Cleaning and caring for leather bags

Handbags are often treasured items that you want to keep for a long time. With the right care, tailored to the type of leather, they remain beautiful for much longer.

Regular care

Depending on use, the leather should be cared for sparingly every 6 to 12 months with Colourlock Elephant Leather Preserver. It is ideal for smooth leather, extends its lifespan and protects against drying out, stains and wear. If soiled, clean the leather with Colourlock Leather Cleaner mild.

Care for open-pore natural leather (aniline leather), which stains when damp and soils easily, with Colourlock Aniline Cream. It is highly water- and oil-repellent. You can use Aniline & Nubuck Cleaner for the preceding cleaning, although it is not always possible to remove every stain.

Protect suede leather from stains and soiling with waterproofing for suede leather and textiles. Cleaning is generally somewhat more difficult with suede leather bags. Individual stains can be treated locally with the Nubuck Eraser Block. For more extensive cleaning, use Aniline & Nubuck Cleaner.

Washable leather bags can be washed by hand or in the washing machine with Leather & Fur Wash Concentrate.

Which leather do I have? The quick test

Two simple tests make it easy to identify the material:

Water-drop test (for smooth leather): Rub a drop of water onto an inconspicuous area. If it is absorbed and darkens the leather, it is aniline leather (open-pore). If it beads off, it is pigmented smooth leather (surface-coloured).

Fingernail test (for greased leather): Draw a line on the leather with your fingernail without applying much pressure. If it can be removed again by rubbing, it is greased leather (pull-up leather). If you have a greased leather bag, this is the right guide

Recognisable by appearance: Suede leather has a velvety, velours-like surface and is visually clearly distinguishable from smooth leather.

Care for older bags

Older leather should be cleaned with Leather Cleaner mild. Do not work too wet, and protect it from drying out regularly and sparingly with Colourlock Elephant Leather Preserver.

In the case of heavy wear, fading and abrasions, the colour can be refreshed with our Colourlock Leather Fresh tints. The original colour returns, while the surface is protected at the same time. Larger scratches and dry cracks can be closed with Colourlock Fluid Leather.

For more extensive restoration work, we will be happy to help you in our leather workshop.

If you would like general advice about your bag or have several bags, do not hesitate to contact us.