How to keep leather in tip top condition

Tetherleads products are handmade using the finest Italian leather we could find. It’s beautifully textured with delicate shifts in tone and supple to touch. As it gets used it slowly starts to develop subtle signs of a well-loved product, making it truly individual to you and your dog.

Now, we know dog leads get thrown about, chucked in the back of cars, stuffed in pockets and dropped in puddles, it comes with the territory of owning a dog! But occasionally, cleaning your dog’s leather lead or collar will keep it in tip top condition, giving it the long life and durability intended.

Here are a few simple rules on how to keep your leather goods looking supple;

• If possible, store away from direct sunlight as this can cause fading.
• We know your leather leads and collars are bound to be exposed to a variety of elements, if they get wet allow them to dry naturally. Avoid drying on artificial sources of heat such as radiators, as this can cause the leather to dry and start to crack.
• Spot clean with a little water and a soft brush or cloth then dab dry.
• When your dog’s lead or collar becomes really dirty, you may need to use a leather cleaner or a leather soap to clean the dirt off.
• We know life is busy, and we’re sometimes (okay, always) tempted to go the easy route, but never put leather into the washing machine!
• To keep the leather supple, we recommend using a leather conditioner every 6-12 months (be sure to perform a spot test first, just in case!).

There are different types of products you can use to condition your leather;

Leather wax – this will help to provide more waterproofing of the leather, but don’t expect it to provide great moisture.

Leather cream – this will provide good moisture for the leather and cover up small scratches and marks with the least amount of colour change.

Leather oil – natural oils can help soften leather.

It’s important to remember that leather is a skin, so much like our own, without proper care your leather products could become dry and cracked.

Our leather is already supple, so we would recommend using a natural leather cream, but the leather cleaner you choose to use is entirely up to you. Just remember, a little T&C every now and then will keep your Tetherleads products going for a very long time.