Care: Troubleshooting 8
Troubleshooting 8：I didn’t know how to care for my leather and now it’s all black!
If you leave your leather without caring for it, it will become dirty and black. But don't give up. According to Mr. Yasutomi, "In most cases, leather stains can be cleaned by washing with water."
It is often thought that getting leather wet will cause water stains. But Mr. Yasutomi says this is a misconception. When the leather gets wet, dirt will come out of the leather. Therefore, when it gets wet partially, the floating dirt will collect on the creases, and it will adhere to it and become water stains. However, if you wet the entire piece and wash away the dirt, it will not become a stain. However, washing with water is not effective with leather that has been processed to prevent water from seeping in. Try to see if the water seeps in an inconspicuous place before trying out this method.
Nubuck motorcycle gloves that have been used for many years. "I have never cared for them because I didn’t know how," says the owner. The dark stains are not only visually unappealing, but also hygienically questionable.
Step 1. Remove dirt
Apply leather shampoo to a cloth and scrape off the particularly dirty parts. The point is to use the clean side of the cloth as much as possible. If the cloth gets dirty even a little, use a clean section.
Step 2. Use your nails for persistent stains
Remove persistent stains by scratching with your nails. Since the nubuck fabric is strong, there is no problem even if you rub it with force. Wash it with the image of scraping out the dirt that got into the back of the leather.
Step 3. Wash with shampoo water
Fill the tub with water and add shampoo. Put gloves in it and wash it, but this method is only for durable nubuck. For smooth leather such as tanned leather, wipe it with a cloth dampened with water.
Step 4. Rubbing and washing
Soak the gloves in the tub and rub and wash. Rub the leather together for the heavily soiled areas such as the fingertips. Turn the gloves over and wash the inside clean.
Step 5. Rinse the shampoo with fresh water
Rinse the shampoo with fresh water. Repeat soaking in water and squeezing until all of the shampoo is removed. The photo on the left is the state after rinsing and squeezing. Shape and dry in the shade.
Step 6. Dry and check for dirt
If it dries and still remains dirty, repeat washing with water. Leather shrinks when it dries, but it returns to its original state when you put it on your hand and loosen it. In addition, since the color had faded this time, a coloring agent was applied.
Step 7. Raise the fibers with a rubber brush
If you wash nubuck, the fibers will flatten, so brush it with a rubber brush. By brushing, you can remove more dirt. Brush the entire glove using the corners.
Step 8. Add nutrients to finish
Finally, spray a nutrient to replenish the oil that has been removed by washing with water. It also has a waterproof effect and is less likely to get dirty. For smooth leather such as tanned leather, apply moisturizing cream instead.
Step 9. Finished!
Black stains are almost inconspicuous. Leather is difficult to remove if dirt gets inside, so it is important to care of them frequently. In particular, gloves come into direct contact with the skin, so keep them clean.
Care goods that are effective against dirt
1. Leather shampoo. M. Mobley Suede & Nubuck Shampoo (¥ 1,575).
2. Coloring agent used for color fading and color peeling. Wally Suede Color Fresh Liquid (¥ 1,050).
3. A brush exclusively for suede nubuck with foamed natural rubber. Wally Splash Brush (¥ 735).
4. Cotton cloth.
5. A nutritional spray instead of a moisturizing cream. It also has a waterproof effect. Wally Suede Color Fresh Spray(¥ 1,575)
