Zoom on all the tips and some grandmother's recipes to clean, moisturize or even restore your shoes, jackets and leather pants.

Precious, the add is a living matter that needs a special interview to last over time. Because when it dries out, it can lose its shine and crack. It is therefore necessary to to clean correctly and the to feed effectively so that it regains its suppleness and shine.

How do you clean a leather piece?

We try to take care of our jacket or boots fairly regularly by dusting and brushing with a soft cloth or a rubber brush which will remove small wear marks if our leather is smooth. In the case of patent leather, we clean it with a damp cloth , dry, then shine with a product suitable for this type of leather.

As for cleansers, you can use Marseille's soap which is diluted in lukewarm water and applied with a glove or cloth. Then just wipe immediately. This trick works very well for much more fragile light and white leathers. The clay stone is also effective, to be applied with a clean cloth. Be careful though, because it certainly removes stains, but also attacks the grain of the leather!

Another quick solution is to use a gentle cleansing milk to be applied on a cotton pad that is rubbed in circular motions on the leather. Specialist leather products such as a universal cream or care milks are also available for purchase in supermarkets or from your shoemaker for occasional cleaning.

How do you moisturize a leather piece?

After cleaning and optimal drying, we move on to the stage of hydration . We apply a special nourishing milk for leather using a cotton ball, a dry cloth or a soft-bristled brush. You can also use a leather oil or a colorless care cream from specialized brands that will restore suppleness and shine to leather, whatever its type, by rehydrating it durably. Be careful not to grease the leather too much, it would become fragile, with a high risk of tearing and a certain looseness in the seams. We then think of recolor with a waxing cream, then buffing it with a buffing brush.

How do I restore a leather piece?

If your leather piece is torn or if the seams are damaged , it is necessary to take it to a leather professional or shoemaker, who should be able to help you. If they are scuffs or scratches, they may be masked with shoe polish, leather dye or even a permanent marker. The whole thing is to do a test on a discreet area in order to have an idea of ​​the result.

Yes your leather is stained , before moving on to the cleaning stage and following these grandmother's recipes, it is necessary to determine the type of stain. From gras ? We just apply a thick layer of talc on the stain and let it absorb overnight. Then, we brush and repeat the process if the stain persists, to finally apply a specialized cleaner.

A chewing-gum stuck to your leather jacket? We just soften the chewing gum by gently heating it with a hair dryer, then scrape carefully with a butter knife. We then warm up the remaining gum residue with the hair dryer, then rub with a soft, dry cloth until it balls up and comes off. Finally, a leather cleaner and conditioner is used to moisturize the skin after applying heat.

Is your leather piece wrinkled? Beware, it is strongly advised against ironing it in direct contact , at the risk of burning it. However, it can be ironed at the lowest temperature allowed by the iron, by placing a cloth between the skin and the iron.

Source journaldesfemmes.fr