removing stains from horsehide??

[Vic]

I hope someone can offer me some advice. I have a 30s-40s Montgomery Ward Dark Brown HH jacket that seems to have inexplicably acquired numerous marks. I'm pretty sure the marks are sunscreen, as I've found the same markings on the interior of my car (which is where it must've transfered onto the jacket).

Anyhow, I'm hoping these marks don't have to be new "character" for the jacket. It's distressed enough already. But I'll live with it if there's not a safe alternative for removal. I know HH is durable...but the jacket is like 3/4 of a century old, so I try to be pretty careful with it.

Could the solution be as simple as a washcloth with some cold water??

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[TheSnark]

The 1st thing to try is just warm water with bit of mild soap (liquid hand soap or dish-washing liquid). If that doesn't work, I recommend Lexol Leather Cleaner as the safest option:

http://www.summitinds.com/category/lexol/leather-cleaner/

If the stain really is sun-block, I'd guess the next thing to try would be to apply conditioner like Lexol or Pecards to the entire jacket. This won't remove the stain, but in might make the entire jacket match the stain (sunblock contains oils skin conditioners that cause the stain, so conditioner would add oils to the entire jacket, masking the stain spot without damage).

 

[Vic]

The 1st thing to try is just warm water with bit of mild soap (liquid hand soap or dish-washing liquid). If that doesn't work, I recommend Lexol Leather Cleaner as the safest option:

http://www.summitinds.com/category/lexol/leather-cleaner/

If the stain really is sun-block, I'd guess the next thing to try would be to apply conditioner like Lexol or Pecards to the entire jacket. This won't remove the stain, but in might make the entire jacket match the stain (sunblock contains oils skin conditioners that cause the stain, so conditioner would add oils to the entire jacket, masking the stain spot without damage).

Excellent. Thank you for taking the time to answer so thoroughly. I'm going to give this a try!

Best,
Vic

 

[TheSnark]

Sounds like a great jacket, so I hope everything works out. Let us know what works (if anything... and what doesn't). Best of luck!

 

[Vic]

I used warm water with a little bit of dish soap on a soft washcloth.

Gently went over each of the stains twice, let it dry, and it was all back to normal!

Thanks!!

 

[andy richards]

Hi Vic, a picture would be great in this thread .
Andy

 

[TheSnark]

Thanks for the update, Vic

:eusa_clap Nice to hear that the first (and least impact) attempt achieved the desired result. :eusa_clap

Just as an addendum, I will point out that soapy water does remove some the the oils from the leather, and those oils are needed to keep the leather pliable and healthy... especially important for a vintage jacket the age of yours. You may want to consider applying a bit of conditioner in the near future, if the jacket has not been treated recently.

Please note that is just a suggestion, and if you aren't comfortable with the idea, use your own judgement and ask for other opinions. Mild soapy water is the least damaging option that I know of for the stain you described, but it's not a good idea to start washing your jacket with soap on a regular basis, simply because soap does leach out some of the oils.

 

[Vic]

The Snark: I appreciate the suggestion and I'm all for it. The leather is dry and has worn very unevenly.

Any recommended conditioner?

Andy: No problem. I will post photos shortly.

 

[Vic]

Here are some pics.

I have many jackets that I suspect would be of interest on the lounge, but it would be very time-consuming to go through them all.

I think I will post select ones if and when they are relevant to a thread (as with this one).

Anyhow, here it is:

 

[TheSnark]

The leather is dry and has worn very unevenly.

Any recommended conditioner?

I use Lexol; great results, and it won't cause any long-term damage:

http://www.summitinds.com/category/lexol/leather-conditioner/

Several others here have reported great results with Pecards, though I haven't tried it myself:

http://pecard.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=Pecard&Category_Code=antique

Keep in mind that conditioning should be done only occasionally and sparingly; a little is good, but a lot is definitely NOT better. Just follow directions and don't get carried away.

Great jacket! I'd love to see pics of the others as time and opportunity allow...

 

[Vic]

Thanks.

My apologies: I forgot that you had already posted that lexol link
Much appreciated.

Is there a preferred choice for using it sparingly? i.e. would the "wipes" be easier for a mild application of the condition than, say, the spray or the standard liquid??

Thanks for the compliment on the jacket!

Yes, I will definitely post others as they become relevant. I have a lot of variety from the 40s and 50s.

 

[TheSnark]

Is there a preferred choice for using it sparingly? i.e. would the "wipes" be easier for a mild application of the condition than, say, the spray or the standard liquid?

I use the spray, myself, but I suspect Lexol offers the various application options for the simple reason that pepple have different preferences. I think the wipes are a fairly recent addition.

 

[Vic]

Gotcha! Thanks!