A guest in dark indigo jeans has spent the afternoon on the cream aniline leather banquette in the sky lounge. When they stand up, the seat is faintly blue. A stew reaches for the all-purpose spray and a scouring pad. Stop her: what she is about to do is worse than the mark.
The leather family is not one material
The word "leather" on a fabric schedule tells you almost nothing. What matters is the finish, because the finish decides how much protection the hide has.
| Type | Character | Do | Never |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aniline | Dyed through, no pigment coat; absorbs, patinas, marks easily | Dust, dry wipe, condition only per the maker's specification | Saddle soap, household cleaner, water soaking, solvent |
| Semi-aniline | Light pigment coat; some protection, still porous | Damp (not wet) cloth, approved cleaner, condition sparingly | Alkaline degreasers; scrubbing |
| Pigmented / protected | Opaque surface coat; the most robust | Damp wipe with the approved product | Abrasives; over-conditioning (it sits on top and goes tacky) |
| Suede / nubuck | Napped surface; darkens with any liquid | Dry brush with a nap brush; specialist eraser | Any solvent, oil, liquid cleaner or conditioner |
Colour transfer from denim and dark clothing is a dye stain, not a soil, and on aniline it is often permanent. Report it. Do not attempt to scrub it out.
Alcantara and microsuede
Alcantara is a polyester-polyurethane microfibre, not suede and not leather. It is common on headboards, headliners and wall panels.
- Clean only to the manufacturer's card — typically a light damp cloth or a specified foam, worked gently in one direction.
- Never use solvent, silicone, oil-based products, saddle soap or heat.
- Pen on alcantara is a specialist job. So is a large soaked area, which will dry with a hard-edged ring.
- Restore the nap by brushing lightly with a soft brush once fully dry.
Velvet, mohair and other pile fabrics
Pile fabrics have a nap direction, and their appearance is the direction the fibres lie.
- Vacuum and brush with the pile, never across or against it.
- Pressure marks and crush are not damage — they are flattened pile. Careful steam held above the fabric (never touching, never on silk or viscose velvet) and light brushing can lift them.
- Cotton and silk velvets water-mark. Viscose velvet marks if you look at it. Treat all as water-hostile until the schedule says otherwise.
- Bouclé and jacquard snag: use low suction and a soft brush head, and never pull a loose loop — cut it flush or report it.
Onboard Notes
Every leather and every alcantara panel on the yacht should have a named product in the maintenance file. If it does not, get it from the supplier before you clean, not after. Household products, baby wipes, alcohol gel and saddle soap have ruined more yacht leather than guests ever have. When in doubt, do nothing and ask the chief stew.