Leather is a popular material for jackets, sneakers, purses, coats, gloves, and more in the fashion world. It is a high-quality material that is typically expensive to use when making garments. That is why clothes made with leather come with a high price tag. Because of the cost, you probably want to take great care of your leather products so they can last years to come. The biggest factor that comes with leather care is whether or not you can get your jackets or accessories wet.
In short, yes you can get your leather goods wet but it might not be a smart thing to do. When you get leather wet it causes it to start to dry out. When water comes in contact with your leather, the water molecules bind with the oils in the leather and both evaporate after a short time after. This cause the leather to become brittle and rough.
Although it’s not a great day when your leather boots, purses, jackets, and sneakers get soaked. It is still fixable as long as you act on it right away. Try the steps below to fix any leather wet leather.
How To Fix Wet Leather
- First, you need to let your item dry out a bit. Wipe off any excess water with a towel and hang dry your jackets and purses and lay out your sneakers and boots. Do not apply any heat sources to the leather to help it dry out faster. This will only damage your leather goods even more. Once the leather is slightly damp to the touch, move on to the next step.
- Once the leather has almost dried out and is slightly damp. Apply a leather conditioner to your cloth or towel. I have used this leather conditioner for years and always does the trick.
- Apply the leather conditioner to your jacket, purse, or footwear by using a gentle small circular motion. Make sure you apply an even coat of conditioner throughout the entirety of the leather. Let the item dry overnight to allow the pores in the leather to open and replenish the lost oils from the water.
- Continue these steps in order until your leather feels soft and slightly oily to the touch. You may need to continue doing these processes multiple times depending on the severity of the water damage.
Can Faux Leather Get Wet?
Faux leather is typically made from vinyl, plastics, and polyurethane. These types of materials have built-in waterproof qualities. So the answer is, yes. You can get your Faux leather items wet without much worry of them becoming ruined or damaged. I would just wipe off any water that comes in contact with faux leather with a towel or cloth to be safe.
If your faux leather does get damaged, leather conditioning will not penetrate faux leather so this is not a fix to repair any water damage. At that point, it is most likely your faux leather is permanently damaged. This is a rare occurrence and typically only happens if the faux leather becomes soaking wet for a prolonged period.
How To Water Proof Leather
Whether you have fixed your damaged leather or want to prevent water damage in general, it is a good idea to waterproof your leather goods. The first option is to use a spray waterproofing product or another waterproof product designed for leather, whether it’s a cream or oil.
Summary
In general, it is ok to get leather goods slightly wet. But, in the case that your leather becomes soaked or was worn in rain for a prolonged period then it is smart to take the steps listed above to prevent any damage caused by water. To avoid water damage in the first place I would recommend waterproofing your leather clothes and accessories to avoid any problems from arising in the future.