How to Care for Leather
A naturally durable material, leather is strong, water-repellent and repairable, which means it can last for decades.
Are you having trouble caring for your leather? You definitely don’t want to lose the money that you invested on these items. How do they say? Look after leather and it will look after you!
Do you wash leather?
Leather should never be machine washed.
It’s best to remove superficial stains or dirt by hand from the exterior of your leather item with a colourfast, slightly damp cloth, avoiding hard cleaners or detergents. Or use soft detergents to spot-clean your garment.
Ink is pretty permanent, so keep ink pens closed and far away from leather.
If you’ve noticed the lining of your item has started to smell:
Turn the garment inside out.
Wash it with water and detergent, but you need to be careful not to get the leather wet. Use a damp cloth with a little pea-sized dot of natural fabric conditioner and lightly scrub in circular motions to remove any dirt, stains or odours.
Finally, leave the garment to dry naturally, ideally outside in the shade, or somewhere well-ventilated.
How to keep your leather garment clean and in the best condition
It’s important to use the right product for your garment.
To condition, apply a high-quality leather balm or cream every few weeks. This will ensure your item will last for many more years.
Apply a cream to smooth leather, and use a spray for other types of leathers like suede or nubuck.
For tan and brown leather, use a neutral balm. For black leather, a black balm is recommended.
Use a damp cloth to clean the surface of the item and leave it for a few minutes to dry.
Apply the balm using a soft dry cloth and circular motions over all surfaces. Let it soak in for twenty minutes. It’s also recommended to wax the edges and stitching on your leather garment to keep them resistant to water.
Then using a clean part of the cloth, wipe off any excess.
Buff the leather to give it a discreet shine.
When in doubt, or if the item is particularly precious, look for specialist laundries that handle leather apparel. Most shoe and handbag repair services will also take care of leather clothes, and can provide advice on home care for the future.
Storage
Leather garments should never be stored folded, as this can damage the patina and result in early ageing. Instead, place leather garments on padded coat hangers, the ideal leather storage solution to avoid damaging its patina, and keep them in a dry space.
If you live in a particularly humid environment, make sure where it is kept has air circulation. Or make sure you take your leather out for some air often. You should also keep it in a place where there is daylight without direct sunlight.
Managing mould
Unfortunately, humid environments can cause leather items to develop mould.
If you see mould on a leather garment, it’s important to isolate the item from the rest of your wardrobe to prevent mould spreading. Place it in a plastic bag and send it to be professionally cleaned.
If you’d like to try tackling mould removal at home, take a damp cotton or microfibre cloth and dip it in a little white vinegar with a few drops of lemon juice. Swipe this over the leather to remove the mould and repeat until you are certain all the remaining spores are gone. Do this outdoors while wearing a protective mask as spores can be a health hazard. Then leave the item in direct sunlight to dry. Before putting the item back in your wardrobe, monitor it for an extended period to ensure the mould doesn’t come back.
When your leather got wet
If you happen to get caught in the rain while wearing a leather jacket or skirt, don’t dry your item on radiators or near artificial heat sources as this risks distorting or warping the shape. Just hang the item somewhere airy and let it dry slowly and naturally. Leather is a natural product and it will dry naturally if it’s left in the right, dry environment. You may need to reapply a leather conditioner.
For more serious damage, take the item to an expert who can clean, recolour and restore the leather.
How to Care for Suede
Suede is a delicate and temperamental material that requires more care than leather or even sheepskin.
How to keep suede clothing and accessories looking their best to ensure it lasts a long time
1. Use protective treatments on suede
Apply a protective spray to them.
Waterproof all suede items with a water and stain protector before wearing any suede item for the first time, and spray suede items regularly, like every six weeks or 1–2 times a year, depending on the frequency of use of the item. (At a minimum, a seasonal application is recommended.) This prevents stains from setting in if something is spilt and makes suede easier to clean.
Protective treatments should also be reapplied if suede has been exposed to wet weather. It is recommended not to use or wear suede items during inclement weather to keep them looking their best.
There are many good protective sprays on the market. If your wardrobe includes suede clothing and accessories, as well as nubuck, sheepskin or leather, a product designed to work on all three is a smart buy.
Make sure the suede is clean and dry.
Apply the protective spray: Shake the bottle. Holding the nozzle 6 inches away from the suede, apply an even coat to the suede so that it is wet but not soaked.
Allow the suede to dry for 24 hours; avoid direct sunlight or heat.
After the suede dries, use a suede brush, working in one direction, to restore the nap.
2. Clean suede
Suede can become stained and grimy-looking over time and will need to be cleaned.
It’s important to use a gentle touch when cleaning suede, to prevent permanent damage to the delicate material. Purchase a soft suede brush to brush off dust and dirt. Aggressive rubbing or brushing can damage the nap and/or remove color.
Suede care kits are a good buy for people that can be used on everything from footwear to outerwear. Look for one that includes a brush and a suede eraser in addition to a cleaner and conditioner to remove stains from suede and condition the material, extending its life span.
Use a suede brush to remove dust and dirt.
Treat stains by dabbing suede cleaner or white vinegar on them using a light-colored cloth, tasking care not to saturate the shoes.
Allow the shoes to air dry, away from direct sunlight or heat.
If your suede items are heavily soiled, take them to a professional to be cleaned who will be able to remove mud, dirt and stains with a suede eraser/stone.
3. Maintain suede between uses
Giving suede a quick brushing after wearing it will help to keep it from becoming dingy by removing dirt, dust and other environmental soils before they can build up. Use a good suede brush to brush off minor soil or to help restore the nap - keeping suede from looking matted and sad.
Gently buff away small rain spots with a soft suede brush and think twice before wearing them in bad weather.
Examine suede for dirt and stains regularly. Use a suede and nubuck eraser to quickly remove stains from suede, including road salt rings on shoes and stains from food and drink spills.
Think twice before wearing dark denim with light-colored suede shoes or a purse, the denim can leave a stain around the rim. Ink is pretty permanent, so keep ink pens closed and far away from suede.
Storing Suede
Never store suede items in plastic bags. It is best to cover them with a non-woven or cloth breathable bag or shoulder cover. When not wearing your suede items, keep them covered in a box or shoe bag to prevent dust build up.
Never put items away wet.
Purses and handbags should be filled with tissue paper in order to maintain their shape and stored in cloth bags.
Suede shoes are more prone to creasing than most other materials, especially along the toe box, leaving the shoes looking rumpled and old. To prevent this, insert crease protectors like shoe or boot trees when not wearing your shoes. You can also stuff them with paper to help them maintain their shape while they dry.
Outerwear should be hung on a proper-sized form-fitting hanger, and not hung in direct sunlight to avoid fading.
For longer-term storage, use breathable shoulder covers or garment bags to protect suede outerwear when not worn.
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