Caring for your leather pieces is critical to not only keep them looking their best, but also to extend the use and life of the piece. There is nothing quite like taking a piece of worn, scratched leather, and treating it with leather conditioner - then watching it heal before your eyes. It's amazing what a little care can do for the look of your leather pieces, no matter how worn they are. To help you, I've put together a quick primer on my favorite products and how to use them.
Leather Cleaner/Conditioner
I use this constantly - as I do the work of producing a piece, I use substances that can be messy. I use burnishing gum (it has a consistency and look similar to Elmer's glue) to help smooth and seal the back and edges of my leather projects...it get's rid of those little leather 'fuzzies' that you sometimes get on the unfinished parts of leather. I used to use a lightly damp cloth to clean any stray gum off the surface of the leather, but when I switched to a cleaning/conditioning cream, there was no going back. This stuff is amazing! It cleans everything off the surface of the leather, and rejuvenates the surface so it looks better than it did when it arrived.
These products are great for lightly soiled leather, easily and gently removing any dirt, etc., that's on the surface of the leather, and rehydrating and conditioning the leather at the same time, leaving it looking 'puffier' and like new!
My favorite leather conditioner, that I use daily is Weiman's Leather Conditioning Cream - I sometimes also use Bickmore's 'Bick 4' Leather Conditioner. specifically for lighter colored leather, such as the vegetable tanned vanilla/cream color you see in the shop. Both do a spectacular job, and I particularly like them because they are formulated to prevent darkening the leather, which will happen with some leather conditioners. This is especially important when I'm working with vegetable tanned natural/vanilla colored leather - as I don't want to alter the color of the leather at all when I clean it. Even if the conditioner you decide to use states that it won't darken leather, it's wise to still test this on a hidden part of the piece you're cleaning/conditioning - just to be safe. With black leather, this isn't a big concern, but if you have lighter colored leather, it's a must.
To use either: brush off any loose dirt or soil from the piece (if it's quite dirty - I would use a saddle soap first; I'll cover that shortly), and use a rag or sponge. I apply the conditioner to the rag, not directly to the piece, and then apply the conditioner to the leather using a gentle circular motion. You just get a thin layer over the area you're cleaning, and then go back over it with the rag (if I have too much conditioner on my rag, I'll switch to a clean part of the rag) and continue rubbing with circular motions until the leather appears more or less dry. It should look clean and uniform - if you still have any soiling, you may need to go over those parts a second time, or go back a step to a leather soap.
For my harnesses, belts, and bags, I don't find I need to use anything stronger than leather conditioner to clean them - but for my leather shoes, I do use leather soap and sometimes a colored polish that matches the color of the shoe, as they just get dirtier and have more wear and tear - that extra bit of care is worth it when it's called for - it can make a worn pair of shoes look nearly brand new again in a matter of minutes! If you purchase a leather piece second hand and it's looking a bit beat up - I would take it through the whole process - soap, colored polish, conditioner, and wax (which I'll cover as well). People often overlook leather care, and the new-to-you piece may really need the extra TLC - and your effort will likely be well worth it.
When I need to use soap, I use Pink Miracle Shoe Cleaner. It's very easy to use - just use a rag (for belts, harnesses or bags) or a soft brush (on shoes), preferably one intended for use on leather, wet it lightly with water, add a few drops of Pink Miracle and gently rub the surface of the leather in a circular motion until you have a good lather. Pink Miracle is a concentrate - so you only need a very small amount! It's fantastic because one bottle will last forever, and it contains saddle soap, oils, and conditioners. It's also safe to use on a variety of materials: leather, nubuck, fabrics, sneakers...it's always advisable to test any product out on an inconspicuous part for any piece the first time you use it, just to be safe. After you have a good lather going (you can add a little more water if needed as you go), simply use a rag to wipe off the water, soap, and dirt - voila! Especially for your leather belts, bags, etc., remember the leather used is not as tough as leather used for shoes - you want to be especially careful about the amount of water you use, because water stains are possible - just use a dampened rag, not a wet one, and you should be fine.
If you want to really up your game, you can buy a shoe valet kit - I bought this one on Amazon, it comes with a wooden box to store your supplies that also has a mounted piece that holds your shoe in place while you clean and polish, and includes a leather conditioner, a horsehair brush, soft rag, black polish, mink oil, and bees wax for snow/water proofing. I do use the included products (such as the paste and polish) on my shoes, but I don't use them on my other leather accessories, as they contain additives like silicone.
I also have an electric cleaning a polishing brush that comes in handy - I live in New England, so my shoes take a beating between the weather and all the salt in the wintertime. The one linked comes with light and dark brushes and polishing heads for use with light and dark leather/leather polishes.
Polishing will really help if you have a lot of wear and tear, scratches, or scuffs on the surface of your leather piece. It will help color in those scratches and scuffs so they're less noticeable, sometimes completely invisible! You can buy different colors of polish individually on Amazon, this pack from Kiwi comes with black polish, brown polish, and a clear polish that you can use on any color of leather - great if you have a variety of leather colors. You can use a clean, soft rag to rub in the polish, or use the polish attachment if you opt for an electric brush like the one linked above. Apply polish only to clean, dry leather, and rub a small amount into the leather in circular motions until it's absorbed.
After cleaning your leather, whether it be with a conditioner like Weimans or a soap like Pink Miracle, it's really important that you let it dry completely before moving onto the next step. Let it air dry, as blow dryers and heat in general is not good for the leather.
The last step is applying wax or balm - this primarily serves to protect the leather surface from damage, both physical scratches, and for shoes, it also helps protect them from water and salt; for harnesses, belts, clutches, etc., waxing will help protect the leather from staining, soiling, or discoloration from the oils on your body and hands or little spills.
Apply only to fully dry leather, and allow the leather to absorb the balm and dry completely to avoid color transfer to your clothing. If you've gone a little overboard, you can always use a clean rag to rub in/off any excess.
**Please note that with both leather cleaner/conditions (like Weiman's) and with wax or balm, color transfer is normal if you're working with a dark leather especially. Make sure you use a rag for this reason - not your nice white wash clothes. This is expected and not harmful - there is a lot of dye in most dark colored leather, and some will just come up with the cleaner or balm.
I use my own all natural, handcrafted balm for my own accessories - it's made using just five organic ingredients: Cocoa Butter, Beeswax, Sweet Almond Oil, Lanolin, and Carnauba Wax. Each ingredient was chosen for the specific benefits it provides; nothing else is added and it's not only safe to use on your own skin, it would be beneficial if you have any dry spots or chapped hands.
I sell it in my shop, visit this page if you want to learn more about the ingredients or purchase a 3oz tin (it comes with a black rag for application as well).
The downside to my formula, and the only reason I don't use it to finish pieces before sending them to my clients, is that because it contains almond oil and lanolin (a wax derived from wool) - it could cause a reaction for those who are allergic to almonds or wool. A few of the ingredients can darken leather, so as with everything, if using on a lighter leather, be sure to spot test in an inconspicuous area before applying all over.
To be safe, when I send a piece out from the shop, I give it a final clean with Weiman's leather conditioner after it's complete, and follow that will a light wax of pure mink oil and beeswax. At this point, you can probably guess how to apply it...but I'll be a broken record :) Dab a small amount of wax or oil onto a rag or sponge, and use that to apply it to the leathers surface, using gentle, circular motions until it's absorbed. Especially on lighter colored leathers - do spot test an inconspicuous area on the piece before you go to town on it, as I have seen leather darkened by waxing - although this is usually temporary, and the piece fades back to it's original color after a short period of time. Better safe than sorry!
The product I use for my customer's purchases is Startso World Leather Conditioner. It's one of the few products I've found that does not contain chemical additives, such as harsh cleaning agents and silicone, which are not good for your leather long term.
If you're working with suede or nubuck, don't apply wax or oil, however. There are special products made specifically for these surfaces - they usually come in a spray form, that you can safely use as a protectant and waterproof layer on these surfaces. I definitely suggest doing this step with suede or nubuck, but use a product specifically made for them.
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