Leather Care

How should I care for my leather goods?

Vegetable tanned leather goods should be kept dry (so in the case of a bag, avoid carrying it on a rainy day), hydrated with oils regularly (every 3-6 months), and protected from excessive or prolonged exposure to sun, as it will “tan” in the sun. Chrome-tanned and combination-tanned leathers do not need to be oiled, and waxed leather, suede, and nubuck should absolutely NOT be oiled, nor cleaned in the same way as veg-tan leathers.

How often should I oil my leather goods?

When leather starts to feel dry or stiff, that is an indication that it is time to oil your leather. Different leathers will generally vary in stiffness and moisture, so pay attention to the feeling of your item when you purchase it. Typically veg-tan leather will need to be oiled every 3-6 months, though heavy exposure to the natural oils of your skin may extend that period. Heavy sun exposure or dry environments may dry leather out more quickly. I recommend every 6 months, or sooner if the leather feels or looks dry.

How do I oil my leather goods?

I only recommend mink oil or neatsfoot oil, but it is important to note that these oils will darken your leather. This is an unavoidable factor of natural vegetable tanned leather, and both tend to affect the color slightly differently. Both will initially darken the leather, but as it is exposed to sun mink oil will continue to darken and neatsfoot oil will lighten. Apply a very minimal amount of oil to a dry, clean cloth and apply to the surface of the leather. Allow the item 10-24 hours to soak up the oil, buff the surface with a dry, clean cloth, and enjoy. Again, do NOT oil suede, nubuck, waxed leather, chrome-tans, or combination-tans.

What leathers should I treat differently?

Nubuck, suede, combination-tanned, chrome-tanned, waxed leather. Do NOT oil these leather, do not clean them with liquids or saddle soap, do not “shine” or “buff” them with a cloth as described above. I will elaborate below on how to care for these leathers.

How do I clean my leather goods?

Vegetable-tanned leather and some chrome-tanned leathers can be cleaned with saddle soap. This is only to be done in cases of staining, not as a form of regular maintenance. Wet the affected area, apply a small amount of saddle soap and rub into the leather in a circular motion. Wipe the surface with a damp cloth, allow to dry overnight, and in the case of vegetable tanned leather, oil the leather afterwards. Nubuck and suede cannot be cleaned in this manner because it will gunk up or slightly polish the napped surface.

How do I care for nubuck and suede?

Nubuck and suede is much more vulnerable to damage from moisture, so it is much more important in this case to avoid exposure to the elements. If something is spilled onto your nubuck or suede, immediately dab the surface with a dry, clean cloth. For older stains, take a piece of rubber and rub it on the surface, brush it with a horsehair suede brush, or use a nubuck/suede crepe brush. You could consider a nubuck/suede waterproofing spray, or use conditioners designed specifically for nubuck and suede.

How should I expect my pieces to patina?

Vegetable tanned leather will darken and shine with wear. Due to the natural variation in the hide, some features of the leather may darken more or less than others. Because of this, different kinds of leather will age very differently than others. Notably, at Mooney Leather Goods, we use Conceria Walpier’s Burro leather quite often. This leather in particular is coated in a layer of opaque white wax that scratches or rubs off, revealing the bright color below this finish. This drastically affects how the leather will wear, darken, and shine and will furthermore vary greatly depending on the individual’s habits using and carrying the piece. Therefore, the wear will not develop consistently. If this is not something you are interested in, I recommend chrome-tanned or combination tanned leathers which will not age in this way.

Didn’t find an answer to your question?

Let us know! We will try our best to answer your question or direct you to resources that can, no matter what the question might be. Email us at mooneyleather@gmail.com or DM us on instagram, @mooneyleather.