Personal hygiene and cleanliness have always been the top priority. We hardly escape washing our clothes and hands, sanitizing and disinfecting the items we use frequently. Amid these personal hygiene rituals, the leather wallet is one item tending to be overlooked.
We carry it with us to the grocery shop, pharmacy, and other appointments. Thus, it becomes subject to wear, tear, and smear constantly. What if it has been too dirty or stained?
If you know how to clean a leather wallet easily, you may not throw this luxury item away and invest in a new one. I think you will give the cleaning hacks a go, as cleaning the dirt and dust of a leather wallet yourself is a breeze and way more beneficial than investing in a fresh one. Therefore, learn to maintain and care for your leather wallet at home without ruining it.
Clean Your Leather Wallet in 7 Easy Steps
As hinted at the outset, cleaning and maintaining a leather wallet is easy. To be precise, leather wallet cleaning involves several steps, from clearing the wallet of its belongings to dampening the stained spot, rubbing the damp stain with leather cleaner, wiping the cleaner residue, and conditioning the leather.
No doubt it is a lengthy process, but here, it is made easy by breaking the entire process into 7 easy-to-do steps. So, here is how to clean a leather wallet naturally.
Empty the Wallet
Empty the wallet of the cards, coins, cash, and whatever you have stuffed it with. You have to get rid of the belongings in your wallet for two reasons –i) they may come in your way by covering the stains on the surface or corners, and ii) any paper document may be ruined by the liquids to be used for dampening or rubbing the stain with.
Dampen the Stained Spot
Grab the wallet and find the stained spot. Now, take a clean cloth and soak it with distilled water. Squeeze the cloth so that it is not dripping water. It may be soaked at best.
Rub the stained area gently and repeatedly with the damp cloth so long the stain is moved. But, take care that you rub only a little bit. Doing so may discolor or ruin the leather. This is the best and right way to remove stains from the leather wallet without harming the leather.
Apply Leather Cleaner or Alternatives
Now, you have had the dirt/stain damp. It’s time to apply the leather cleaner, available in general stores or any leather store. If you find a leather bag cleaner, this will serve your purpose.
Rub the damp area with leather cleaner. This will make the stubborn stain removable. More convenient, you can use a mixture of liquid dishwasher and distilled water if you don’t have or want to do without commercial leather cleaner.
Massage the Cleaner/Solution in the Stained Spot
Now, it’s time to rub the leather cleaner/the homemade water dishwasher solution. It should do the task of stain removal. However, you must be careful that the leather is not harmed or damaged by rubbing against the leather grain. So, it’s crucial to recognize the leather grain and massage in line with that.
Wipe Down the Cleaner
Wipe the liquid down with a clean, damp cloth after rinsing the wallet leather enough to eliminate the stain. Take care that no residue is left after wiping; otherwise, this will turn into an unsightly spot when dried, requiring you to start cleaning from the beginning.
Gently wipe down the wallet surface with the damp cloth with special attention and more time where leather cleaner/soapy liquid has accumulated. Wiping in a circular motion is the most effective way to wipe any residue to the last bit.
Dry it out
Your wallet is clean now but has gone damp, so it needs to be dried. Drying out is simple, but you have to single out the best trick. I mean, that will dry the leather but won’t prove counter-productive.
You may use a hair dryer or leave the damp wallet under direct sunlight to quicken the drying process. But either way, you may end up cracking or damaging your loved one’s wallet.
So, the best way out is to wrap the wallet with a dry, clean cotton towel to wipe some water. Then, please leave it in the open on the towel laid flat on an even surface. Air circulation will do away with the dampness of the leather.
But if you want to quicken the drying process without risking your wallet leather cracking or becoming brittle, you can run a fan at medium speed directed to the wallet for increased airflow.
However, drying time will vary depending on the leather type and humidity level.
Don’t forget to Condition
Cleaning and drying a leather item will not alter its shape but will definitely affect its color and durability. That’s where conditioning any leather item looms crucial after it has been damped. Conditioning will compensate by weakening the damaging effect of humidity and putting a protective barrier against factors harming the materials over time.
Take a clean cloth to soak this with conditioner generously. Now, rub the dried wallet surface in gentle circular motions.
Not done yet.
Now, take a soft-bristle brush to buff away the remainder of the conditioner left as excess residue. You will see instant magic as you buff because real leather will regain its lost luster and natural suppleness with buffing.
I hope this will best address your concern about how to clean leather wallets from Louis Vuitton or other luxurious leather wallet brands.
Read Also: How to Shrink Leather Wallets
Different Types of Leather Wallet
Leather wallet enjoys a wide and wild variety, but here we will present the most popular and prominent types and styles of leather wallet people use.
Bifold wallet: It is the most popular for daily use and also the most convenient to use. Offering two compartments for cards and cash, it folds easily and conveniently in half. The compactness and easy-to-use feature has made it ideal for everyday use.
Trifold Wallet: People who need to carry excessive cards and cash will find more folds in their wallet, preferable to the two-fold ones. The wallets able to fold three times can bag a larger number of cash and cards with three sections provided.
If you can bear with the only downside of a slight bulkiness, these trifold wallets are the ideal alternative to the bifold ones for people who need a considerable amount of cash and a large number of cards.
Money-clip Wallet: This is a minimalist option ideal for students and housewives who do not need huge cash and cards. Money-clip wallet features a cash clip to store a small amount of cash and fewer card slots.
Front Pocket Wallet: People nowadays like to keep cash or important cards in the front pockets of their pants. You know why. With front-pocket wallets in the market, you don’t need to separate cash and crucial cards from your back-pocket wallet.
These wallets are slim and trim, designed particularly to fit inside any front pocket of your pants. Rest assured, they are not obtrusive and bulky.
Travel Wallet: The name is significant as they are meant for travel. Usually bigger than traditional wallets, travel wallets offer multiple compartments. So, you can easily store your passports, travel documents, tickets, and more that travelers frequently carry and need.
Though they are an incredible option for travel freaks, they will not be ideal for regular use. And after or before the travel, you will need a regular wallet, be it a trifold or bifold, or money clip or front pocket.
So, selecting the best leather wallet involves several considerations, including the cash amount and number of cards you carry, how much you travel, and your personal choice.
How to Clean Leather Wallet without Leather Cleaner?
Leather wallets serve serious purposes of storing cash, cards, and crucial documents on top of being a style statement. Furthermore, it adds sophistication to any outfit they are worn with. One easy way to keep this item pristine is cleaning it regularly with leather cleaner.
But what if you don’t have those commercial cleaners around you? Fear not. There are several more innovative ways, but the two most effective and without harmful aftermaths are – soap water solution and vinegar water mixture.
Soap Water Solution: The most efficient leather cleaner alternative is a mixture of mild soap and warm water. Take hot water in a bowl or basin and let it get lukewarm to mix mild soap with it. Now, the cleaning process is the same as described in this guide.
Vinegar-water Solution: Vinegar-water mixture is another viable alternative to leather cleaners. Mix the solution well with equal amount of vinegar and water in a bowl. Then pour it in a spray bottle. The cleaning process, in this regard, is all the same.
The only difference here is that you just have to spritz the mixture onto the wallet surface instead of rubbing the surface with a damp cloth while applying other alternatives. Take care that you don’t oversaturate the leather.
Rest assured, cleaning with the said alternatives will in no way compromise the quality and efficiency of cleanliness. The challenge lies only in making the solution simple and easy, provided you have time.
You can add these cleaning solutions to your leather maintaining hacks, guaranteeing the same sleek and pristine look. So, you can confidently swap the costly commercial leather cleaners with these solutions.
Not to bypass, leather cleaners have the edge over the said alternatives when you run a hectic schedule and don’t have time to prepare these solutions.
How do You Clean Your Leather Wallet without Drying it Out?
Drying your precious leather wallet is the main concern when cleaning it. When leather is treated with strong solutions while cleaning it, it can strip away essential oils and natural moisture from its surface.
So, to clean your leather wallet without drying it out, you have to find a certain leather conditioner or cream. You will have leather conditioners purposely designed to nourish the leather, replenishing lost oil while drying it after dampening or wetting.
Moreover, moisturizing your leather wallet with conditioners will prevent dryness and thus maintain the flexibility and softness of the leather.
Putting it straight, you must end up cleaning your leather wallet by conditioning it properly if you want to avoid drying it out while cleaning.
How to Take care of an expensive leather wallet?
Leather is a durable material that lasts long, as do leather wallets and other leather items. But to enjoy the full lifespan, you must take adequate care of it. To be precise, regular cleaning of your leather wallet amounts to care for it properly.
However, taking care of any leather wallet is the same whether it is expensive or not. To me, a leather wallet is an asset and a prized possession. Here you go with 10 expert tips and tricks that can best care for your expensive and exclusive leather wallet:
- Avoid keeping your prized wallet in a dirty storage space. This is the easiest hack to keep it clean and free of dirt and stain.
- Refrain from touching your leather wallet with not-so-clean hands, let alone with dirty and dusty hands.
- Be mindful while cleaning your wallet, not overdoing it while rubbing with a damp cloth or wiping the cleaner residue down.
- To keep safe, the best way is to go for a simple liner with the wallet. That works the best both for women’s and men’s wallets.
- While rinsing or buffing at the end of the cleaning process, make sure you use soft bristles and cloth. Thus, the smoothness of the leather surface is not affected.
- Dry wiping works fine to clean your leather wallet, especially the zip wallets.
- Vinyl, being a moisture-resistant material, is not a perfect storage option for your wallet while not in use. Doing so tells upon both the quality and look of your precious leather wallet.
- Use leather cleaner from trusted brands offering top-quality leather cleaner. Stray leather cleaners harm the gloss of the leather wallet.
- Covering your wallet even when using it may sound queer. But covering superior-class leather wallets is a vogue now. What can be more effective to keep dirt and dust away than covering the wallet?
- Do not overstuff your wallet, as it will subject the leather and seams to tearing pressure, resulting in premature breakdown. Just take the essentials like ID, credit cards, and cash when not on a tour or travel.
- Avoid too much and frequent folding and bending of the wallet, as this will also cause earlier damage to the wallet.
- If you are not confident about cleaning yourself, take it to a leather professional.
- Have more than one wallet to use it alternately. You don’t need to use your expensive and favorite leather wallet always. Overuse or frequent use can harm the classy appearance of the leather.
How to Protect Your Leather from Dirt and Dust?
Dirt and dust are normal to smear your leather items. But if you leave those untreated for long, they will cause damage to both the appearance and construction of your leather item. Be it leather bags, wallets, shoes, or anything.
If it is a leather wallet, dirt and dust do the worst by reaching the corners inside the compartments and between the folds. Here you go with some smart tricks to keep your prized leather items from dirt and dust.
- Using water-repellent spray will prove the most effective as it puts a vague screen to bar dirt and dust from sticking to the leather surface. Reminder: Avoid silicone-based products as they may prove detrimental to suede, patent, and nubuck leather.
- Condition your leather item at regular intervals once after every 5/6 uses work fine for leather shoes, purses, bags, and likely items more exposed to environmental elements while using. For leather wallets less exposed than the said one, make the intervals 10/12 uses.
- While not using that particular item, you better store it in a fabric bag for air circulation. Thus, on top of screening it from dust and dirt, your loved leather piece will not grow fungus.
- Keep your luxury leather items saved when cleaning the house and office is going on. You better not expose your leather items to dusty areas like construction sites.
Learn Here: How to Stretch Leather Wallets
What is the best home remedy for cleaning a leather wallet?
The best home remedy for leather wallets will be the alternatives to leather cleaners. As is covered already, two homemade solutions – soap-water solution and vinegar-water mixture – work the best for cleaning leather wallet.
If you don’t have saddle soap leather cleaner, or vinegar-water solution around you, baby shampoo and unscented soap mixed with water can do the magic. This is how you can clean a leather wallet at home.
Whatever material you use, you must finish cleaning with conditioning the leather wallet properly to prevent the wallet leather from becoming brittle. And buff any accumulation of conditioner from the leather surface.
If you don’t find any aftermarket conditioner, apply some baby oil to the leather wallet surface.
What is the best leather cleaner for your wallet?
Keeping the types of leather used for leather wallets and the severity of the stains in account, you can go for one of the following leather cleaners. By far, they are the best leather cleaners to judge by their popularity and efficiency in cleaning leather.
Leather Honey: This is the most remarkable leather cleaner and a natural conditioner for your leather wallet. Unlike some leather conditioners, it goes fine with all types of leather as it is non-toxic. Leather honey adds to the water resistance and thus enhances the durability of your leather wallet, besides keeping the innate flexibility intact.
Bickmore Bick 4: This wax-free leather cleansing option requires gentle treatment, and can be applied on all types of leather. They work great when treating minimal dirt on your leather wallet.
Weiman Leather Cleaner: They are actually wipes offering hassle-free removal of grime, dirt, soiled spots, and fingerprints on leather surfaces. You can apply them on all types of leather, and they are trendy for their ease of use and effectiveness.
Saddle Soap: A traditional but highly acclaimed leather cleaner that treats heavily soiled leather wallets. Made of natural ingredients, it removes dirt stains without leftovers.
Rubbing Alcohol: No doubt, cleaning a leather wallet with alcohol is an efficient leather cleaning option. But alcohol is strong enough to eat away the suppleness of your prized leather item. So, it must be applied with caution to prevent the leather from drawing excessive oil out of the leather. Determining the applicable amount is the key while using alcohol for leather cleaning.
FAQs
Is it okay to wash a leather wallet?
Washing leather using a soapy solution or any other moisture is strictly forbidden as strong chemicals in the solutions can harm the leather. It makes leather dry out and crack because washing leather extracts the natural oil out of it, making the leather brittle quickly.
If your leather is dirty, follow the steps in this guide to clean dirt and dust off your leather wallet. However, if your leather wallet is heavily soiled or has an obstinate stain, seeking professional help is wise. They have the expertise to eliminate the stain without causing any damage to it.
Does Water ruin leather wallet?
It is a matter of serious concern if you have washed a leather wallet by accident, as water can damage a leather wallet that is not properly maintained and taken care of. When excessively moistened, natural oil in the hide mix with the water molecules and are pulled out of leather with water evaporated. As a result, leather gets fragile, brittle, parched, and forms fissures.
Moreover, wetting leather heavily may cause discoloration by dispersing the dye and sometimes it scatters the dye unevenly to make leather surface unsightly.
Worse, if leather is left damp for longer, leather deteriorates from within cutting its too short.
What is the lifespan of leather wallet?
The durability of a leather wallet depends on multiple factors, starting from the quality of the leather, how often it is taken care of, and its craftsmanship level in manufacturing. A properly maintained leather wallet that is well-constructed with high-grade leather can serve up to many years to decades.
Conversely, a wallet made from subpar leather will endure only a few years or less before showing signs of tear and wear.
Is Dawn dish soap good for leather?
Dawn dish soap is not a viable option for leather cleaning as it is too abrasive for leather to withstand the abuse and tear caused by the alkalinity in this soap. If subjected to Dawn dish soap washing, the leather wallet will surely get depleted of its essential oil.
And with the oil bloated, the leather will dry out and form fissures. So, use a mild cleaner and conditioner in regular maintenance of leather.
Should I use Leather conditioner on my wallet?
Beyond doubt, it is essential to use a leather conditioner to maintain it. Leather conditioner brings back the lost luster of the damp leather and thus preserves its impeccable state.
Leather, with time, loses its natural moisture, but conditioner treatment compensates by keeping the leather hydrated and acts as a safeguard against any potential drying out.
For optimal results, it is strongly recommended that you treat your leather wallet with high-quality leather condition at regular intervals of 6-12 months. You can shorten the interval period and quicken conditioning if environmental factors like moisture loss or heat pose a frequent threat.
Clean Your Leather Wallet Before Taking a New One
So, cleaning a leather wallet is not as intimidating as it seems to novices. Our leather wallet cleaning guide says you can clean your dirty or spotted leather wallet in 7 simple steps and bring its store shine back.
Regular cleaning and maintenance can only ensure that your leather wallet completes its lifespan and is even longer than the anticipated durability. However, quality and types of leather play a pivotal role in the extended survival and exclusive service of leather products.
Learning how to clean a leather wallet will definitely save you money. And instead of dumping the dirty or stained wallet prematurely and swapping it with a new one, you can make the dirty leather wallet pristine and new-like by cleaning.
