How to Love Your Leather:

Easy Care Guide

It only takes 3 easy-peasy steps to keep your leather in tip-top shape.

In this guide, we'll teach you how to show your leather some love by cleaning and conditioning it regularly, so that its beauty and strength will last you a lifetime!

 

When do I clean vs. condition? What is the difference?

  • Cleaning Your Leather

    Cleaning is a super quick "spritz-wipe-go" that can be done as often as needed to clean spots and scuff marks that occur with normal everyday living. While it won't deep clean or condition your leather, it's a great, quick-fix in between your scheduled conditioning treatments.

  • Conditioning Your Leather

    Conditioning is recommended every 4-6 months using leather balm to maintain your leather's beauty and strength for a lifetime. This process also deep cleans your leather but takes more time and planning than a quick cleaning spritz. Set a reminder to do it consistently!

Learn how to clean and condition your leather in this instructional video.

Leather Care Kit

IMPORTANT: Only use quality leather cleaners!

Using water, traditional soap, or cooking oils will dry out your leather, so you should always use a leather specific cleaner from a brand you trust.

Our all-natural, American-made leather care products are expertly formulated to care for your leather in the right way.

*Always test new products on a hidden spot before applying them to more visible sections of your bag.

Buy a Leather Care Kit

How to Clean

ESTIMATED TIME: 2 minutes + Dry Time (1 hour)

What You'll Need:

  • 1. Leather spray cleaner

  • 2. A soft cloth

Step 1:

Spray cleaner onto leather.

Spray your leather cleaner liberally over the spot that is in need of cleaning. Or spray lightly over the entire handbag for normal cleaning maintenance.

Step 2:

Wipe area gently with soft cloth.

Using your microfiber cloth, gently wipe leather to remove dirt or debris. For scuff marks, apply more pressure and buff out marks using circular motions.

Step 3:

Let dry naturally.

Assuming the spot is fairly small, you're good to go ahead and use your bag. Just be extra careful until it has fully air dried - and do not use a heater or blow dryer to speed up the process!

 

How to Condition

ESTIMATED TIME: 10 minutes + Dry Time (8-24 hours)

What You'll Need:

  • 1. Leather conditioner

  • 2. Soft cloths (about 2-3)

*Oil-based products are great for leather but not so great for your clothes, so you’ll want to wear something you don't mind getting messy or stained!

Make sure your leather is 100% dry before you condition it!

Even if it is damp from the spray cleaner, you still need to wait for it to fully dry before applying any conditioning balm.

Step 1:

Dab a soft cloth into the leather balm and apply a thin, even layer by rubbing it into the leather using a gentle, circular motion.

(or we recommend using your hands, instead of a cloth, as the warmth of your body will help melt the balm and make the conditioning process easier.)

  • Remember: Less is more!

You can always repeat this step later on if your bag feels extra dry or brittle, but that doesn’t mean you should slather your bag with balm right off the bat! 

Leather can only absorb a certain amount of moisture at a time. If you flood it with more than it can handle, the excess moisture may cause problems!

Don’t be alarmed if you notice the leather color changing and darkening, this is totally normal and the color will return to its previous shade within 48 hours.

Allow your bag to set for approximately 2 hours.

(be sure to complete Step 2 before deciding if your bag needs a second thin and even coat of conditioner.)

Step 2:

After 2 hours, buff with a clean, soft cloth.

  • Before buffing, make sure the leather has had a chance to soak up the conditioner for approximately 2 hours.

What exactly is buffing? Buffing simply means rubbing a clean, soft cloth in gentle circles all over the conditioned bag. It's the same motion you used to apply the conditioner, except this time the cloth you're using is clean and dry, with no butter balm on it.

  • After buffing, if you feel like your bag still needs a bit more conditioning, then repeat Steps 1 and 2 before proceeding to Step 3.

Step 3:

Air-dry naturally... and practice patience!

  • The final step is to let your bag air-dry, which typically takes 8-24 hours.

Attempting to speed up the drying process with heaters or blow dryers can damage your leather, causing it to become overly dry.

The slower process of air drying protects the leather’s collagen structures, keeping it healthy and strong.

So it's important to be patient!
 

Important Tips

How often do I need to condition my leather?

  • Condition your leather once every 6 months. (every 4 months if you live somewhere with dry heat or you’re generally hard on your leather.)
  • Or every time your handbag gets significantly wet; like you are caught in a rainstorm. (but remember to wait to condition until it has dried out!)
  • Most importantly, make it a consistent routine!

We like to kick off the year with a good leather care sesh because it makes it easy to remember when our bags are due for the next one. If we always clean our leather bags at the start of the year then we know they’ll need a checkup about halfway through the summer.

It doesn’t have to be exact, as long as it’s somewhat consistent. This strategy works well for us but you may prefer another tracking method, like marking it in your planner or setting a reminder on your phone. Whatever works for you!

What if my bag gets wet?

While we advise against intentionally drenching your bag, don’t fret if it accidentally gets soaked.

If you get caught in a sudden downpour or your water bottle leaks in your bag just let it dry naturally (spot clean first if it’s wet from something other than water) and then follow the conditioning steps above.

Use your bag! The more you use it, the better it becomes...

The best thing you can do for your leather bag is use it.

Full-grain leather truly gets better the more you wear it, becoming softer and more supple and developing a natural sheen.

So don’t be afraid to put your bag to work!

How to properly store your bag when you're not using it...

If for some reason you do decide to put your leather bag away for a little while, make sure you store it properly!

  1. Protect it with a dust bag made of cloth (not plastic since it won’t allow air to circulate).
  2. Choose a dry location away from direct sunlight or extreme heat or cold.
  3. Continue to condition it regularly.