Dove soap is one of the most popular soaps in America. It’s sold at every major grocery store, and it has a reputation for being gentle on skin. But is it also good for cleaning leather?
Dove soap is good for cleaning leather because it is pH balanced or neutral so it will be able to safely clean your leather without damaging it. One good thing about using Dove soap to clean leather is that it will not leave behind any streaks or toxic residue on your leather.
On the other hand, Dove soap may not be good for your leather because it might not be able to get rid of tough stains and if you’re sensitive to fragrance the scents most Dove soaps come with might not be your taste.
In the rest of this article, I’m going to go delve into the;
- Pros and cons of cleaning leather with Dove soap,
- And how to safely use Dove soap to clean your leather items.
The Pros Of Using Dove Soap On Leather
1. Dove Soap Is pH Balanced
Anything thing you use on leather must be pH balanced so that it doesn’t damage the leather’s fibers. Most soaps on the market are alkaline, which means they have a higher pH level than Dove soap.
Dove soap is pH balanced, which means it’s not too alkaline or too acidic. This balance is the reason why using Dove soap on your leather items is not going to cause any harm to it.
2. Dove Soap Won’t Leave Any Residue Behind On The Leather
One of the first benefits of using dove soap on your leather items is that it won’t leave any residue behind. Other soaps can be very greasy and will leave a waxy film on your leather surfaces.
This can make a freshly cleaned leather surface look dull. Dove soap cleans leather surfaces without leaving any residue behind, which means your car seats, bags, and other leather items will look clean and new after you use dove soap to clean them.
Using dove soap on leather is an effective alternative for cleaning your leather car seat, sofa, bags, etc without causing any damage to it. It’s often recommended as a gentle alternative to other harsh cleaners.
3. Dove Soap Does Not Leave Any Toxins On Leather
Another benefit of dove soap for leather items is that it won’t leave any chemicals or toxins on the surface. This means you can use dove soap on your leather surfaces without leaving behind toxins you, your kids, or pets might end up reacting to.
Usually, most of the cleaning solutions out there will contain harsh chemicals and toxins. This can be harmful to the leather surfaces as well as your skin.
So if you do not have leather cleaning products, the Dove soap can be a much gentle alternative that won’t cause any irritation or leave behind harsh chemicals that can cause skin irritation.
4. Dove Soaps Contains Moisturizing Cream and Aloe Vera
Dove soaps contain moisturizing creams and aloe vera with is good for nourishing the skin. We all know how moisturizing or nourishing leather is important to its well-being.
However, only a few products outside the using leather cleaners and conditioners are able to offer nourishment for leather. This is why Dove soap is such a remarkable product.
It can clean your leather items while nourishing them at the same time which is not possible with other products.
Note: I must add that just because Dove soap nourishes leather, doesn’t mean it’s going to replace your usual leather conditioner. It’s only an alternative.
5. Dove Soap Is Safe To Use On All Colors Of Leather
Another benefit of dove soap for cleaning leather is that it’s safe to use on all colors. Most cleaners out there will only be able to clean certain colors of leather because some of these soaps can actually fade certain colors of leather.
However, dove soap is gentle enough to clean all types and shades of color without causing any damage. So if you’re worried about dove soap damaging your leather items because of the color, you don’t have to worry.
You will be able to keep all your leather items clean without worrying about the color fading away, as dove soap is safe for all colors of leather.
6. Dove Soap Is Good For Cleaning General Stains On Leather
Dove soap is good for cleaning general stains on leather. Although Dove soap is mild, it is tough enough to remove all general stains from your leather items.
You can use dove soap to clean stains like dirt, food, drinks, makeup, and other general marks that your leather is likely to have.
This makes dove soap a versatile leather cleaner that can remove most stains from your leather items.
So if you have a stain that has been sitting on your leather and your regular damp cloth can’t seem to remove it, dove soap can be your go-to solution without having to spend a lot of money on special stain cleaners.
Note: If you want something more powerful than dove soap for stains on your leather surfaces, you might want to check out Leather Honey.
7. Dove Soap Is An Affordable Alternative To Specialty Cleaners
Another benefit of dove soap for cleaning leather is that it’s an affordable alternative to specialty cleaners. If you’re on a budget and have got a few change to spare, you can purchase a bar of dove and use to clean your leather surfaces.
For as little as $.50, you can purchase dove soap to clean your leather surfaces.
You don’t have to break the bank to give your leather items the treatment they deserve.
This makes dove soap a convenient and affordable solution to cleaning your leather surfaces that won’t leave you feeling like you’ve spent too much.
The Cons Of Using
1. Not Everyone Is A Fan Of Doves’ Scent
It’s not all good news for dove soap though. Although it is a mild, gentle cleanser as mentioned above, dove does have a scent that some people might not like.
It’s the one thing I personally do not like about some of the fragrances Dove soap comes with.
I particularly have a very sensitive nose so I often find the scent overpowering as I am drawn to mild to almost no scents. But just to be fair, this disadvantage may not apply to some people.
2. Dove Soap Might Not Remove All Types Of Stains
Although dove soap is good for cleaning general stains, it might not be able to remove all types of stains from your leather.
Some very stubborn stains might remain, even after cleaning with dove soap. So if you want something that can give your leather items an all-around deep clean, dove soap might not be the best product for you.
This is why it’s important to check what type of stains your dove bar can clean before using dove soap to clean your leather items. The unfortunate part is you would have to try it out to know if it will work on the stains you have.
3. Dove Soap May Not Remove Old Scuffs
Dove soap might not be able to remove old scuffs from your leather surfaces. So if you have an item of leather that has a number of old scuffs and want to use dove soap, you might find that dove doesn’t work for your leather.
Old scuff marks on leather surfaces might be deep and dove soap may not be able to remove them.
However, this is something you can try out yourself.
If you have dove soap around and want to test it, use dove soap on a small area of the surface with light scuff marks.
If dove soap can’t do the trick, you know that dove soap may not be the best leather cleaner for your specific situation.
How To Use Dove Soap To Clean Leather
Dove soap is easy to use and by following the steps I’m going to be highlighting here you will be able to use dove soap to clean your leather surfaces.
Step One:
- To start, you’ll want to take a dove bar and rub it on a damp microfiber cloth and make it lather.
- Alternatively, if you don’t have a dove soap bar and only dove liquid soap is available to use (which is more common than having bars of dove soap), simply spray the dove liquid on a microfiber cloth.
Step Two:
- Now test out the dove soap on a small area of your leather to see if it can remove the stains and also to see if it does not have any negative effect on the leather surface.
- If you’re satisfied with how the dove soap is working on the small area, you can now start cleaning your leather surface.
Step Three:
- To clean your leather with dove soap, rub the microfiber cloth on the surface of the leather to clean it.
Step Four:
- Once you have cleaned the entire surface of the leather, rinse the microfiber cloth to remove the soap residue using clean water and then use it to wipe away any soap residue.
Step Five:
- Now leave the leather to air dry and you’re done!