Lovers of leather will know, when you invest in leather it’s a lifelong commitment. Just like a marriage, it requires a lot of TLC to keep things fresh and the quality high over a long time.
Once you take the plunge to buy your dream item though, the question often remains - how do you learn how to care for a leather wallet in the way it deserves?
Well just like any strong bond it takes time and skills - including knowing what works and what doesn’t - and balancing the fine line between knowing how to break in a leather wallet and how to clean a dirty leather wallet without causing harm or being too over the top in your care.
To keep your leather wallet all fresh and aglow for as long as possible, we’ve curated our best tips on how to care for a leather wallet, beginning with understanding what a healthy versus not should look like.
Table of Contents
- 5 Tips On How to Care For A Leather Wallet
- Adding Leather Guard
- How to Brush it off?
- How to Break in a Leather Wallet?
- How to Dab it Down?
- How to Polish a Leather Wallet?
A well kept leather wallet is always easy to spot, it’s buttery soft, shiny or smooth (if matte) and the leather firm. A poor kept leather wallet on the other hand will often show cracks, stains, scuff marks or have lost its sheen.
As artisans of leather, at Apostl we love empowering you (our community) to build the knowledge they need to learn how to wash leather wallet in a safe way, with quality care tips to ensure you get the leather wallet perks you’ve always dreamed of.
So with that in mind read on for our six easy tips for how to care for a leather wallet, no leather servicing costs needed.
5 Tips On How to Care For A Leather Wallet
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Guard it
It may sound like a no-brainer but buying a leather guard solution at the same time as your new leather wallet is one of the best ways to learn how to care for a leather wallet and preserve it from day dot.
Depending on the type of leather (shiny or matte) and the type of protection you’re after (from water stains or to even out scuff marks or fading), choose the leather protectant you feel comfortable with and have a leather care kit ready to go.
In terms of leather guard products, aerosol sprays are often the most common (such as Scotch-guard) and don’t require extra leather care products but if you choose a polish or cream you may need a dry towel or sponge to apply. We also provide a leather waterproofing and conditioning spray.
Once you have your guard of choice, get prepped. Before even touching or unboxing the leather wallet ensure your hands are squeaky clean and dry - or even better wear plastic gloves when handling.
As you unbox the leather wallet, place it on a clean flat surface (such as a chopping board or a cling film covered tray) outside or with fresh air around and spray the protectant at a distance across one side of the leather wallet.
Leave the wallet for a moment to dry, then when it’s absorbed and dry, rotate and spray the leather protectant on the other side. Again, air dry first before touching.
- Brush it off
Ensure your leather wallet doesn’t accumulate dust by brushing it off regularly with a dry cloth and storing in a safe and dry spot.
The best places to keep your leather wallet are often in spots where you can avoid water droplets - so avoid window ledges, beside drink bottles, flower vases, kitchen sinks or nearby coffee tables with glasses of water.
Again often this can sound simple but knowing how to care for a leather wallet is often about being conscious and mindful about what you do with it, where you place it and what you expose it to.
Dry cloths, fresh air and dry storage places are a leather wallet’s BFF.
Note: never leave it in a too dry hot spot, heat is also prone to damaging leather wallets.
- Break it in
While it might sound counterintuitive to break a leather wallet in as you want to avoid it excessively stretching, the reality is your new leather wallet will begin to crinkle and loosen a little from stiff and firm to slightly flexy as soon as you put your first cards and coins in their new home.
To make the transition smooth and effective, we recommend learning how to break in a leather wallet safely so you can support it to function well without forcing it to adjust too quickly.
Follow on for our simple tips to ensure your wallet has the right balance of flex and firm vs overly malleable, loose or wrinkled.
To learn how to break a leather wallet, begin by emptying your old wallet and culling any excess cards.
Next, slowly slide in a handful of cards until full, then using your fingertips massage the leather manually with your hands (ensure they are clean, grease free and dry first) to soften the leather naturally.
If it’s super tight and bulky then here’s a quick tip to stretch it gently. Put the wallet in your jeans pocket for a short time while wearing them or compress the wallet against books for a natural way to compact the wallet without causing harm to the leather.
After that it should be good to go, no more learning how to break in a leather wallet necessary - spend away!
- Dab it down
You’ve had it a few months and it’s starting to fade or get scuff marks - we’ve got you. In terms of how to wash a leather wallet you’ve got to be mindful that it’s less of a wash and more of a soft dab down.
As mentioned earlier water droplets can easily cause stains to leather wallets if not intentionally applied.
To avoid ending up with a cheetah-like wallet we recommend using only a slightly damp cloth to moisten, smooth out and circulate across the leather to even out any water drop patterns.
- Polish it off
Whether your leather wallet has been thrown in beside your keys repeatedly in your handbag, taken too many accidental water spills or it just doesn’t give the same wow factor any more and feels like it’s worn down or dirty, then a polish should do the trick.
Purchasing a good leather conditioner that can easily be absorbed by the leather is the best way to nourish both the fibres and flexibility of the leather while helping you effectively learn how to clean dirty leather wallet with minimal harm or effort needed.
Depending on the type of leather conditioner product you choose (oil versus cream etc), we recommend doing a small spot test in a discreet area of the wallet first and allowing the test area to dry
When you feel satisfied that it's effective and safe for your leather wallet, apply a small coin size amount of leather cleaner in a circular motion with a soft cloth lightly across the entire surface of the leather wallet. Be mindful to smooth over evenly and not linger on a spot too long so as to avoid clogging the pores of the leather or creating uneven stains.
Once conditioned you can be assured you will never have to worry about how to clean dirty leather wallet again. Simply store away in a cool, dry spot for safe keeping (after-all it stores your most valuable assets - credit cards and family pics!) and whenever in doubt come back to the basic steps above.
Bonus tip: Airing leather wallets once every few weeks is also a great way to prevent mould and keep the leather from softening too much. Sit your wallet on a nice airy bench top or side table and let the leather soak in that O2. Remember, as a sustainable leather wallet, it’s all about longevity and decreasing consumerism, so the longer you can love it and learn how to care for your leather wallet, the better for all!
For more tips on how to care for a leather wallet go to our blog or to shop the collection check out Apostl shop here.