Leather Care Guide

HOW TO LOOK AFTER FULL-GRAIN LEATHER

 

Full-grain leather is a natural material that improves with use, but only if you treat it like one. These are the habits that keep a jacket or a bag looking better at year five than at year one.

 

EVERY WEEK

 

Wipe the surface with a soft, dry cloth to lift dust before it settles into the grain. Empty pockets so the leather does not stretch around whatever you left in them. Hang jackets on a wide wooden or padded hanger, never a wire one, which puts a crease in the shoulders that never comes out.

 

EVERY THREE TO SIX MONTHS

 

Condition the leather with a neutral leather balm or cream. Apply a small amount with a soft cloth, work it in with light circles, leave it for twenty minutes, then buff off the excess. Conditioning replaces the oils that daily wear removes, and it is the single thing that decides whether leather ages or dries out.

 

Do not use saddle soap, shoe polish, baby wipes, alcohol or household cleaners on garment leather. They strip the finish.

 

IF IT GETS WET

 

Blot, do not rub, with a dry towel. Let the piece dry at room temperature, away from radiators, hairdryers and direct sun. Heat is what makes leather go hard and crack. Once fully dry, condition it, because water takes oils out with it as it evaporates.

 

SUEDE AND NUBUCK

 

No balm, no oil. Use a suede brush in one direction to lift the nap, and a suede eraser on dry marks. A suede protector spray before first wear saves a lot of trouble later. Keep suede away from rain where you can.

 

STORAGE

 

Store in a cool, dry place with air around it. Use a breathable cotton dust bag, never a plastic one, which traps moisture and encourages mould. Stuff bags lightly with acid-free paper so they hold their shape. Do not store leather compressed at the back of a packed wardrobe.

 

STAINS AND SPILLS

 

Act quickly and blot. For oil or grease, dust the mark with cornflour, leave it overnight to draw the oil out, then brush it off gently. For anything stubborn, or on a piece you care about, go to a specialist leather cleaner rather than experimenting.

 

WHAT IS NOT DAMAGE

 

Grain variation, colour that deepens with sunlight and handling, soft creases where the leather folds, and small healed scars from the animal's life are all normal. They are the difference between real full-grain and a coated, corrected surface.

 

QUESTIONS

 

Email sales@breezionstore.ltd with a photo and we will tell you honestly whether it needs conditioning, a specialist, or nothing at all.