It’s that time of the year when we see rain. If you had not protected your leather with some protectant, you might find yourself in a rather difficult spot, for example: do you wear or take that favourite pair of leather shoes or bags? What if it starts raining today?

The best advice

Protect your leather with the protectant that suits. Try the Chamberlain's Leather Milk No. 3 Leather Protectant! 

But what if your leather gets caught up in the rain? Ah! We’ve done some research and combined with our (unfortunate) experience; we hope it will help you along the way. 

When leather gets wet

Moisture draws out oils from beneath the leather and dries it up. So if your leather gets wet, do attend to it soonest.

• Blot up the water out of your leather with a clean sponge or soft cloth. Don’t wipe as it will rub it deeper into the leather.
• After blotting, let your leather dry naturally overnight and keep it away from sunlight or heat. If your leather is of a soft material, you may stuff it with clothes or papers to help maintain its shape.
• Once the leather is completely dried up, use a leather conditioner to restore lost oil and suppleness to the leather. Apply only whatever the leather can absorb. Remember to clean out any dirt before conditioning.
• Depending on the type of leather you own, use the suitable leather protector for an extra layer of protecting to your leather before you get it out in the wet season again.

When water stains develop

When water gets trapped in your leather for a prolonged period, it will develop into a stain. It’s unfortunate, but try to attend to it as soon as you discover.

• Blot up the water of out the leather with a clean sponge or soft cloth if there’s still some moisture.
• Depending on the stain, you can consider using a special leather cleaner to get rid of stubborn stains. Remember to test spot the cleaner before applying to the stain spot.
• Allow your leather to dry naturally. Condition your leather and use the suitable leather protector just as mentioned above.
• Let it dry overnight and keep it away from sunlight or heat. Stuff it with cloths or papers to help maintain its shape if necessary.

Note: when blotting up the moisture, start from the rim of the stain and slowly wet your leather outwards, use less intensity the farther you clean out. If all goes well, it should help release some of the wetness. Also, do not use saddle soap as a cleaner due to the harshness of the chemical in it.