It is important to maintain and condition your leather goods for optimal lasting quality. Products that are in continual contact with your hands or skin will often condition themselves, but I recommend conditioning your quality goods at least once a year to ensure all areas are being taken care of. It is also important to store your goods in a location where they can breathe, with minimal humidity, away from sunlight, and inside a dust bag for long-term storage.

It’s important to always read the instructions on your leather care products - some ask you to wet the leather first, some require you to let the product dry for 24 hours. Almost all of these products will darken your leather goods slightly. Here are the products I regularly use:

Cleaning
Use a damp cloth for regular cleaning. If you get something on your bag, you can spot treat it with a mild dish soap and water or a saddle soap: I use saddle soap before or after a vacation or event. It cleans and polishes at the same time, leaving a natural finish.

When cleaning a bag, make sure you lightly dampen the whole panel of leather to avoid any water marks. If your bag gets wet for any reason, let it fully dry and condition it afterwards. Each bag is sealed on the finished side, but if your bag gets extremely wet, some of the colour might come off from the interior. Let it dry on a towel, and then add a conditioner afterwards. You can condition multiple times if your leather product feels stiff.

Leather is a permeable material, be careful when using sunscreen or other chemical based products that could stain the leather.

Conditioning
I recommend using a natural oil or beeswax conditioner.

I often use this Leather balm. It is great for adding some moisture into your bag, softening the leather, and will also add a slight shine and protective coating. I use this with my new vegetable-tanned products to help soften the leather.

I love this product for my leather bags and shoes: All Natural Leather Conditioner. This is also a great product to use if you are living in a rainy climate. If so, I recommend conditioning your leather products every 3-4 months.

Brass Hardware Maintenance
When I clean my bags, I also like to polish my brass buckles and clips. You can do this with a mild dish soap, and dry it immediately. If your brass buckles are tarnishing, you can use a specific brass cleaner. I use “Brasso Metal Polish”.

Repairs
The best part about hand-stitched leather products, is that they can easily be repaired. Please connect with us via email: christine@contrahandmade.com