HOW TO: PROTECT & CLEAN LEATHER GLOVES

Part of having a great wardrobe is caring for the clothing and accessories you have. Why invest your money if you're going to junk up your things after a few wears? You'll see posts where I provide tips on how to care for clothing items under the "Follow Care Instructions" title in the future. I thought I'd start with something relevant to my viewers in cities and countries around the world where it gets cold: UK, Deutschland, Canada, NY, Boston, Russia, Romania, Poland, Israel; the list goes on, so I want to pause to thank all of you for reading! I appreciate your interest and loyalty and I hope this blog helps you as much as it brings joy to me! Now, let's talk about caring for your leather gloves.

PROTECT your gloves before wearing them. Use a lint free cloth, paint or foam brush to gently apply a thin coat of leather conditioner to your newly purchased gloves. The conditioner will make the gloves softer, more flexible and help them last longer. Allow your gloves to dry completely before using them. TIP: Test the conditioner on a small, discreet area of your glove before applying to the entire surface. Conditioners can often darken the leather, which is normal, but you want to ensure that the conditioner will not create an undesired effect on the leather. I recommend Leather Honey Leather Conditioner; it's great quality for $16.

CLEAN your gloves when they become dirty. The cleaner depends on how dirty your gloves are. Mild soap that you'd use on your skin works if the gloves are slightly dirty, mild dish detergent if more soiled or saddle soap if there's more dirt to remove. Use a cloth or damp paper towel to rub and dab the soap into the material. Allow gloves to dry thoroughly after cleaning. TIP 1: If your gloves have mold in or on them use a three parts vinegar, one part water mixture to get rid of the mold. Clean as above and allow your gloves to dry completely inside and then out. Treat with conditioner, as above. TIP 2: Be careful not to apply excess pressure or water when cleaning your gloves as both may cause discoloration.

Your gloves will SERVE you much longer both as fashionable and functional accessories if you repeat the steps above as needed.

Picture above is from Roberto Cavalli Fall 2012 runway show found on Chaneland.