Leather care

Taking care of leather in general is rather simple and straightforward. These suggestions may apply to most kinds of leather. Exceptions are suede and nubuck.

Dirt

Dirt can usually be removed by wiping it off by using a clean cloth. The cloth can be barely moist. Saddle soaps and other cleaning detergents are not to be used. These remove the natural oils of the leather and instead of protecting leather may cause permanent damage. If you own gloves and similar leather accessories you may use leather cream but use sparingly. This will help enrich the leather material.

Storage

In keeping your leather accessories, it is best to avoid having the leather items come into contact with each other. The finishing may cause the leather items to stick together. Plastic bags are not the best wrap for all accessories, tissue paper is recommended. Plastic is the cause of excessive drying of the leather. Avoid extreme temperatures, whether hot or cold and humidity. This is especially a constant problem in south-east Asia. Avoid extreme dryness, too. Your leather should not be exposed to direct sunlight or heat for long periods of time. It will cause your leather to dry.

For leather coats or jackets, store them on a wide wooden, plastic or padded hanger. This will help maintain the shape. Store your leather products in a well-ventilated, cool and dry place. Use cloth like cotton sheets or any cloth that is breathable to cover your leather. If your leather clothing acquires wrinkles or creases, let them hang out. Ironing is not necessary. If you think you should iron it, place heavy brown paper over the leather and use medium to cool temperature of the iron. By all means, do not overheat the leather. This will result in an unnecessary permanent shine.

Do not leave heavy objects in the pockets such as key chains. This will cause the leather to sag and stretch.

Suede & nubuck

Suede leather is a special kind of leather made from calfskin. The leather is buffed on the flesh side. It is very soft and resembles fabric. Nubuck is similar that it is buffed to have the fabric-like quality. These kinds of leather are not fit for everyday use and cleaning them needs special cleaning kits.

Wet

When your leather becomes wet do not put it into the dryer. Let it dry at normal room temperature. Empty the leather item first and stuff it up with tissue paper and let it stand to dry. Like dry cleaning, putting your leather product into the clothes dryer may cause permanent damage. If your leather has fur, use a hair blower and set it to the lowest temperature. Let it blow on the fur and shake the fur during the drying process.

Special tips for exotic leathers

The key in caring for exotic leathers here is using the minimum or mild. Use a mild cleaner and conditioner for skins derived from reptiles or snakeskins. The cleaner and conditioner mentioned here are products designed to clean leather. As mentioned, they should be mild. Leather care products are not the same. Products that are used for smooth leather may leave a residue. Do not use such products. This may build up later on around the base of the scales and cause the scales to crack of fall off.

Additional tips

Do not send your leather clothing to the dry cleaners. Dry cleaning will remove the natural oils of the leather resulting in cracking, fading and shrinking. If the stains seem to be stubborn, you may need to send it to a leather specialist. Even then, there may be some slight discolouration or changes in size. If your leather comes in sets or pairs such as gloves and matching garments, these should be sent together. The specialist will be able to make the colours match.

If you are unsure of special leather cleaning kits or leather care kits, test it first on a part of the leather item that is not visible when worn or used. An example is the inside part of a leather jacket. You will be able to see results and evaluate if it is indeed useful in protecting and caring for your leather.

When dressing up, do not apply hair sprays or perfumes while wearing leather. This may cause stains or discolouration. Do not attach pins or adhesive tags or badges to the leather. Pins will puncture the leather and later on the holes may stretch or tear the leather. Adhesive tags or badges may create permanent stains.