Faux leather material: pros and cons, rules of care

Clothing, shoes and other eco-leather goods and suede look very stylish. And only an experienced specialist is able to distinguish it from real skin. But in the process of wearing things, the need periodically arises to clean or wash the product, whether it be a coat, boots or a sheepskin coat. And here there are serious difficulties. How to put in order a favorite thing from eco leather and not spoil it? In order to prevent damage to a dress, shoes or sofa, it is important to remember what eco-leather agrees to put up with and which substances it simply can’t tolerate.

Faux leather: what is it and what happens

It is important to remember that eco-leather material is artificial fabric. This analogue of genuine leather has durability and high quality. This material is made by applying a porous polyurethane film to a fabric base. The film does not emit toxic compounds, does not cause harm to health and is permissible even for allergy sufferers. Given these features, the material fully deserved the title of "environmental".

A layer of polyurethane is laid on a cotton cloth. Thanks to this natural material, eco-leather can “breathe” and has elasticity. Things from this material allow air to pass through, easily absorb moisture, which is very important when in contact with the body. Such features strikingly distinguish eco-leather from all other leatherette and put it on almost the same level with a natural product.

Advantages of leatherette material

What does leatherette or eco leather mean? If we talk about the advantages of eco-leather, then initially you should focus on the ratio of quality and price. The material is practically no different from genuine leather. But at the same time its price is several orders of magnitude lower. But this is not the only advantage of ecological skin. Other positive properties of artificial material.

• Resistance to temperature differences. Does the material crack in frost? Faux leather will withstand frost and will not become “oak”. And the furniture in a country house, even with the heating turned off, will not be affected in the winter.
• No condensation. Artificial material not only does not “tan”, but also does not collect condensate on the surface.
• High elasticity. The material is very flexible and retains these properties for a long time.
• Visual matching skin. The polyurethane film completely imitates the skin pattern. Therefore, difficulties in determining the authenticity arise even among professionals.
• Ability to "breathe". This quality distinguishes eco-leather from all other types of dermatin. A polyurethane layer forms micropores through which air circulates freely.

How to take care

Ecoskin has not only a good appearance, but also has high wear resistance and durability. Of course, subject to proper care of this material. And taking care of him is easy. It is important to remember the basic recommendations of specialists how to care for things from eco-leather at home.

• Use soft wipes. To eliminate dust or light dirt, it is recommended to use soft rags made of calico, flannel, softcotton or microfiber. In this case, wipes must be moistened with water and squeezed thoroughly. Ecoskin absolutely does not like excessive hydration.
• Lightly touch surfaces. It is strictly forbidden to rub products or to press strongly. The use of scrapers, hard sponges, brushes is contraindicated. After a strong and aggressive effect on the eco-leather, scuffs, cracks or scratches may remain, which cannot be eliminated.
• Protect products from exposure to the sun and heat. Furniture, the upholstery of which is made of eco-leather, should not stand near heating appliances. It is not recommended to place it in an area that is constantly illuminated by sunlight. Ultraviolet and heat will lead to rapid deterioration of the material. This also applies to clothes and shoes. No matter how great the temptation was to quickly dry the eco-leather dress by hanging it in the sun or using hot radiators, it is strictly forbidden to do this.
• Wipe with water repellent. This procedure is preferably carried out once every six months. Moreover, furniture, clothes, and shoes need such protection.
• Use care products. In order to provide the necessary gloss for eco-skin, and thereby create a complete illusion of naturalness, it is recommended to use the same creams and sprays that are used for real skin. But it is important to take into account such a moment. Artificial material is not able to absorb cream. Therefore, over time, you need to wipe the surface with a soft cloth to remove excess funds.

What cleaning products to use

No matter how carefully you take care of your favorite products, they will still get dirty sooner or later. If we are talking about a jacket, dress or bag, then there is a desire to wash them. But is it allowed? Artificial material doesn’t really like “bathing”. But if you wash the eco-leather correctly and do it infrequently, then such a procedure is quite possible. What means to apply, the following table will prompt.

Table - Recommended and prohibited products for eco-leather

Washing rules

Ecoskin tolerates both hand and machine wash well. But it is important to choose the right regimen and detergents. For eco-leather, it is better to use a gel or liquid detergent, rather than a powder. It is also necessary to prepare the product for washing: thoroughly clean pockets, fasten all zippers, hooks, buttons, buttons. If the product is very dirty, it is recommended to pre-treat the most vulnerable places with soap and water. It can be cuffs, a collar, a zone of pockets or the top surface of a bag.

Machine

1. A delicate substance is poured into the compartment of the washing machine.
2. Air conditioning is added to the appropriate compartment.
3. Paw linen.
4. Set the "delicate mode" and be sure to turn off the spin function. Otherwise, your favorite thing will be stretched. Permissible washing temperature is 30 ° C.

Manual

1. For hand washing, a little warm water is poured into the basin.The temperature should not exceed the same 30 ° C.
2. Detergent is added to the water. It is thoroughly dissolved by hand. It is important that no undissolved substances remain in the solution.
3. The eco-leather product is dipped in a solution and washed immediately. Such things should not be soaked.
4. If you wash a bag or jacket, then start with a lining. Then gently wipe the eco-leather with a soft sponge. Wash things quickly and very carefully.

How to dry

After washing, there is a desire to remove the item and squeeze it carefully. But if you are dealing with eco-leather, then such actions are strictly prohibited. Twisting or pushing up can completely destroy the product. Therefore, it is important to know not only how to wash, but also how to dry eco-leather. They usually operate in five steps.

1. The product is removed from the washing machine or basin and allow it to drain a little on its own.
2. Then the thing is placed on a large terry towel.
3. On top of the product is covered with another same towel.
4. Slight pressure movements remove excess moisture.
5. The dress, jacket, jacket is hung on the shoulders and dried in this form. Covers, trousers, skirts must be laid out on a flat surface.

Drying takes place away from heating and sunlight. Do not use electrical appliances to speed up the process. Otherwise, deformation of the fabric is provided.

Stain fighting

Ecoskin does not always need a full wash. Even if ink spilled on the surface of the sofa or a stain of chocolate appeared on the bag, such stains can be very easily handled. But it is advisable to start a fight with them immediately. In order to effectively remove stains from eco-leather, it is necessary to take into account the type of pollution.

• Mud. It is her easiest to remove. It is necessary to make a soap solution from toilet or laundry soap. Using a cotton or soft sponge, gently wipe the contaminated surface.
• Ink. Such spots are easily removed with acetone. After processing the solution, the material must be washed with cool water.
• Coffee, chocolate. These stains are easy to remove. Soap solution copes with them. But if you need to clean white eco-leather, then you can resort to a little trick. Moisten cotton with hydrogen peroxide. Place this swab on the spot for ten seconds. Then rinse the accident site with cool water. But remember that you can use peroxide only for white products.
• Beer. If the stain is formed by spilled beer, then it is initially wiped with soapy water. Then apply an acetic solution. To make the latter, two tablespoons of vinegar are poured into a liter of water. By quickly wiping with such a tool, the stain is washed with cold water and allowed to dry on its own.
• Zelenka. Ammonia will help remove this stain. A few drops of ammonia are added to a glass of water. With this solution, the accident site is wetted. Finally, they are necessarily washed with cold water. The tool will eliminate not only stains from brilliant green, but also help to clean old spots.
• Fat. Eliminate greasy stains with warm milk. If we are talking about white eco-leather, then you can put a slice of lemon on the stain for literally a few seconds. Effectively removes oily stains from shaving foam.

The subtleties of shoe care

In order for eco-leather shoes or shoes to always look decent and last a long time, you need to learn how to take care of them correctly. The care of footwear made of eco-leather is simple and includes such recommendations.

• Regular cleaning. Shoes should be cleaned regularly with a damp soft sponge. But it is recommended to be wetted not in ordinary water, but in a solution for washing delicate items.
• Wipe only the top surface. Wipe with a solution carefully. Wetting the inside of eco-leather is completely undesirable.
• The use of special sponges. For eco-leather shoes, you can use special sponges with silicone impregnation. They allow you to almost completely restore the appearance of the product.
• Color recovery. Ugly light spots that appeared on the shoes signal the thinning of the polymer layer. For its restoration, special spray paints are designed, which are selected by color.

Storage Features

Proper storage of eco-leather products will help to preserve their beautiful appearance for a long time. In this case, special efforts do not need to be applied. It is enough to observe the following recommendations.

• Fabric instead of polyethylene. It is recommended to store things in cloth bags. The use of polyethylene for eco-leather is not recommended.
• Temperature mode. It is better to store products in a cool room. The proximity of eco-leather to sources of heat or light is unacceptable.
• Storage on the shoulders. Reviews of women show that outerwear or dresses are well stored on the shoulders. At the same time, it is important to choose a hanger that strictly matches the size of the product. Otherwise, the shoulder line can be severely deformed.
• Folded storage. Bags or sarafans with thin straps can stretch from prolonged hanging on the shoulders. Therefore, such products are best stored folded in a fabric bag.

There is another trick that allows you to efficiently and quickly clean eco-leather from dirt. To clean the artificial material, experts recommend using a solution of isopropyl alcohol. An advanced computer user will accurately say exactly what wipes are impregnated with such a solution to clean the monitor. By the way, such wipes are effective even in the fight against old spots on eco-leather.