Find out in this post whether you should waterproof your faux leather items or not, and if so, how to do this important step without damaging them and without causing them changes in their texture and look.
Most people tend to think that faux leather is very similar to real leather and because of this, it will absorb water and get soaked and damaged by it, in other words, it will lose its texture and get spoiled when exposed to water!
But the truth is that faux leather is totally different when it comes to water resistance and waterproofing, faux leather is made out of polyurethane, which is a kind of plastic, this means that using waterproofing sprays is simply useless!
Let me remind you that waterproofing sprays are only going to create a protective layer on faux leather, this protective layer is going to act as a kind of plastic barrier that will isolate the fabric from water.
Faux leather is simply a kind of plastic and will not absorb water at all, so rest assured and don’t use waterproofing sprays on your faux leather items, it simply is useless.
The next thing you must understand about waterproofing faux leather is the quality of faux leather, sometimes faux leather items can be manufactured using a process in which plastic is mixed with natural fibers, like wool or cotton, in this case, it may be a good idea to waterproof your faux leather items, this is what we are going to talk about later on in this post.
Most of the time, your faux leather items are going to contain synthetic fibers instead of natural fibers, this means that using waterproofing products and chemicals is not necessary.
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How to waterproof your faux leather items
Let’s talk now about how to waterproof your faux leather items, more importantly, what product you need to be using, how to use it, and for how long.
The most important thing you need to understand right now is that if you have quality faux leather items that are constantly exposed to water and humidity, you need to waterproof them.
I’m sure that this is going to sound a bit contradictory to what I have just shared with you moments ago, but I really want you to understand that faux leather, as with real leather, if exposed to large amounts of water on a daily basis, can get damaged, not because it’s going to penetrate deep inside it, but because it’s going to harden it’s surface and make it crack.
Now, let’s discover the waterproof spray I use whenever a client brings me some faux leather items he wants to waterproof.
Well, I use the following waterproof spray, it’s very powerful, has great reviews from different readers, and most importantly, I have used it myself over and over, and it’s by far the best, it’s not only going to protect your faux leather items, but it’s also going to prevent water from damaging their surface and thus, preventing them from cracking and peeling prematurely.
For your faux leather waterproofing needs, I want you to use the Kiwi Camp Dry Heavy Duty Water Repellant.
Now, let me show you how to do so.
First of all, you don’t have to waterproof your faux leather items every day, once every month is more than enough, but please, take this advice with a grain of salt, it’s because, if you are using your faux leather items on a daily basis in a humid environment, then, I want you to waterproof them once a week.
So, it’s very simple, clean the area you want to waterproof as much as possible using a dry piece of cloth, then, apply your waterproofing spray generously, it’s more than enough.
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Please, if you have a question or a comment about waterproofing your faux leather items, do not hesitate to ask me in the comment section below, I will be extremely happy to help you.
Jannie says
Hi,
After been looking for an answer for 2 days I finally ended up here and I must say, it was the best answer that I found online. Thank you.
Kind regards,
Jannie Barchager
Jean-Marc Chateigner says
Thank you 🙂
Maria A. Weiss says
I do a lot of Google-ing….And found my answer quickly on your site! It’s nice to get a clear understanding when you haven’t got a clue.
Jean-Marc Chateigner says
Thank you.
Jordan says
Would faux leather be good for making a tent or deck canopy?
Jean-Marc Chateigner says
Hello, if it has solid fibrous texture inside, then, it can serve that purpose very well, but it has to be protected from UV rays.
Joey says
Hello I have four faux black leather seats in my porch which gets really bright and hot and I’m wondering how to protect them from sun damage. I can’t cover them with a material though because I’m using them for a business I’m running… I’ve considered leather oils, conditioners, sprays… like 303 Areospace Arotectant Spray (which apparently would make them slippery) and I can’t have that cause if I have a disabled client I don’t want them slipping and getting hurt. I’ve seen Honey Leather but it has a clear warning not to use it on faux leather, I’ve also read that baby oil is good but it seems kinda sketchy to me. Armor All is a common spray used but I don’t know if putting silicone on my furniture is the best option or how much sun protection it offers… I’m not sure what to get… thank you!
Jean-Marc Chateigner says
Baby oil Joey, use it, better than most products out there, but if you want, you can use a good vinyl conditioner, will help as well.
Amit Bhatnagar says
Awesome help Jean.. Thanks for this website and all the answering.. Just had a quick question.. I have a faux leather sofa in my living room and I am planning to keep it in my covered patio.. Would it survive the outside rain or heat.. I love in Dallas so the temperatures can soar till 110 in summers to 20 in winters.. Although I’d a covered Patio.. I was wondering if it’ll be a good idea to keep the sofa there.. Any help is deeply appreciated…
Jean-Marc Chateigner says
Hi, thanks for all the praise, and to answer your question: No, it won’t last you for a long time! It’s because faux leather is very fragile and will be damaged by excessive heat very and changes in temperature easily.
Regina says
Hi Jean,
Great article! So we SHOULD waterproof polyurethane handbags? Will that spray work?
I’m a little confused now! Thank you
Jean-Marc Chateigner says
Yes, but please, make sure it can handle the chemicals in the waterproof solution, try to apply in on a small hidden surface of your handbag.
Susan says
Hi I have a Steve Madden faux leather 100% polyurethane white handbag and I’m wondering how to prevent scuffs, peeling and also I was wondering about waterproofing it if that would be necessary for this soft delicate feeling fabric?
derek says
Hi Jean. We have a hot tub with a leatherrette type cover which is outside. It does stain wit the dirty sandy rain we get here in Spain. Do you have any recomendatons for cleaning & preserving it please ?