A good starting point for cleaning leather is to establish if your leather item is finished or unfinished. In general finished leather items will have a shiny or smooth surface which may be luggage, garments, handbags, wallets, or garments. Unfinished leather and suede usually have a natural dull finish or nappy finish like saddlery, work boots and shoes or sport gloves.

Purchase good leather cleaner and rub it into leather furniture in even circular motions. Follow with a leather conditioner. Leather Balm with Atom Wax Leather Conditioner is an excellent dressing, which will clean, soften, and condition leather. Do not use saddle soap on a leather couch, as it is too harsh for furniture.

Leather should be kept out of direct daylight. The reason for this is it will fade or discolor. One suggestion for removing spots from leather is to dip a soft cloth into rubbing alcohol and rub the spot. Water spots can be removed from leather by putting a little water on the spot again, then let it dry or gently blow dry. Oil leather with a leather treatment such as mink oil.

It is recommended to wipe leather shoes with a damp cloth regularly, and keep them well polished with a paste. For saturated leather shoes, insert shoe trees and let air-dry. Discoloration: For discolored leather garments, gloves and bags use a leather spray designed to restore color.

If you experiment with leather conditioner, first try it on a small corner in the back of the couch, in case your particular brand of leather does not respond well to the treatment. Do not use saddle soap on a leather couch, as it is too harsh for furniture. Also avoid products like mink oil, shoe polish and waxes when cleaning leather furniture or garments. Use a damp cloth or sponge to rub saddle soap into the leather; work soap into a light lather. Oil leather with a leather preservative such as mink oil or leather balm.

Dry leather needs rehydrating with water and oils, and waxes should not be used as the natural oils do not dry out of leather. It is important to maintain a regular cleaning regime cleaning dirt off the surface regularly and inhibiting the absorption of body oils into the leather with a protector. For car leather seats the owners manual says to use a 5% solution of detergent made for wool ( Woolite). Sounds unusual, but it cleans and protects leather of all kinds.

Another option for cleaning leather is to take a damp cloth, wipe it across moisturizing soap and lather the leather. Remember: When removing spots from leather, always test any cleaning method on an out-of-the-way spot first.

For suede shoes, try an art gum eraser first and if that doesn't do the trick, use undiluted white vinegar on a soft cloth, and be sure to blot -- never rub when cleaning suede. Suede is an unfinished type of leather that need s to be handled carefully. Some people recommend inexpensive leather cleaning processes, like baking soda or salt.

The best method for cleaning leather is decided by the type of the stain and the type of the leather. The following are instructions for common leather cleaning: Always test the cleaning on a small invisible patch of leather before proceeding on the whole item. Make sure to also follow cleaning with a Fiebing Suede and Fabric Coat leather protector which will act like a 'scotchgard' and inhibit dirt and stains from being absorbed thus making cleaning easier the next time.