Protect your leather from the sun and heat sources 

Just like human skin, leather exposed to the sun will dry up and become sensitive. This means it will crack, mark and possibly stain. To prevent these situations, avoid direct heat from the sun and other sources of direct heat on your leather items.

Protect your leather products from dust 

Store your items away from dust. The place you store your leather goods shouldn’t be too damp or too dry as this can lead to brittleness.

Clean your leather 

Use a slightly moistened cotton wool ball (with warm water) to clean and dust your leather items. Clean gently with circular movements and without applying too much pressure or rubbing hard. Alternatively, you can soak your ball of cotton wool in slightly mild shampoo or soap (Marseilles SOAP) to remove stains. Then, dry your item with cotton wool.
Dust your leather regularly.

Don’t wash leather 

Leather, by its very nature, is a material that “absorbs” water. Don’t wash your items. If your leather products are subject to rain or snow, wipe them down with cotton wool (the type used to remove make-up) and let them dry naturally. Don’t use a hair dryer or other heat source to dry your leather items.

Moisturise and air your leather 

Leather is a living material and must be hydrated and ventilated. Leather breathes and needs to be allowed to do so. Keep your leather items in a place that’s neither too damp (as this can cause rot), nor too dry (as this can make the leather brittle). To moisturise, apply a little Vaseline to the leather using a cotton wool ball. Apply using circular movements and without rubbing hard. Vaseline will feed the leather with minerals and make it shine while increasing durability. Before moisturising your leather, remove the dust.

Test cleaners and moisturisers  

If you want to use products, such as moisturising or cleansing milk etc. carry out a test on a small part of your leather item (if possible not the visible part) and check the reaction before using the product on all of the leather. You need to make the right choice in terms of cleaners and moisturisers so you don’t cause any damage over the long term.

Avoid contact with chemicals 

Leather won’t stand products such as perfumes, sprays, cleaning agents, etc. So, in the summer, don’t let the leather make contact with your skin when you’re wearing perfume. This will help to avoid stains on your leather products.

Treat your leather items carefully 

Don’t try to remove stains and scratches by applying too much pressure. Treat your leather items gently.

Maintain the shape of your leather 

To preserve the shape of your bag when not in use, fill it with newspaper. Avoid overloading your leather wallet or card holder etc. As a living material, it will relax and should keep its shape over time.

Caring for suede  

Suede leather is very sensitive to water. So, avoid getting rain and water on these items. If, unfortunately, your suede items get wet, remove any excess with cotton wool and leave your product to dry naturally.

Cleaning suede leather  

To clean your suede article, buy a soft suede brushes (you find these in many stores). Just as for leather, keep your suede products in a place that’s neither too dry nor too damp, shade them from sunlight and allow them to breathe.

In summary, the better you care for your leather and treat it with respect, the longer it will serve you well. By following these tips, you’ll benefit from leather products in great condition over the longer term.

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