How to Clean Leather Wallets?
Big Skinny leather wallets have a majestic look while maintaining their thinness and ability to hold multiple credit, debit and ID cards. These wallets are designed for durability and will maintain their beautiful appearance for many years with proper cleaning and maintenance. Unlike our nylon wallets, leather wallets should not be thrown into the washing machine for cleaning, special care must be taken to keep a leather wallet's appearance, but these steps are fairly routine and will not take too much time to complete. A proper cleaning routine will extend the life of your wallet by removing the dirt and grime that can accumulate from daily use.
- Our leather wallets include care instructions, please read these instructions carefully and most importantly, make note of the cleaners that are not recommended for use on leather. For example, alkaline cleaners of items such as baby wipes should not be used on leather wallets. These products can damage the finish. Additionally, you should never use oils, waxes or polishes to clean your leather wallet.
- Remove all of your credit, debit, and ID cards, photos, cash of any other items from the wallet before beginning the cleaning process.
- Use a dry paper towel to remove major stains on your wallet. Obviously, this needs to be done on stains that are still moist. If you notice stains on your wallet after they have dried, you can dab a small amount of rubbing alcohol onto a paper towel and dab it onto the stain for removal. If you get grease onto the wallet, you can remove the grease by using a dampened paper towel and a small amount of talcum powder.
- Hand washing the wallet is the only recommend cleaning method. Tossing your wallet into the washing machine - even if the machine setting is on delicate - can damage the wallet. The constant motion inside the washing machine can break down the leather. When hand washing your wallet, use a mix of warm water and gentle soap. The best types of soaps to use are baby shampoos and unscented soaps. You will need to mix the soap in the water and wash your wallet using a soft cleaning cloth. Ideally, you will not get a lather buildup on the wallet, but if you do, simply wipe the lather away with a second dry soft cleaning cloth.
- After thoroughly washing the wallet, you will then rinse it off under warm water. You should wipe away remaining suds during this process and then pat the wallet dry to remove any excess water.
- Leave your wallet to dry in an area that does not have direct access to sunlight or a strong heat source. Direct sunlight or high heat can cause the leather to stiffen and make the wallet unusable.
- In addition to cleaning your leather wallet, you should set a schedule for conditioning the wallet. Regular leather conditioning will help you maintain the quality of your wallet as conditioning replaces the natural oils in leather that are lost over time from exposure to the elements and use. Leather conditioning should be done every six months or so and can be done by using all-purpose leather conditioners.
By following these steps, your Big Skinny leather wallet will look as good as new for many years.
