How To Get Rid Of Leather Smell

Leather is one of the top picks for people today, when it comes to buying stuffs like furniture material, shoes, jackets, briefcase, laptop/mobile covers, and other such items. Though leather looks very classy and elegant, its rancid and putrid smell might prove to be a big turn off for people. Whether it is natural leather, bounded leather or synthetic leather, one thing is common in all of them i.e. the pungent smell. And if the leather has gone wet, the condition becomes worse. Remember, wet leather smells like a wet animal. If the leather gets wet in rain water, the smell of sweat and pollution would be an add-on to the already stinking odor. In case, you are facing a similar situation and want to get rid of it, this article would be of tremendous help. In the following lines, we have listed some effective tips on how to get rid of leather smell.

Removing Leather Odor

One of the most natural ways of getting rid of leather smell is allowing it to age. With time, the smell wearies off. As the leather ages, it closes up and the odor disappears naturally.
Old newspapers and packing papers have a porous texture and act as wicks that lift the odors from leather. So, the best bet would be to pack the brand new leather item in an old newspaper, as soon as you buy it. This is an excellent way of not only getting rid of leather smell, but also preserving the untreated reverse surfaces of leather items.
Masking agents proves to be another effective remedy for getting rid of leather smell temporarily. These agents, such as air fresheners, fragrant shampoo, perfumes and lemon juice, hide or block the smell for sometime.
In case your leather shoes or bag has been drenched with rain water, it would smell profusely. For this, the best struck deal would be to dry the item in the sun. However, make sure that the leather item is not put under direct sunlight; else it would crack, chip, and wear out more quickly.
Another effective way of getting rid of pungent leather smell would be to put the same in an airtight container with some baking soda in it. However, the process can be carried out only for small items.
To remove odor from a leather jacket, dip it in a bucket of water, containing 1/4 cup white vinegar. Sponge the leather jacket with the solution. Rinse after sometime and apply the vinegar solution again. Rinse once more and dry in a place that does not receive direct sunlight, as heat can damage leather.
Using pandan leaves is yet another effective way to get rid of the pungent smell. These leaves are mostly used in Southeast Asian countries, to add aroma to their cooking delicacies.
Dipping the leather apparel in a bucket of bleach, rubbing alcohol or ammonia solution, for an hour, can be an effective way of getting rid of leather smell. However, you would have to apply a conditioner to the leather, later on, as a necessary step.

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