Designer leather handbags are often the one real investment we're willing to make when it comes to the wardrobe department.
And, when you've invested a lot of money in a handbag, making sure it's a forever item is a must. But taking care of leather goods can be tricky, and when it's an item you seriously care about, so much more is a stake. The same happens with your jackets, your lovely pair of winter gloves and the list goes on.
We prefer doing the cleaning in Steps, hopefully, these steps will help you when its time to clean and condition your leather goods.Step 1. Clean
Leather bags and shoes are obviously more resistant to dirt than fabric versions, but that doesn’t mean that leather can’t still get filthy. It’s never a great idea to subject leather items to a soap-and-water cleaning, but using a little leather cleaner will work wonders. Our best selection of cleaners are Coach and Cadillac.
These two cleaners are inexpensive, easy to use (apply with a soft cloth, let it sit for about a half-hour, then wipe off dirt and product residue with a clean, soft cloth, and you’re done), and will remove far more filth from your shoes and bags than you ever realized was there without damaging the leather at all. If your bags and boots are exposed on a regular basis to the salt that big cities use to melt snow and ice, frequent cleaning is a must, as salt can dry out and ruin your leather pieces in one single season.
In most cases, using the inexpensive, alcohol-free baby wipes from Simple Skincare is enough to get a fresh dye stain out of leather. Work the wipe into the leather in firm circular motions, then let it dry overnight to see how much it removed. (It may seem as if it didn’t remove everything at first, but the stain will likely lighten up overnight as the product gets to work.)
If you’re still stuck with a stain, kick your efforts up a notch by using a leather cleaning wipe. I like these by Lord Sheraton.
If all else fails, it may be worth giving the nuclear option a try: Hit the stain with a Mr. Clean Eraser, taking care to go slow — and don’t use it any more than you need to in order to get the stain out, as it can tend to suck the oil out of leather. Conditioning afterward will help, but you always run the risk that your leather won’t be quite as shiny as it was before.
Step 2. Condition
Leather bags and shoes all started out life as a hide on an actual live animal, so they are prone to becoming dry, dull, and cracked. Unless you keep them conditioned and moisturized. Some modern leather goods are already coated with a sealant that gives them an invisible, impenetrable barrier against drying out, but it can deteriorate over time and you’ll want to make absolutely sure that the leather underneath remains in good shape, so conditioning is still a must.
The best product for conditioning high-end leather goods is Cadillac’s Select Leather Lotion, This stuff brings back the smooth, supple feeling these items had when we bought them and never leaves a waxy buildup. It literally sinks into the leather’s pores and brings it roaring back to life.
For boots, shoes, belts, and larger leather travel bags that take a beating due to heavy use, we like this Moneysworth & Best all-in-one cleaner and conditioner, as it makes the whole maintenance process miles faster. We're usually against two-in-one products for leather care, as they are either way too harsh or just don’t do anything at all, but this one manages to be gentle yet effective at the same time.
Step 3. Protect
The word repellent is a bit of a misnomer, though, as no product can completely keep the rain at bay; all you’re really doing is improving the item’s ability to withstand water. we like Apple’s silicone-based spray over old-fashioned mink-oil-based waterproofers, as oil will almost always darken leather. Apply it in light coats using a wide, steady, sweeping motion, holding the can at least eight inches away from your bag or shoes, and allow it to dry a good 12 hours before using the item. It might look like it’s darkening or spotting your leather as it dries, but it will eventually dry perfectly clear. You’ll need to reapply it every year or so, depending on how much wear and tear your item gets.
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