Here is a little "How To" guide on properly cleaning leather. First, we'll go through how to clean the leather, then we'll talk about how to condition the leather. (Note: these methods cannot be used to clean suede.)
Cleaning Leather Goods like this saddle or leather furniture takes a lot of elbow grease, but cleaning accessories like shoes and purses is a bit easier! You will need a sponge, soft-bristled toothbrush, a clean cloth or paper towel, and a glycerine-based soap like Leather New or Lexol pH Leather Cleaner. In the pictures below, I used Lexol Leather Cleaner
on a damp cloth. If you are cleaning light colored or dyed leather, test a small inconspicuous area before applying cleaner to the entire area.
1) Gently moisten your cleaning sponge and rub a small amount of cleaner onto it.
2) Work up a good lather and give the leather a thorough wipe-down. If there are any nooks and crannies that the sponge cannot reach, use a soft-bristled toothbrush to gently remove any dirt. Take care not to get the leather too wet, as it could discolor it or cause it to stiffen.
3) Wipe off any excess soap with a clean white cloth (I use a thick paper towel).
Let the item dry before you move onto conditioning the leather. Here are links to my favorite leather cleaning products:
Left: Fiebing'sSaddle Soap
, Right: Farnam Leather New
.
, Right: Farnam Leather New
.Cleaning Patent Leather is so easy - use Windex and a soft white cloth (I use a sock) to keep them looking shiny. It's surprisingly hard to take a good photo of patent leather shoes indoors at night, so here's a picture of what came off of them.
Conditioning Dark Colored Leather is a simple enough process, but you have a few options. For light conditioning, I like to use Lexol Leather Conditioner to keep the leather supple and clean, without causing the leather to darken. When I have an item that is very dry or heavily worn, or that I would like to darken a bit, I use Neatsfoot Oil. 1) Soak a small amount of conditioner or oil onto a clean cloth (I like using old socks) or sponge.
2) Gently rub the conditioner or oil into the leather, and let it sit for 15-30 seconds.
3) Wipe off any excess conditioner or oil with a clean cloth or paper towel to keep from developing a "haze" on the leather from excess product. If there is, let it dry completely and wipe with a moist paper towel.
Left: Fiebings Pure Neatsfoot Oil Right: Lexol Leather Conditioner
Conditioning Light Colored Leather like these Sperry Topsiders can be tricky - sometimes a gentle conditioner like Lexol Leather Conditioner will cause the leather to darken back up a little bit. Test the conditioner on an obscured area before applying it all over.
Even though the conditioner darkened up my shoes a bit, they were in serious need of conditioning. Really. Here are the "before" pictures. Poor, abused shoes. I didn't even remember that they were two-toned leather.
Here is a close-up of the leather after a light conditioning. Not only do they look better, but they feel better on my feet!
Every Day Cleaning will keep your leather looking great, and they will last longer. Whether the item is a saddle covered in horse sweat or high-heels covered in dirt, your leather goods need a good wipe-down every once in a while. I use a moist cloth to wipe off the leather, or will even use a small amount of leather conditioner. For my shoes and purses, I use a Kiwi Express Shine Sponge after a heavy wear.
I make an effort to condition my better-quality shoes every few weeks, especially if they are being worn often. Those beat up Sperry Topsiders I cleaned? They cost about $85 new (I'm sure I got them on sale), but I have had them since 2007 and they are still in great condition. I cleaned The Hub's Rainbow flip-flops, too. Those suckers are absolutely ancient (he wears them daily when the weather is above 50 degrees) but they stay in good condition with monthly cleaning.
I am a huge believer in you-get-what-you-pay-for with shoes (and I have huge, hard to fit feet) so I protect my investments.
- Maggie White
No comments:
Post a Comment