We hope this list of care and cleaning tips will be helpful to you.

Leather is a natural product and therefore is not an easy thing to clean once it has become dirty. It is best to maintain it and then it will be protected from accidental spills and accidents. If your item is of great value, always seek professional advice.

Leather is very prone to going moldy, mold forms on the leather when it has been stored in a damp place. Bear this in mind when storing your leather products. If your item has got mold on it and you do not want to seek the advice of a professional then you must dry the product out. Do not put close to direct heat as that will damage the leather but hang it up in a warm room. When the item is fully dry then you can remove the mold with a damp cloth. Allow it to dry out again. You now need to clean the leather.

1) The first thing to try is simply wipe down with a damp cloth or sponge then allow to dry. Small spots and stains can removed by using a damp cloth and a leather cleaner, such as Lexol Leather Cleaner, or saddle soap. Be sure to read the directions. Then you need to give it a good coat of quality leather polish, regularly. It'll keep the leather soft and semi waterproof. You can never fully waterproof leather.

2) Visit a professional leather cleaner for more serious stains. Normal dry cleaning methods will remove essential oils, causing the leather to crack, fade and shrink. A cleaner who specializes in leather care will use a different method to clean and condition the leather. Even this special process may cause slight variations in color, texture, and shape; so it is important to clean matching garments together.

3) Leather that has come into contact with body fluids should be washed and disinfected if appropriate (see toys for disinfection tips).

4) You should also consider using a specifically made leather cleaner. Follow the directions. If the piece has cleaned up to your satisfaction then treat it with a conditioner to restore its luster and replace the leather's natural oils. (Always test these products on an inconspicuous area before using). Clothing should be reconditioned every 6-9 months, which will greatly extend the life of the garment. Be careful not to soak the stitching, as this can weaken it.

5) If your leather becomes wet, allow it to dry at room temperature. (Never put leather in the dryer.) Then apply leather conditioner. Buff suede with a soft towel to restore the nap.

6) If the leather has become discolored, there are available leather sprays that can restore color to the item. Simply match the color as close as possible to the original. If in doubt, seek the advice of a professional leather cleaner, especially if it is an expensive item. They will have the expertise to repair the piece as close as possible to the original color and condition. Any metal parts that contact skin can be protected from tarnishing by carefully applying a coating of clear nail polish.

All leather items can last for a lifetime if they are regularly maintained and treated well. Leather is skin and just as you would clean your own, you need to clean and nourish your leather to help retain its durability and texture.

Preservation:

Leather conditioners such as GeWy and Oakwood, etc., should be applied with a soft cloth to not only help in the cleaning process, but to also provide good water repellent properties.

Cleaning:

Continual contact with moisture (sweat, rain, urine, alcohol, etc.,) can cause stiffening. When cleaning your leather NEVER use strong detergents such as washing powder!!! Warm soapy water, (baby shampoo or lux flakes) is the best cleaning solution for removing difficult or oily marks, stains or odors. Rub baby shampoo into the area of any oily stains before rinsing. Make sure soap/shampoo is rinsed out thoroughly to avoid stiffening. Leather should never be dried in front of a direct heat source as this damages the leather and also causes the hide to stiffen. When storing leather articles, don’t throw them to the bottom of the wardrobe, instead hang them up and make sure they are ventilated to prevent mould occurring.

Stains & Smells:

SWEAT: When the leather becomes slightly stiffened or an itchy irritation occurs, this is usually a sign that sweat has permeated the leather. Washing in warm water with baby shampoo or fabric softener will help soften the leather and remove the irritation.

ODOR: To remove odor use a teaspoon of bicarbonate soda crystals in one liter of warm water and let the solution soak into the skin.

OILS AND OIL-BASED LUBRICANTS: These can be difficult to remove. Use lux flakes in a few tablespoons of water, rubbed slowly onto the spots can help their removal. Rinse thoroughly.

WAX: Place blotting paper or brown paper on the leather and then apply a cool/moderate iron to remove wax from leather. Keep applying the iron on clean blotting or brown paper, to the wax spot until the paper is no longer absorbing the wax.

URINE STAINS: Uric acid found in urine is very damaging to leather. When leather has been in contact with urine, it should be washed out immediately after use with warm soapy water (baby shampoo). Leaving urine-stained items overnight can cause irreparable damage.

BLOOD STAINS: Leather becomes stiff and odorous Hand wash immediately.

HYGIENE: Germs can be killed by soaking leather clothes in 1 teaspoon bleach to 1 bucket of water for up to 1/2 hour. Rinse thoroughly and hand wash immediately after bleaching. Bleaching can damage leather so minimal use is necessary.

MOLD: Can sometimes be controlled by soaking leather clothes in 1 teaspoon of bleach to 1 bucket of water for up to 1/2 hour. Rinse thoroughly and hand wash immediately after bleaching. Bleaching can damage leather so minimal use is necessary.

Washing: (1)

1. Hand wash in warm water.
2. Use baby shampoo, mild soap or fabric softener to wash with. DO NOT use washing powder or detergent.
3. Then it is recommended to hand wring clothing. To speed up drying time, it is also possible to spin dry on last spin cycle of washing machine.
4. Make sure to completely dry all metal fittings.
5. Lay out flat on an old towel to soak up extra moisture. Dry at room temperature without direct heat. Give up to 48 hours for drying time.
6. Apply leather conditioner with a sheep’s wool or soft cloth removing all excess. Do not apply conditioner to suede side of leather.
7. Always store in a well ventilated area.

Washing: (2)

1. Wash in washing machine on gentle cycle - usually used for woolens.
2. Use mild soap wash such as "Wool Mix" to wash with.
3. Have on either cold or warm water.
4. Turn leather garments inside out.
5. When cycle has finished, garments can be laid flat on towel to air dry. Dry all metal fittings and leave for a day.
6. This may shock some of you, but you can also finish off the drying process by placing garments in clothes dryer, for not longer than half an hour on half the heat. This allows the garment a chance to soften up and to be rid of any remaining moisture. 7. Turn garment right side out and apply a leather conditioner to gloss side of leather (not suede side.)
8. Always store in a well ventilated area.

* For moldy garments, add a quarter of a cup of bleach to machine once water has filled barrel. This won't bleach the suede side and will not affect lining, if carried out this way. It will however kill the mold.

Metal fittings:

As to metal fittings, most buckles, rivets, studs, snaps, rings, etc., are nickel plated mild steel with the exception of chain which is chrome plated mild steel and other metal fittings that are brass coated. If the fittings are not cleaned regularly or cleaned and dried after contact with moisture, rusting will occur. When cleaning leather with conditioner, application to metal fittings will increase their longevity. Surface rust can be removed with chrome cleaner, Autosol, WD40 (nickel), or Brasso (brass).

Ironing:

Leather can be ironed INSIDE OUT at low to medium temperature, without steam! (Do not iron leather on the sheen side. DO iron on the suede side.) Do not press too hard with the iron as you could distort the structure and shape of the article. Higher temperature does not improve the effect of ironing and could possibly burn the article. If creases seem hard to remove, let the article cool then apply leather conditioner to sheen side of leather and try again. Hang pants full length to prevent creases.

Repairing Damage:

Scuff marks and scratches can be disguised by applying a shoe polish/leather dye or marker pen. (Test on inside of hem first to make sure shade isn’t too dark/light.) Stitching which has been broken is best repaired with a heavy duty sewing machine.

1) Always hang leather coats on wide padded hangers.

2) Use shoe trees in shoes and boots.

3) Stuff empty handbags with tissues to retain their shape.

4) Do not store leather goods in plastic bags or other non porous covers. If clothing must be stored in a garment bag, keep it open for ventilation.

5) Allow wet or damp leather to air-dry naturally away from any source of heat.

6) Apply a little leather conditioner when the leather is nearly dry to restore flexibility.

7) Follow this with a full conditioning treatment after the leather has completely air-dried.

8) In winter, promptly remove any salt deposits from shoes and boots by sponging with clean water, then follow with the treatment recommended above for wet or damp leather.

9) To prevent mildew, protect leather from excessive humidity. In a dry environment, regularly condition the leather in order to prevent it from drying out and cracking.

10) Do not use waxes, or silicone formulas or other leather preparations that impair the ability of the leather to "breathe".

11) Never use caustic household chemicals to clean leather. Also, avoid leather preparations that contain alcohol. Avoid turpentine and mineral spirits as they can pull color.

12) Use of mink oil or other animal fats will darken leather. Animal fat can also turn rancid, causing the stitching and leather to rot.

** DISCLAIMER: Caution should be used with the care and cleaning tips listed above. Always try out these tips on a part of the leather which will not be seen. Some of these care and cleaning items may cause discoloration or fading on some leather products. While we do offer these care and cleaning tips as a courtesy, R & D Leather Outlet & Gifts cannot be held responsible for any problems which may occur. If you follow any of the tips listed above, you must use CAUTION and follow the directions as written.