Did you know that leather was used as one of the first articles of clothing that was used by man? It has been used throughout history for various items due to its durability and versatility. Another one of the qualities that leather beholds is that it is beautiful, classic and long lasting. When you spend your well earned money on a product or article that consists of leather such as; shoes, handbags, clothing, luggage, furniture or car upholstery, wouldn’t you want to know how to clean leather and protect it so that it will last for years to come?

Leather comes in two different types and both require a certain product to clean and maintain them. Smooth leather has a hard and shiny appearance that is found in such items as car upholstery or handbags. The other type of leather is suede which is soft, grainy or furry in its description and can be found in products such as boots, shoes, handbags, coats and chairs for example. Both of these types of leather can be dyed in a vast array of colors and the type of dye that is used determines what type of cleaner that should be used to maintain them. Make sure to read the manufacturer’s instructions on how to clean leather or you can end up permanently staining or damaging it beyond compare.

There are some general rules that you can use to properly clean leather. These rules apply no matter the kind of item you are cleaning. Leather must be kept in an environment that is not wet or too dry, not hot or too cold. The extremes in temperature are what can cause damage to leather items.

Leather must breathe because it is a natural fabric. It must be kept in a cool area that is well ventilated and air must circulate freely around it. Direct sunlight can damage the color of the dye so be sure to cover your leather coat in a dark colored suit bag and leave the zipper open. Try to keep this in mind when you are placing leather furniture around in a room. Car seats can also lose their color if made out of leather, keep out of direct sunlight or buy some of those dark screens and apply to the windows when the car is parked. By doing this you will prevent the dye from fading due to exposure from the sun.

Other ways that you can prolong the life of your leather product is to protect it with a product that keeps the leather smooth and stop it from cracking; normally it will contain some special moisturizers that are made specifically for leather. Car interiors should be wiped as soon as there is a spill to make sure that a stain won’t set into the leather.