Leather-care

Always are all agents to be tried out on a non-visible part prior to the application and waited for 1 – 2 days for a potential reaction.

One distinguishes between care, cleaning, re-fatting and impregnation.

Daily Care

A brushing with a soft horsehair brush is sufficient to remove crumbs and dust (especially for full-grain leather like Nubuk and suede leather). It is also fully sufficient to wipe the leather with a wet, genuine wash-leather (chamois type) or a fuzz-free cotton cloth. The wash-leather or the fuzz-free cotton cloth should by all means be soaked with distilled water and wrung out properly. No wet wiping, only damp wiping.

Monthly Care


A weekly or monthly care is subject to the wear-and-tear of the leather. The care can basically be carried out simultaneously as a mild cleaning and re-fattening as needed. A fuzz-free cotton cloth should be soaked with a suitable leather soap-solution / leather cleaning agent and wrung-out. Srub respectively wipe  the whole leather surface with the cotton cloth without applying pressure. A wash-leather should be used instead of a cotton cloth in case of pronounced Nubuk effects or suedes or for highly dust-sensible leathers respectively leathers prone for electrostatic charges. This can also be soaked with suitable leather soap-solution / leather cleaning agent.

Cleaning


A leather eraser may be used after the leather soap solution treatment to remove incrustations and dirt particles sticking to the surface. A rubbing pad can be used for the dry cleaning of suede or Nubuk leathers of dirt particles sticking to the surface.  However, this should be used carefully and with a lot of sensitivity. An are-covering cleaning of staining can be achieved with good results with cleansing foams. These foams have often a slightly re-fattening, colour enhancing and impregnating effect. Soft cleaners should indeed only be used in case of clearly visible area-wide staining. Special fat solving sprays can be used for fatty spots of meals or signs of usage especially in the head and neck area of leather cushions. Special cleaners have to be used for the removal of ball-pen line or other colourful stainings.

Re-fattening


A re-fattening is normally not necessary if it is proceeded as mentioned under Daily and Monthly Care and the leather is not subjected to special or extraordinary conditions. But if, as the leather alreayd appears hard and brittle or seems to have lost distinctly in softness, a re-fattening can be applied. A permanent re-fattening without any reason will destroy the leather, respectively will the desired characteristics considerably be deteriorating.  Re-fattening agents like care lotions and crèmes should be applied very cautiously. An over-fattening can happen easily and for non-finished leathers or Nubuks and suedes can an unwanted darkening and specking occur. As always the hint not to forget a trial application on an invisible part when applying any agent and pay attention to possible reaction within the following 1 – 2 days. The use of household remedies or body lotions respectively body crèmes and food stuff should absolutely be avoided. Rancidity, yellowing, abrasion, loss of tear strength and breathability are just a few of the negative results that are possible.

Impregnation


All marketed finished leathers and the products thereof should normally be sufficiently equipped for their use.  The relevant use of the leather has to be adjusted for independent of the leather being marketed as corrected or Anilin. E.g. like the fastness to water drops and water repellancy for clothing leather or the colour fastness for furniture and bag maker leather. The expert salesman should offer or at least state the adequate and by the manufacturer released cleaning agent if the customer is notified immediately after the purchase of an item of a necessary impregnation.

Pump sprays that are made-up on water basis are a real alternative. They do not achieve the same hydrophobic and oleophobic effect due to the solvent-free make.