トラブルシューティング6I got it wet and now I have water spots!
From "Leather in Japan No. 4" published in 2011
Use plenty of water to
Float stains and oil from the stain.
Leather products are basically not supposed to be wet with water. This is because when water dries, dirt and oil soaked into the leather precipitate at the border between the wet and dry areas, forming stains. Unlike surface stains, these stains cannot be removed simply by polishing the surface.
The best way to remove these water spots is to wet the entire leather with water and move the dirt and oil from its location. Therefore, the key is to soak the leather with plenty of water. If you wet only that area, the edges of the wetted area will become stained again, so it is essential to wet the entire area anyway.
Once the dirt that has been lifted by the wetting of the leather is removed, the leather can be restored to its original condition by drying it completely and giving it a moderate amount of oil again with a leather cream or the like.
A well-worn, slightly darkened bifold wallet. Rain drops from outside or water drops from a cup on the table have left stains on the surface.
Step 1: Check the location of the stain
First, check where the stain is and what kind of stain it is. Then, soak a towel with plenty of water. The purpose of this is to "wet" the stain, so wet the towel until it is soaked.
Step 2: Wet the towel while wiping the entire surface
Wipe the entire surface of the leather with the towel and soak it in the water, wiping it with the image of removing dirt. The key is to soak the entire surface until the stain is no longer visible. This is like wringing out the stain in the laundry.
Step 3: When the stain is no longer visible, it is OK.
The entire leather has been soaked evenly with water. If you do not allow the water to penetrate into the leather, you will end up creating stains. If the stain remains on the surface at this stage, it is most likely an oil stain.
Step 4: Wet the inside of the wallet as well, paying attention to stains.
Although there are no water spots on the inside of the wallet, wipe it with water in the same way as the surface to remove the stain. However, it is not worth it if water stains are created by wetting the inside of the wallet, so work evenly.
Step 5: Dry and check for removal of stains
Dry in the shade in a well-ventilated place. Dry it on a clean towel, so that the leather does not stick to the surface as much as possible. If the stain remains after drying, wipe with water and repeat drying several times.
Step 6: Remove dirt and oil
Once completely dry, use an emulsifying stain remover with leather-retaining properties to remove dirt from the surface. Hand stains, etc. are removed at this stage. The leather should be soaked in the emulsifying oil.
Step 7: Saddle soap for strong stains
If the stain is very greasy, wash the entire surface with saddle soap (soap for leather). Apply the soap to a sponge and lift out the stain. After washing and drying, apply emulsifying cream to the leather.
Step 8: Finish!
Even if the leather has been soaked with water, it can be restored to its original condition by drying it completely and applying leather cream. The problematic water spots have been removed to the point where it is hard to tell where they were. The overall dark spots have also faded.
Care goods for water stains
1. The Shoe of life Moisture Cream (1,260 yen) is an emulsifying stain remover that removes dirt and oil that has soaked into leather.
2.R&DM. Mowbray Saddle Soap (840 yen), a leather soap that also nourishes the leather.
3. Sponge used when washing with saddle soap. Although not specifically designed for leather, the finer the sponge, the better the lather.
Clean towels. Clean towels are used for wiping with water, so be sure to use clean towels.
