Expert explains how to save stained leather trousers

Acidic spills such as vomit, shandy and wine can bleach traditional leather trousers, BR reports, citing leather-trouser washer Thomas Greiner. He recommends diluting stains with water as quickly as possible.

Greiner, from Vograreuth, washes about 500 pairs of leather trousers each year. Customers from across Bavaria and beyond bring or post their trousers to him. He treats each pair individually with soft rainwater and soft soap, a method he learned from his father, who was also known as a leather-trouser washer in the Rosenheim area.

Beer stains

Beer is not particularly harmful to the leather apart from its smell, Greiner says. He recommends allowing it to dry first. Water marks usually remain, but gently rubbing the leather against itself can often remove them.

Chicken leftovers

Chicken leftovers are among the worst problems for leather trousers, according to Greiner. The largest pieces should be rinsed off with water immediately. Owners can then wait to see whether the trousers become stiff and decide whether that bothers them. The alternatives are to have the trousers washed or to keep them as a reminder of the evening.

Vomit, shandy and other drinks

Vomit contains acid, which is particularly damaging because it can bleach leather. The same applies to shandy, which contains lemonade and citric acid. Wine, wine spritzers and Aperol can also leave bleaching stains. Greiner advises diluting such stains immediately with water and says carbonated water has produced positive results.

How to store the trousers

Even if the trousers survive an evening in a beer tent without stains, they should be stored hanging up in a well-ventilated place. Folding them in a wardrobe can cause mildew stains. They should also be hung in a way that prevents them from becoming misshapen, with the front bib closed.