Cleaning leather Matzah cover

zaq

Tue, Apr 18 2023, 2:25 pm

You can't, unless you're willing to unstitch the fabric, launder it, and sew it back on. (And it'll probably shrink.)

You could bring the item to a dry cleaner specializing in leather, but dry cleaning is expensive and the solvents are toxic. You really don't want to dry clean anything that will touch your food. In theory the solvent evaporates, but solvent residue clings to the material for some time. The proof is in the smelling: freshly dry-cleaned clothes reek of solvent and stay that way unless they're allowed to air out for a while.

The best you can do--and IDK how it will affect the leather--is take a clean cloth barely dampened with vinegar or vodka and wipe down the fabric. It's not great, I wouldn't consider the lining truly clean, but it may remove some of the surface grease. Maybe. If the matzah cover is leatherette and not real leather, there is no risk in doing this. If it's genuine leather, be careful not to soak the lining but keep it as dry as you can during the process.

As an alternative, sprinkle a heavy layer of potato starch all over the lining. Let it sit for as long as you can stand it, then vacuum away the starch. Again, I wouldn't consider this truly cleaning the fabric, but it will remove dust and superficial grease.

IDK who thought that creating leather objects to be used with food would be a good idea.

ra_mom

Tue, Apr 18 2023, 3:26 pm

1. Turn it inside out, and take a small shmatta towel and dry cleaning toothbrush to clean out all the crumbs from the corners.
2. Call the company you bought the cover from, and ask them for care instructions. You never know, maybe it's a washable pleather.