to a Shine!

How to Clean Patent Leather. Did your patent leather lose its shine? Are you trying to get rid of scuff marks? Discover how to clean patent leather to bring back its original shine.

What Is Patent Leather?

Patent leather is a leather hide that has been treated with one or more coats of varnish or lacquer applications that give it a shiny appearance.  How you clean it depends largely on the formula of the coating.  It can range from linseed oil to polyurethane to other synthetic plastic-like resins. 

In most cases, several coats of polyurethane and/or lacquer finish are applied to a leather hide.  The first penetrates the leather, the second contains the dye, and the third becomes the glossy, waterproof finish.  If this is how your patent leather item was processed, cleaning is a breeze.

If you’re unsure what products were used to create your patent leather, it is always best to test your cleaning methods in an inconspicuous spot.  Be careful; the product that works wonders on one patent leather product could pull the dye off another.

Prepping Patent Leather

Dust and dirt particles can cause minor scratches in patent leather, so you must clean your patent leather item before adding any cleaners.  Use a soft chamois cloth to wipe away dust and surface debris gently.

Professional Cleaners

Because patent leather manufacturers use various ingredients, it is best to use a commercial cleaner, especially for expensive items.  Most cleaners work like car wax.  You apply it in a thick coat and allow it to dry.  Then you rub in small circles with a chamois cloth until you have a high gloss shine.

Removing Scuff Marks from Patent Leather

You can remove light scuff marks on the surface of patent leather using mineral oil or petroleum jelly. First, use a soft, dry cloth to apply either product to the scuff and rub until it disappears. You can try to mask deep scuff marks on black patent leather that you can’t remove by dabbing a black felt tip marker on a damp paper towel and rubbing the area.

How to Clean Patent Leather with Homemade Cleaners

We have searched far and wide to find out what others use to clean patent leather and came up with an interesting list!  Remember that your patent leather item may be different and may become damaged by some harsher ingredients.

If your patent leather item was inexpensive and you want to test out homemade cleaning solutions, make sure to test first in an inconspicuous spot. 

Mineral Oil is the main ingredient in many commercial patent-leather cleaners.  First, rub the mineral oil over any scuff marks and rub with a chamois cloth until they are removed.  Then rub over the entire shoe and buff out until they shine.

Petroleum Jelly. “A dab of petroleum jelly rubbed into patent leather gives a glistening shine and prevents cracking in the winter.” [Denise G. Dias, Johnson Co. Extension Agent, FCS]

Vinegar. “To shine patent leather, moisten a soft cloth with white vinegar and wipe clean all patent leather articles. The color of the leather may be slightly changed.” [Denise G. Dias, Johnson Co. Extension Agent, FCS]

Baby Oil. “Patent-Shoe Shine . . . For a mirror finish on patent-leather shoes, apply some baby oil or furniture polish. Buff with a paper towel or soft cloth.” [Rosemary & Graham Haley, Haley’s Hints Green Edition]

Ordinary Eraser. “Most scuff marks can be removed from patent leather with an ordinary eraser.” [Rosemary & Graham Haley, Haley’s Hints Green Edition]

Mild Dishwashing Detergent. “If it is imitation patent leather, use a mild dishwashing detergent or a car interior vinyl and plastic cleaner, such as Meguiar’s, available at auto supply stores.” [Jeff Bredenberg, 2001 Amazing Cleaning Secrets]

Glass Cleaner. “To clean patent leather shoes, rub a dab of petroleum jelly or castor oil over the shoes and buff, or spray glass cleaner on them and buff.” [Melodie Moore, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Household Solutions]

Wonder Bread. “The best thing I’ve found for cleaning patent leather is a slice of Wonder Bread. Just take the slice and rub it over the item. Bevan C. Plantation, Florida.” [Joey Green, Clean It! Fix It! Eat It!]

Furniture Polish. “Patent leather shoes make them shine with furniture spray-on polish.” [John R. O’Neon, Take a Hint]

Rubbing Alcohol. “For marks that are more resistant, dab with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol, then wipe with an absorbent cloth.” [Heloise, Good Housekeeping]

Resources

Web

• Kansas State University – Homemade Cleaners
• Good Housekeeping – Heloise – How do you get scuff marks off patent leather?

Print

• Bredenberg, Jeff. 2,001 Amazing Cleaning Secrets. United States, Reader’s Digest, 2004.
• Moore, Melodie. The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Household Solutions. United States, Alpha Books, 1998.
• Green, Joey. Clean It! Fix It! Eat It! United States, Penguin Publishing Group, 2001.
• Haley, Rosemary, and Haley, Graham. Haley’s Hints Green Edition. United States, New American Library, 2009.
• O’Neon, John R. Take a Hint. N.p., Lulu Press, Incorporated, 2008.