Leather Care Habits Worth Keeping All Year

Leather is a porous, natural material, which means it absorbs moisture, body oils, and everyday grime more easily than most fabrics. This is precisely why leather can’t be treated like other fabrics.

So if your favorite leather bag starts looking dull, your shoes feel dry and stiff, or your jacket has marks that won’t wipe away cleanly, it’s a clear sign something needs attention. That’s also your cue to shift from reactive care to preventative care. 

Take note: the habits you keep during ordinary days matter just as much as special care moments. 

For guidance on treating leather with the right level of care year round, this article highlights habits that protect it, mistakes that shorten its lifespan, and warning signs to watch for.

Leather doesn’t break down overnight. It wears down quietly, through everyday choices that seem small at the time. How you hang it, where you store it, and what you do after wearing it all add up. These habits matter year round, not just when the weather changes.

Proper Hanging

Leather needs support, not stress. When leather jackets or coats are hung improperly, gravity works against them. Thin wire hangers pull on the shoulders. Over time, this leads to stretching and misshaping.

What works instead:

• Use wide, padded, or wooden hangers
• Make sure shoulders are fully supported
• Keep space between garments so nothing presses or creases

Proper hanging maintains structure. When leather keeps its shape, it lasts longer and wears better.

Avoid Plastic Storage

Plastic garment bags trap moisture. That moisture leads to mildew, odors, and surface breakdown. Even short-term plastic storage can cause long-term damage, especially in humid environments.

A better approach:

• Store leather in breathable garment bags
• Use cotton covers or open closet storage
• Keep leather away from damp areas

Let Leather Breathe After Wear

Every time you wear leather, it takes on body heat, moisture, and oils. Putting it straight back into a closet traps all of that. Over time, buildup stiffens the leather and dulls the finish.

Build this habit:

• Hang leather in an open area after wearing it
• Let it air out for a few hours
• Avoid direct heat or sunlight

Many leather issues begin with the wrong cleaning approach rather than obvious neglect. Well-meaning shortcuts, such as using household cleaners or over-scrubbing small spots, can slowly strip leather of the natural oils that keep it flexible and protected. Once that protective balance is disrupted, the material becomes more vulnerable to drying, cracking, and uneven wear.

DIY Wipes

Convenience often comes at a cost. Many wipes marketed as “safe for leather” contain alcohol or harsh surfactants. These ingredients remove surface dirt but also strip essential oils. The leather may look clean at first, but it becomes dry and brittle underneath.

Why wipes are not recommended:

• They clean too aggressively
• They don’t restore moisture
• They leave behind residue

Household Cleaners

If it wasn’t made for leather, it doesn’t belong on leather. All-purpose cleaners, vinegar solutions, and dish soap are common DIY fixes. They’re also some of the fastest ways to break down leather fibers. These products alter the pH of leather, which weakens it from the inside out.

Avoid using:

• Vinegar or baking soda mixes
• Dish soap or laundry detergent
• Disinfectant sprays

Over-Conditioning

Leather conditioning plays an important role in keeping leather flexible and preventing it from drying out over time, but it needs to be done with restraint. Applying conditioner too often or using too much product can actually work against the leather rather than protect it.

Smart conditioning habits:

• Condition only when the leather feels dry
• Follow product instructions
• Allow full absorption before wearing

Even with thoughtful, consistent habits, leather eventually benefits from expert care. That’s not a sign of neglect. It’s simply the nature of a material that absorbs moisture, oils, and environmental exposure over time. 

Stiffness

Stiff leather is stressed leather. When leather loses flexibility, it’s a sign oils are depleted. At-home products often can’t reach deep enough to fix this, so continued use without treatment causes cracking.

Professional care helps by:

• Rehydrating fibers evenly
• Restoring flexibility safely
• Preventing permanent breaks

Odor

Because leather is porous, it readily absorbs sweat, smoke, moisture, and environmental odors that gradually work their way into the fibers. Wiping or surface cleaning may temporarily freshen the outside, but it doesn’t reach what’s trapped below. 

Professionals address odor by:

• Cleaning below the surface
• Neutralizing bacteria
• Drying leather correctly

If leather smells off even after airing out, it’s time for professional treatment.

Discoloration

Fading, dark spots, or uneven color on leather are often signs that moisture or improper cleaning methods have affected the surface. Because leather absorbs liquids unevenly, even small amounts of water or the wrong product can leave behind marks that become more noticeable as the material dries.

Professional services can:

• Even out tone
• Restore original color depth
• Protect against future fading

Color damage worsens when ignored, but early care preserves appearance.

Surface Cracking

Once cracking appears, it’s a sign the material has already lost some of its natural flexibility and strength. Continued use puts stress on those weakened areas, allowing the cracks to deepen and spread further across the surface. 

A professional can:

• Stabilize weakened areas
• Prevent further cracking
• Extend the life of the piece

At-home care goes a long way, but leather has limits. When stiffness, odor, or visible wear starts to show, it’s time for professional care. With over 60 years of experience, Arrowhead Cleaners & Laundry specializes in expert leather and suede care that restores softness, revives color, and protects the integrity of your most valued pieces.

Using proven methods and material-specific treatments, our professional leather cleaners help prevent fading, cracking, and permanent damage before those issues become irreversible. If your leather jacket, handbag, or suede accessory isn’t looking or feeling the way it should, now is the best time to act before everyday wear makes the problem worse.

Visit Arrowhead Cleaners or call 701-599-4067 to schedule your Leather and Suede Cleaning Service, and feel confident knowing your leather is in experienced, trusted hands.