Removing oil stain on chap leather

[mulefool]

Is there anything that can be used to pull an oil stain from naked finish chap leather? I'm responsible for doing this to a pair of customers chaps that I had in for alterations. Note to self: check to make sure you're not inadvertently draping a pair of chaps over a headstall with an oil finish.

[greg gomersall]

Chris you could try pouring some corn starcth over the stain and letting it absorb the oil for a while but I doubt it will remove the stain. I had a customer spill diesel fuel all over a split leather bag I had built for him about a week earlier, he took it to a good dry cleaner and they were able to remove both the staining and the smell, as clean as new but it set him back $75.00. Quite a bit cheaper than a new one but still a expensive mistake. Good Luck and keep us posted as we all mess up from time to time. Greg

[DCKNIVES]

Never had to try it on oil but I use Oxalic Acid, better known as Wood Bleach on alot of my stuff.I know it will remove fingerprints and blood (I'm not telling, lol).Dave

[TwinOaks]

I get a cleaner called "Awesome" at the local Dollar Tree. I've used it to pull Sharpie off of a counter top, and walls (kids...) as well as to pull IODINE out of a white towel. No kidding, the stuff works. The only problem I see is that it will probably pull out all the tannins, too. I know for a fact that OxiClean will harden and darken leather...and not in a good way.

My best solution would to be try wicking out all you can (as posted), then use a mild detergent to try and loosen the rest. If not, weigh the cost of replacement with the cost of professional cleaning. And check your cleaning method on scrap to avoid damaging the customer's leather and HAVING to replace it.

Any chance you could just stain the rest of it to match and claim ignorance to the whole 'wrong color' thing?

Edited August 22, 2008 by TwinOaks

[kseidel]

Depending on the color of the chap leather and the amount of oil in the stain, the corn starch has worked very sucessfully for me in the past. You can also wash the chaps in a wash machine and they will come out like new. There are always exceptions: Tooled yokes don't wash well. I have printed instructions for machine washing chaps if you would like. I will have to post them from the shop computer tomorrow.

Keith

[mulefool]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I think I'll give the cornstarch a try first. It sounds like it sure won't hurt anything, even if it didn't work. If that doesn't work I have the option of replacing the leg, I actually have enough left over from the original side. I knew that you could wash split cowhide chaps, but I wasn't sure about top grain. The body of the chaps (actually they are chinks, I should have corrected that) is red with white top yoke and overlay on the legs. I might test some scrap to make sure it doesn't bleed onto the white. I think I'll call the dry cleaner, too, to see how much that might cost. I sure am hoping that cornstarch works! thanks again for the good suggestions, I'll let you know how it comes out.

[Vaquero]

Chris,

Greg is right, take it to a dry cleaner which specializes in cleaning leather and furs. My wife bought me a new pale tan suede leather jacket, which the first night out wearing it, I got some neetsfoot oil on all around the belt line. I wore a leather belt which I oiled 4 or 5 days before and thought was dry enough. I tried the corn starch method on it which didn't help. I thought it was ruined. I took it to a dry cleaner in Reno, Nv. along with an empty bottle of neetsfoot oil to show them what the stain was. It cost me $80.00. They got the stain completely out. The jacket still looks brand new, You can't see any sign where there was a stain. They said it was very helpful knowing exactly what the oil was so they knew the right chemical to use. They also advised me not to use corn starch. Good Luck.

Phil Green

Wild Horse Saddlery

[mulefool]

Well, here's an update. I did try the cornstarch first because I had some and seemed the easiest if it worked. I poured it on and then put a paper towel on top with some weights to hold it down. I left it a week at least. Unfortunately it didn't work. It may have taken a bit out, but not enough. I think the oil had been on too long maybe. So I guess the next stop is professional leather cleaner. That was an expensive little mistake. Probably won't make it again, though.