How To Care for Your Leather

Leather bags, timeless in style, demand meticulous care to preserve their elegance. In this step-by-step guide, we'll take you through the process of cleaning and maintaining your leather goods to ensure they stand the text of time.

 

 

1. Identify Your Leather Type

Begin by understanding the kind of leather used to create your bag. 

 

Leatherology handbags offer a high-quality leather experience by using mostly full grain leather, which is a type of leather that takes the hide in its purest form. Unlike other types of leather, we apply minimal treatment to the hide surface, leaving imperfections untouched. You can see surface marks or variations in leather grain as examples of the true character of the leather.

 

It is important to remember that leather gets better with age. With use, your leather will soften, stretch, and adapt to suit your lifestyle. Additionally, its grain and color will enhance over time through use and exposure to the oils of your skin - this is called patina.

 

To learn about your specific leather type, visit our Leather Collections page. If you are looking for information about how to care for organic canvas products, visit the Canvas Care page.

 

 

2. Routine Leather Maintenance

Clean your leather once a week or as needed. Many people think scratched leather is low quality, but it's normal for leather to get scratches with use.

 

To remove small scratches, just use a clean fingertip to gently rub out the scratch. The natural oils of your skin will remove most small scratches.

 

To remove dirt, grime or surface residue, use a soft, damp (not wet) cloth. Gently wipe - don't scrub - to remove.

 

 

3. Deep Leather Cleaning

To clean well, use a leather cleaner that keeps the natural oils instead of removing them. Make sure the cleaner you choose doesn't contain caustic chemicals, harmful abrasives, or leave any greasy residue behind. We suggest using something like our Leatherology Leather Cleaner, which is optimally designed for this type of cleaning.

 

Before using the leather cleaner on your item, test it in a hidden spot. This will ensure that it works well with the leather. Put cleaner on a cloth, rub gently in a circular motion on the surface, then let the item air dry. We do not suggest using our leather cleaner on our Berlin, Double Sided, Nubuck, and Unlined leather collections.

 

 

4. Conditioning Leather

You should condition leather once every six months. Maintain your leather's suppleness by applying a high-quality leather conditioner sparingly with a clean, soft cloth. We recommend the all-natural Leatherology Leather Conditioner.

 

Allow the conditioner to absorb for a few hours or overnight. This treatment nourishes the leather and keeps it looking lustrous. We do not suggest using our leather conditioner on our Berlin, Double Sided, Nubuck, and Unlined leather collections.

 

 

5. Stained Leather

If your leather product gets wet, dry it quickly. Store it upright with dry fabric inside (for handbags/toiletry bags/travel bags) until it dries.

 

For small scratches, gently rub your finger over the mark until it fades. The natural oil in your skin will naturally condition the mark out over time. You can also use our leather cleaner/conditioner to reduce the appearances of scratches.

 

To avoid color transfer, be cautious when using colored or black leather items near light-colored fabric. Over time, the color may rub off. This is especially true in humid or damp weather. For lining care, spot treat with a baby wipe or damp cloth to minimize stains.

 

 

6. Storing Leather

Store leather in a breathable bag, not plastic, to stop mildew and bacteria growth. To avoid creasing leather, don't put anything on top of it and avoid creasing it without reason.

 

 

Shop cleaning accessories leather care kits, microfiber cloths, and leather protectant sprays.