How to treat leather cases and bags

RECOMMENDATION FOR NEW LEATHER CASES AND BAGS

PIGMENTED LEATHER: Depending on the use, we recommend a treatment every 6 to 12 months with COLOURLOCK Elephant Leather Preserver. This product is ideal for pigmented smooth leather and prolongs the lifespan. It protects against fading, drying, stains and wear. Soiled leather should be cleaned with COLOURLOCK Mild Leather Cleaner.

SUEDE AND NUBUCK: Bags made of nubuck or suede should be used carefully to avoid soiling. Protect such bags with Waterproofing to avoid stains. Heavily soiled bags can be washed entirely by hand or in the washing machine with LEDER FEIN Leather & Fur Wash Concentrate. Pay attention to the detailed washing instructions.

PULL UP LEATHER: Soiled pull up leather bags can be cleaned with COLOURLOCK Mild Leather Cleaner. Heavily darkened areas can be additionally treated by carefully sanding the leather using the COLOURLOCK Leather Sanding Pad.

RECOMMENDATION FOR OLD LEATHER CASES AND BAGS:

Before any care treatment, clean the leather with COLOURLOCK Mild Leather Cleaner. But ensure it does not get too wet due to excessive application of the product.

Old and dry leather should be first treated with COLOURLOCK Leather Protector. The containing antioxidants stop disintegration and the soft oils keep the leather soft and protect it from drying out. The leather should additionally be sealed with COLOURLOCK Elephant Leather Preserver. For leathers which are not yet too dry, the treatment with COLOURLOCK Elephant Leather Preserver is sufficient.

In case of colour damages COLOURLOCK Leather Fresh is recommended. The original colour of the leather is refreshed. A COLOURLOCK Leather Fresh treatment also re-seals the surface.

Cracks that are not too deep and tears can be repaired and filled with COLOURLOCK Fluid Leather. Consult an experienced leather repair company for bigger damages.

Recommended products

Tip
Leather Cleaner with sponge
Ideal for cleaning leather car and furniture upholstery, bags, suitcases or garments.The Leather Cleaner is provided in a foam dispenser bottle. Foams clean the leather more efficiently than liquid agents, the consumption is considerably smaller, and the leather does not become wet, which could otherwise become hard after drying.Firstly, clean the leather thoroughly before refreshing the colour or applying care products. Use COLOURLOCK Mild Leather Cleaner against normal soiling. Cleaning before treatment prevents the dirt sticking to the leather's surface. Our COLOURLOCK Leather Cleaning Brush effectively removes ingrained dirt (use circular motions and work from seam to seam). After cleaning, it is always best to apply a care product to protect it against general wear and future staining.Amount: 200 ml Mild Leather Cleaner. This is usually sufficient for the cleaning of a whole car interior or set of furniture.Amount: 1 litre Application of Leather CleanerAlways test any products first on a hidden area in case they affect the colour.Dispense some foam on a sponge or brush. Do not apply to the leather directly! Clean the leather from seam to seam using the foam; repeat several times, if necessary. Remove dirty foam residue with a slightly moistened piece of cloth, then allow to dry.On older leathers, stains might sink into the surface, or perceived dirt might actually be colour damage. Such stains cannot always be removed by cleaning, in which case, use COLOURLOCK Leather Fresh for refreshing the colour, or ask us for advice.These products are also suitable for "Cool Leather/SRT (SunReflective Technology) Leather"!
Available Sizes

US$27.73*
Leather Protector
To maintain the surface, we recommend our Leather Protector. It contains antioxidants, which stops the leather's decay, and its UV filters protect the surfaces from colour fading and will make them supple once more.Amount: 150 ml. This is usually sufficient for the one-time treatment (minimum) of a complete car interior or a set of furniture.; 1litreApplication: Always test any products first on a hidden area in case they affect the colour!Use COLOURLOCK Leather Protector when the leather has dried completely from cleaning or colour refreshment, ideally on the following day. Apply with a soft cloth and let dry without polishing. One application is sufficient. Strained surfaces (heavy use or in sunlit areas) should be treated every three months. Clean before use to prevent dirt sticking to the surface.These products are also suitable for "Cool Leather/SRT (SunReflective Technology) Leather"!
Available Sizes

From US$22.69*
Leather Sanding Pad
The Leather Sanding Pad is ideal for:  Smoothing rough areas before applying COLOURLOCK Leather Fresh or COLOURLOCK Liquid Leather. Cleaning greasy areas on nubuck and suede. Careful sanding during professional colouring in the workshop. Amount: Pack of 5 Application Rub the leather gently with the pad in a circular motion. Avoid gouging and deep scratches. Both faces of the pad can be used. It can be washed out with water.  Before colouring nappa leather, the surfaces should be sanded carefully. Our Leather Sanding Pad is ideal for this step.

Variants from US$5.99*
US$29.31*
Elephant Leather Preserver 125 ml
Ideal for the care of leather which is exposed to the weather, or for conserving extremely dry or antique leather.Designed for treating genuine "Pull Up" furniture leather (oiled leather). Do not use on Bycast or polyurethane-coated (PU) leather.ApplicationAlways test any products first on a hidden area in case they affect the colour.Rub some preserver onto a clean, soft piece of cloth and apply to the leather. If required, use the cloth to give a final polish. The fat is difficult to use when it’s cold, so be sure to work at room temperature or warm it slightly with a hair dryer.COLOURLOCK Elephant Leather Preserver protects and waterproofs all types of nappa leather.

US$22.69*
Refresher for scratches
Leather Fresh Dye
Leather Fresh is a colour refresher (dye) for scratches, worn, or faded leather. Leather Fresh is ideal to refresh colour damages on car leather, furniture leather, leather garments and handbags. Do not use on porous leathers unless colouring the entire surface - it can make the surface appear patchy. It can be sponged on or sprayed using an airbrush.  Application Always test any products first on a hidden area to test for colour match!Firstly, clean the leather thoroughly and prepare the surface. Use Mild Leather Cleaner for normal degrees of soiling or Strong Leather Cleaner to remove heavier dirt (where the leather has been neglected for many years). Cleaning prior to treatment ensures the paint bonds to the surface well and ensures durability. Use Leather Cleaning Brush to effectively remove all ingrained dirt. Cleaning removes dirt but for long lasting results you should also de-grease using Degreaser.Use a sponge to apply the colour evenly, working from seam to seam. Dry afterwards with a hair dryer. On small spots, a one application is sufficient. Apply multiple thin layers and dry each layer using a hair dryer.A day later, after it dries, apply Leather Protector. It gives the leather a good sheen and helps blend the repair. It contains antioxidants, which stops the leather's decay, and its UV filters protect the surfaces of old and valuable leathers from bleaching and fading. Also keeps the leather supple.  46 standard colours and prepared special colours according to sample or manufacturer name.Find car leather colours for Leather Fresh Dye in our Car Leather Repair category.
Standard-F-Colours
Available Sizes

US$35.61*
Fills cracks and holes
Fluid Leather
Fluid Leather is only recommended for damage where a filling is necessary. For scratches and general wear-and-tear on the colour surface we recommend smoothing the surface with the COLOURLOCK Leather Sanding Pad and refreshing the colour with COLOURLOCK Leather Fresh. The surface of COLOURLOCK Fluid Leather is smooth and shiny after drying. To hide the repair, apply COLOURLOCK Leather Fresh in the respective colour to the area. This covers the gloss of the COLOURLOCK Fluid Leather. Lightly dab the COLOURLOCK Leather Fresh several times with a sponge on the repair and dry with a hair dryer between layers until the desired covering is achieved. Degrease the repair area with COLOURLOCK Degreaser in order to remove care product residue. Before starting any repairs with COLOURLOCK Fluid Leather, smooth rough areas and scratches with the COLOURLOCK Leather Sanding Pad  For hardened leathers, use COLOURLOCK Fluid Leather before any treatment with COLOURLOCK Old Leather Softener. This oily treatment would reduce the adhesion of the COLOURLOCK Fluid Leather. PROCEDURE Fill the damaged areas with COLOURLOCK Fluid Leather and spread evenly with a spatula. Leave to dry for 1-2 hours, depending on the amount used. Repeat the procedure until the repaired area is as full and smooth as possible. COLOURLOCK Fluid Leather cannot be sanded dry. This would damage the repair.We recommend using the COLOURLOCK GLD Solvent ND Pen to smooth the repair. The GLD Solvent slightly dissolves the surface of the COLOURLOCK Fluid Leather and provides a smoother finish.Open the lid of the COLOURLOCK GLD Solvent ND Pen and press down the felt tip several times until it is moistened. If the felt tip gets too moist, remove the excess quantity by cleaning it with a cloth. Smooth the repair area carefully with the moistened felt tip. When the repair area is wet with GLD, an additional treatment with the COLOURLOCK Leather Sanding Pad can be done to smooth the repair area. Always work with a small amount of GLD to prevent the repair area from becoming too dissolved. Using GLD, a repair can be adjusted to achieve the best possible result.Professionals can repair the graining on a work area using a Repair Grain. Usually, old leathers are smooth and do not need a new graining.The tip of the GLD Solvent ND Pen can be removed and reversed when worn. Especially when working on a new colour, it is necessary to change or turn the felt tip upside down.Finally, repairs with COLOURLOCK Fluid Leather must be recoloured with COLOURLOCK Leather Fresh to balance differences in colour and gloss. In order to cover the COLOURLOCK Fluid Leather sufficiently, the COLOURLOCK Leather Fresh should be dabbed onto the area several times and dried between the layers with a hair dryer. After 24 hours treat the leather with Leather Protector.  A HOLE WITH MISSING LEATHER Holes should be reinforced before repairing by gluing a thin piece of cloth underneath the hole with COLOURLOCK Leather Glue. Cut out a small piece of the original leather from a hidden area and adjust its shape according to the hole. Use the COLOURLOCK Leather Glue to glue it onto the piece of cloth and the edges of the hole. Close the visible rims with COLOURLOCK Fluid Leather. Leathers with big tears must first be examined in order to decide whether it would be better to replace the weak leather. Especially long tears in old and rough leathers, or in areas of high use, are often irreparable or not durable enough after a repair. We recommend the repair of tears only on stable leathers and only if the tear is no larger than a few centimetres.Procedure: Minor tears which are not under tension should be provisionally glued with COLOURLOCK Leather Glue from edge to edge. Then close the tear with COLOURLOCK Fluid Leather, as explained.Tears under high tension should be backed by thin cloth. In the case of very large tears and/or very rough leathers, it is advisable to sew the leather with a thin but strong thread. Place a seam every 3-4 centimetres with the starting knot on the leather's reverse. Cover the thread with COLOURLOCK Fluid Leather.If the leather is not too rough, drill a small hole to the right and the left of the tear (approximately 2-3 millimetres) and sew with a round needle. Lay the knot underneath and pull the tear together. Tears in areas of frequent use should always be replaced by new leather when they are too large; the same is true for weak or hardened leathers. In cases like these, it is more advisable to replace the leather.
Standard-F-Colours
Available Sizes

US$27.10*
Leather and Fur Wash Concentrate
Before washing please note: Heavily soiled garments or greasy collars, cuffs etc. should be pre-soaked in luke-warm water and the problem areas pre-treated with the Wash Concentrate and a soft brush. With leather garments of more than one color, or those made from a mixture of leather and textile, or with a light colored lining, some color-bleeding can occur. In such cases always soak in LEDER FEIN® Leather Fixative before washing. Never wash two different garments together. Always wash the two or three parts of a dress or trouser suit, together. Fading and scuff marks may be hidden by the soiling and can become visible after cleaning. On some leather types the dyes have not been fixed to the fibre. Others are coated with oils or waxes. Such garments will be clean after washing but will have a changed surface or appearance. Loose buttons or too loosely sewn decorative applications must be removed or secured before washing. Sheepskins with a white underside: Always cut off a small piece and use it for a test. If it becomes hard, it means the garment has been subject to a kind of tanning that is washed out in water. In which case, do not wash. Leather Fixative Pre-treatment LEDER FEIN® Leather Fixative is used to fix colors on leather garments during washing. It can also be used for the removal of water stains on natural and aniline leather. For leather-textile mixtures, multi-colored garments, single-colored garments in black, red, blue, bordeaux and green: Always pre-soak in a basin with Leather Fixative! Effect: Fixes tanning agents, colors, and lipids inside the leather. Prevents the colors from washing out. Use preferably prior to washing.  Soak in a basin or bathtub, not in the washing machine. Add half a bottle to approx. 10 litres hand hot water, max. 30 °C until covered. Motorcycle suits: use a full bottle. Soak the garment thoroughly for approx. 60 minutes, moving occasionally. Put it into the washing machine, without rinsing. Careful: The product contains natural volatile acids. Avoid skin contact, use rubber gloves. Wash off skin or eyes with generous amounts of water. Keep away from children.  Leather & Fur Washing Concentrate Hand Wash Instructions Suitable for hand-washing all suede and nappa leathers, including jackets, coats, shirts, trousers, motorcycle suits and gloves. Depending on the garment size use â…“ – ½ bottle + approx. 12 litres of warm water. Cover the garment. Keep the temperature below 35°C (95°F). For a complete motorcycle suit or large coat, use 1 bottle and enough water to cover. Soak for about 30 minutes and wash by hand. Treat heavy soiling with a soft brush. When clean, remove and rinse once in clean warm water. Surface Cleaning: using a thin concentrate 1:50, wipe the surface or use a brush.  Leather & Fur Washing Concentrate Machine Wash Only use the delicates or wool program and do not exceed 35°C (95°F). Suitable for all suede and grain leather, such as jackets, coats, shirts, trousers, folklore costumes, motorcycle clothing and gloves. Also ideal for leather/textile-combinations. Depending on garment size add â…“ – ½ bottle to the machine. Motorcycle suits or large coats will need one whole bottle. Heavy soiling: soak for 1 hour and pre-treat with a soft brush dipped in concentrate. Wash with the delicates or wool program at no more than 35°C (95°F). At the end of the wash-cycle, only spin for about 30 seconds. Remove the wet garment, shake and stretch out the folds. Hang or lay the wet garment on a towel at room temperature away from sun or heat. This can sometimes take several days, depending on the leather…but it’s worth it. Important: Never dry in a drier or with heat! After drying, the leather fibres will be stuck together. Pull and stretch the garment into shape in all directions and, if needed, cold tumble dry (inside out), for about 15 - 30 minutes. Do not use heat. Nubuck and suede should be brushed with a soft brush.   The Care of Leather Garments Coated Top-Grain Leather Many top-grain leathers (such as motorcycle leather) have pigmented protective coatings to make them waterproof and more resistant to fading and staining. These leathers are easy to recognize, as rubbed-on moisture will not sink in and darken the leather. Care instructions: Scuffs and wear can be easily repaired with COLOURLOCK Leather Fresh in the correct tone. Top-Grain leather clothing should be protected and nourished by wiping with LEDER FEIN® Leather Care & Waterproofing Oil at least twice a year. This prevents cracking, shrinkage and stains.  Open Pored Top Grain Leather (napa, aniline) These are leathers which are dyed throughout but, in order to maintain their look and feel, their surfaces have not been coated. A little pressure or rubbing with moisture will darken these. Care instructions: Regular treatment with COLOURLOCK Aniline Cream (every 2-3 months) will prevent water or fat stains. Older aniline leathers can be revitalized by regular treatment with our COLOURLOCK Aniline Protector. This adds softening oils, anti-oxidants, UV-filters and intensifies the dyes. For heavy fading consult a leather professional.  Suedes and Nubucks These are leathers with a velour (slightly furry) surface. Typical are pig, goat, cow-hide, nubuck or suede, deerskin, elk and lamb. Care instructions: treat at least 1-2 times per year with our COLOURLOCK Aniline Protector, an aerosol designed to protect against fading and dryness. It is also ideal for re-conditioning suedes and nubucks after washing. It restores the freshness of the color. Heavy fading of all kinds of leather can only be restored by a professional. Do not forget to waterproof the open surface of such leathers with LEDER FEIN® Leather Waterproofing Pump Spray. To remove light soiling, brush with our soft Leather Brush or use the Nubuck Eraser.
Available Sizes

US$30.31*