Caring for Leather Goods

A supple touch, aged finish, and unique smell are the classic characteristics of quality leather goods. Caring for your leather properly ensures that your items retain these characteristics. Leather deserves to be treated with a little TLC if it is going to last a lifetime. It’s essential to care for leather like you’d care for your own skin to prevent it from becoming dirty, dull, cracked or dry. A well looked after leather product will be just as beautiful as it was the day it was made.

Caring for Leather Tips

1. Clean the leather regularly with a clean cloth dampened in warm water. You want to use cloths that are soft to avoid scratching your leather product, such as old t-shirts and microfiber towels. In a pinch, you can even use clean diapers! Remember to move your cloth in a circular motion to avoid streaking. Let the leather dry completely before moving on to the next step.
2. Remove dirt build-up by wiping the leather down with a soft cloth and leather cleaner if needed. We like using Fiebing’s Saddle Soap, but any other brand will do. Remember that less is more. It’s better to do multiple passes of saddle soap than to saturate your product with the stuff. This will help prevent changing the color of your piece. Let the saddle soap dry completely and then buff it out, always using a circular motion. This will help make the leather nice and lustrous.
3. Condition every 3-6 months to keep your leather goods looking their best. Dab a leather conditioner such as mink oil on a small cloth and gently rub all over. Mink oil is similar to the natural oils of the leather and therefore will help soften your piece. This works wonderful for your older leather pieces that have dried out or pieces that are frequently out in the elements. 
4. Leather goods aren’t totally waterproof. Beeswax leather creams work great as a water repellent. Spray repellents also help with waterproofing. Waterproof once a year or as needed depending on your location and climate. If your leather goods do get saturated with rain, wipe them down immediately, let it dry completely, then recondition with mink oil to prevent staining and water spots. 

Don’t Forget!

• Always be cautious when adding cleaners, creams, and oils to leather to avoid altering the hue of the leather. Spot test on an inconspicuous area and never saturate your leather with products.
• Always let the leather dry naturally and completely before using or storing.

Remember that leather is a skin. It needs to be cleaned, conditioned, and protected from the elements. Proper care will make sure that your leather items will always look beautiful and will last a lifetime.