Guide to Basic Leather Care

ON-THE-GO SPOT CLEANING

  • For minor soiling or marks, spot clean with Renapur Leather Balsam and a soft cloth.
  • Before any cleaning or polishing begins remove any dust or surface dirt with a soft cloth or soft brush, paying special attention to seams, stitching and any creases.
  • Apply the Renapur to any marks you want to quickly refresh, and gently buff in a circular motion, working it into the leather and removing any excess product.
  • Dry your garment away from direct sunlight or heaters.

CLEANING HEAVILY SOILED ITEMS

  • You may need to have garments professionally dry cleaned if they are heavily soiled or complicated to clean (e.g. garments with a fabric lining).
  • If cleaning yourself, use Lyddy’s Saddle Soap with a damp white or colourfast soft sponge.
  • Rub the surface lightly until a lather forms, and work this into the leather thoroughly to remove soaked in grime.
  • Wipe away the excess and let dry away from direct heat for a few hours.
  • Follow your saddle soap with a leather conditioner such as Angelus Leather Balm or Lyddy’s Boot-Goo.
  • Both of these products can be applied in multiple layers to increase shine, and soften stiff aged leather.
  • Allow the garment sufficient time to dry (between 30 minutes to several hours, depending on the temperature)
  • Once garment is dry, buff with a dry cloth to polish.

CLEANING LIGHTLY SOILED ITEMS

  • Use a conditioner such as Angelus Leather Balm or Lyddy’s Boot-Goo.
  • Both of these products can be applied in multiple layers to increase shine, and soften stiff aged leather.
  • Apply product with a soft white cotton cloth and leave to dry between coats, 30 mins to a few hours depending on temperature.
  • Gently buff surface in a circular motions with a clean soft cloth to finish.
  • The consistent use of a good conditioner will help repel water and prevent future stains.

TAKE CARE WHEN CLEANING LIGHTLY COLOURED LEATHER

  • Patch test before using a conditioner and take note of the manufacturer’s instructions.

RESTORING COLOUR ON BLACK OR COLOURED ITEMS

  • Use Lyddy’s Dubbin in a colour that matches your leather (we stock Lyddy’s Black Dubbin and the neutral Waproo Dun-N-Shine), before using a leather conditioner.
  • This can disguise scuffs and scratches.
  • Keep in mind that coloured dubbin may transfer to other garments and items as you wear your newly polished item, so exercise caution.
  • You may want to layer Angelus Leather Balm or Lyddy’s Boot-Goo over the dubbin after it has dried and been polished to help prevent this.

WET LEATHER PROTECTION AND/OR TREATMENT

  • Leather is not waterproof. It may dispel rain or splashing for a short time, but like footwear it will eventually be permeated by the water.
  • Water resistance can be increased by an application of Renapur Leather BalsamLyddy’s Black DubbinWaproo Dub-N-ShineAngelus Leather Balm or Lyddy’s Boot-Goo.
  • If leather gets thoroughly wet, dry it flat away from direct heat or sunlight.
  • You may need to reshape the leather using paper wads once it is dry.
  • You will need to condition the leather again once it is dry to restore the natural oils, otherwise it will become brittle and stiff.
  • If wet from sweat, salts and body oils from your skin should be removed via cleaning and conditioning after the garment has been dried.
  • If it is completely saturated, professional dry cleaning may be the best option.

STORING YOUR LEATHER

  • Always store your leather in a dry place.
  • Ensure your item is fully dried before storing. For example, after getting wet in the rain, contact with sweat and cleaning / polishing.
  • Humidity will cause mould, and if the mould is significant, the garment will be damaged beyond repair.
  • If you notice mould, dry the garment thoroughly and brush the mould off with a heavy but soft-bristled brush.
  • After removing any mould, clean and polish carefully as per the above, or take the item to a professional leather dry cleaner.
  • Store your Leathers away from sunlight, in a cloth garment bag or ventilated trunk.
  • Do not store in a sealed plastic container, as this may cause mould to grow; Leather needs to breathe.