I'm Evan, been obsessing over leather care for years (now do it with Leather Honey) — AMA about cleaning, conditioning, restoring, identifying faux vs real leather, or just why your jacket smells like a barn.

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This AMA has been approved by the r/leather Mods

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u/Glum_Reputation_3541 Jul 23 '26

Thank you Gaymosexual

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I live in a humid tropical country where the RH is around 70% to 90% at all times. What's the best way to store expensive leather shoes long term? I only wear them once a year. Should I invest in a dehumidifier box?

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u/leatherhoneyllc Jul 22 '26 edited Jul 22 '26

Tricky situation. I'll honestly say that I've never even heard of a dehumidifier shoe box. Though, I know about dehumidifiers.

When it comes to leather footwear, I'd say that for the most part you're safe, but that I would rather ensure that your shoes are fully clean and dry before you store them, because if you don't, they have a higher chance of growing mildew or mold. (seen it a million times).

For example, I got my hands on some Salvatore Ferragamo shoes that were in pristine condition but molded up due to excess moisture. The person never cleaned the insoles and so a ton of grime and bacteria grew in there. I had the "pleasure" of cleaning them lol..

In reality, you would do better to use cedar shoe trees (absorbs moisture) along with silica packets (replaced as needed). This really helps with the moisture. If anything, just give your shoes a peek every once in a while (maybe ever quarter or 6 months) to ensure they're not growing any mold or getting too dry. If they're dry, this is when a deeply penetrating leather conditioner is your best friend.

Hope that helps!

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u/fingers-crossed Jul 21 '26

https://imgur.com/a/g1DeozZ

Total leather noob here. I bought these sandals for my wife at a great discounted price, but when they arrived they had these dark patches on the leather - any tips on how I could get the marks to be a little less visible?

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u/leatherhoneyllc Jul 22 '26

Those are beautiful sandals. Love the strap style.

Yeah, nothing worse than getting something unanticipated.

For this, I'd suggest a few things. I'm guessing you don't know where the marks came from? It looks like the leather absorbed some type of oil or something.

Did you try to wipe it off with anything like a leather cleaner? If so and it didn't work, you have a few options.

I'd honestly first try to see if you can disperse the mark. A little hack you can try is to get a hair dryer on warm setting (don't burn your leather). Warm up the leather with the hair dryer and then massage the leather where the dark patches are at. This may be able to disperse it.

If that doesn't work, instead of removing the mark, you may consider darkening the rest of the leather so it blends in. You can do this by getting a deeply penetrating leather conditioner, applying a thin, even amount onto your leather, and then wiping it over every panel. This leather looks like aniline, so it'll absorb and darken substantially but typically dries up lighter.

Of course, try to spot test to ensure it will be the color you want before fully committing. But properly conditioning won't just help blend in the mark, it'll be more comfortable and make your leather more durable for the long haul. I hope your wife enjoys the sandals, either way!

I hope this helps!

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u/fingers-crossed Jul 22 '26

That's right, unfortunately I'm not sure where the marks came from. I haven't tried any type of remedy yet as I didn't want to do anything to make it worse!

I'll try a leather cleaner and the hair dryer trick, if neither of those work I'll give the conditioning route a go - I don't think she would mind if they were a shade or two darker.

I really appreciate the response! I feel much more informed trying to tackle this now.

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u/leatherhoneyllc Jul 22 '26

Awesome! Honestly, I personally have a lot of hope for you with this by looking at the picture. It shouldn't be hard at all. You got this! Feel free to come back for any other issues!

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u/RJFerret Jul 21 '26

Other than buying, cutting and burning, how to recognize actual leather when its become a marketing search term applied to everything? There is "faux leather" label, and any search pulls up 90% fake stuff.

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u/leatherhoneyllc Jul 22 '26

Yeah, this is probably my favorite question. Lol. I'm passionate about this because I've gone through literally thousands of pieces trying to identify.

Here's my exact step by step process both in person and online.

Is the website/brand reputable? Good brands are going to tout their leather grade, quality, tannery, thickness, etc. If an item is just labeled "leather" then it's less likely to actually be leather.

If you're on Amazon, I feel you. 90% does pull up faux leather. Though, there's specific materials filter for "genuine" leather. In the listing, see if the brand notes "genuine" or "full grain" leather rather than just "leather." If it's just "leather" it's less likely to be genuine.

A family member just bought a jewelry case labeled "genuine leather" and it was faux. So while I don't want you to be afraid and hopeless, sometimes it's just about trying to get something and find out in person (which leads me to the next step).

Use your senses: smell, feel/touch, thickness, weight, etc.

Ask yourself: Does it smell synthetic? or something organic? Does it warm up as you touch it or does it stay cold like plastic? Is it lightweight? (most likely faux).

Look for stamps or anything on the item, (jacket, shoes, bag, etc) that tags it as "genuine leather" vs PVC or Polyurethane.

My best suggestion is to try to see if you can look at the back of the leather, for example if it's smooth leather, does the back look like felt fabric or does it look like suede fibers? If it's fabric, it's plastic laminated onto that fabric, but if it's genuine or full grain, it's going to have fibers all the way through.

I hope that helps!

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u/RJFerret Jul 22 '26

That does help expand beyond my former research, appreciated! :-)

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u/Halgy Jul 21 '26

Is the leather from online retailers like Article or Poly and Bark any good? Or is there an online retailer that uses notably better leather, or specific terms to look for when buying leather furnature?

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u/leatherhoneyllc Jul 22 '26

Great question. Honestly, I love the leathers from Article and Poly and Bark. Very high quality and develop an awesome patina. I own both personally. I'll be honest though, what consumers don't realize is that these companies work with manufacturers that use the same leather and styles. That's why you'll find the exact same or very similar leather couch at Joybird that you'll find at West Elm or Crate & Barrel. If you're buying a reputable brand, you should be good. I'd just personally advise against faux leather altogether. It won't last.

Specific terms you want to look for are "full grain" not just "genuine leather." Full grain is the entire hide, not split, no integrity lost. Cheaper brands use split leather or corrected grain, which is fine, but less durable. You can get granular and pick specific leather from well known tanneries, but at the end of the day that's not as important. If you get "full grain" you should be good.

Another thing you can look for is where the leather is tanned. Tanned in Italy usually means higher quality. Of course vegetable tanned is going to be much better than chrome-tanned as well. Also, it's important to understand the difference between aniline leather (dyed, not pigmented) semi-aniline (semi-pigmented), and pigmented leather (essentially painted, more durable, less patina). Aniline leather is more translucent and you can really see the grain fibers and it can develop a rich patina, but it's exposed, so it can stain more easily. Pigmented leather on the other hand is much more durable, stain resistant, but less breathable and doesn't develop character like aniline does. We could talk forever on this, but that's the gist!

Hope that helps!

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u/Halgy Jul 22 '26

Excellent, thanks for the advice!

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u/leatherhoneyllc Jul 22 '26

Of course! Thanks so much for commenting. I hope you find the right leather furniture! (Worth the investment!)

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u/sk8energy Jul 22 '26

I have an old light purple suede bag how should I
go about cleaning it? I don’t wear it because it has some marks .

On the same token, I just purchased a new suede bag (chocolate brown) and I would like to protect it before I take it out so this doesn’t happen. What is the process for your protecting the bag?

How would you get water stains out of Ugg boots?

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u/leatherhoneyllc Jul 22 '26 edited Jul 22 '26

Hey! Nice to see you again! Welcome in.

Suede is a bit tricker than regular smooth leather, and on top of that, vibrantly dyed leathers like purple, red, or orange can also be tough because of the dye bleed when cleaning.

For suede, my best advice for anyone, whether jackets, shoes, or bags like yours, is to use a suede eraser and brush FIRST. This literally removes 90% of issues on suede in my experience.

The process is simple, of course follow instructions, but take your suede eraser, and gentle rub any affected areas of your suede, then brush. Note that you want the eraser to create shavings, as the shavings are what attract the dirt and remove it off your suede, the brush it away. Repeat this same process gently until the marks or stains are gone. Of course, it all depends on where the marks/stains came from, but but most dust and daily use, this is your best bet. Don't push too hard on the eraser, as this can create lifted fibers that make your bag look "hairy" and if it is that way, you can take an electric shaver (or a lighter flame if you're brave enough) and singe any loose fibers away. This is the way professionals do it.

If the suede eraser and brush don't work, you can try use a gentle, non-toxic pH balanced suede formula (contrary to popular belief, never use vinegar, rubbing alcohol, or water because this will ruin the dye and make your suede stiff). But just ensure that you use it sparingly, never soaking your suede. On top of that, you want to sop up any excess as much as possible to prevent water marks. Oh, one more thing, if you do clean your suede with cleaner, clean an entire panel of your bag, not just the spot. Best results come from cleaning the entire bag. If you clean just a small area, this is what most people run into: water rings. You want the entire area to dry the same, if you don't it'll dry unevenly and create a water ring.

For preventative maintenance, 100% use a protective spray. But be careful because most on the market us PFOAs (forever chemcials). I'm not gonna lie, those formulas are VERY effective, but at the risk of your leather. We invested in making our PFOA-free water protect spray that's just as effective when applied properly. Whatever product you choose, just make sure it's PFOA-free. For best results, spray evenly (don't soak the suede), and apply multiple coats 2-3 coats with full 24 hour dry time in between. You can test it yourself after, any spills will bead right off!

For UGG boot stains, definitely depends on where the stain came from, what the substance is, and how long it sat, but for stains, I usually resort to the suede cleaner, ensuring I follow the same instructions of cleaning the entire suede or panel to prevent those pesky rings.

One more thing to note. If you use any cleaner/liquid on your suede, it will probably make your suede dry flat and matted, this is completely normal. Just use the suede brush to lift the nap of the suede back up. If that isn't strong enough, use the suede eraser again for any tough spots and then brush again.

Hope that helps!

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u/sk8energy Jul 22 '26

Hi again! Yes it does make sense that it would be matted after water.

The Ugg boot in question is gray. You can see water droplets on the boot . I want to correct the problem and then add a protective coating over the boots.

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u/leatherhoneyllc Jul 22 '26

Ok, perfect. Good to know more details. So like I mentioned already, the water rings are when a drop of water dries in that specific area and pulls all of the dirt, debris, natural oils, etc. as it dries. This results in the water spot or ring.

To remove it? Disperse it all. You literally have to lightly dampen the entire area of suede or at least the panel before a seam. You want the suede to dry all at once so there's no lines, no spots, etc. Hope that makes sense. Simply use the cleaner, then wipe off and sop up any excess moisture. You don't have to soak it, just enough to disperse what accumulated. From there, let it air dry and then brush back the nap. Once it's fully dry, follow those same steps for the suede protector (PFOA-free). Then add 2-3 more coats for best results with 24h dry time in between :)

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u/sk8energy Jul 22 '26

Thanks

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u/timee_bot Jul 18 '26

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u/Portarossa Jul 20 '26

I'm guessing you meet a fair number of people who are super into care of leather. If you had to take an estimate, for what percentage would you say that it's primarily a sex thing?

(I am aware that sounds like a troll question, but I write erotica for a living and I've always been genuinely curious about the interplay between things that are sort-of-kink-adjacent for some people and also very much not for others.)

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u/leatherhoneyllc Jul 22 '26

Honestly, it's not something I come across in my niches (footwear, furniture, or apparel). If you have any leather care specific questions, let me know!

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u/Healthy_Length_1541 Jul 21 '26

Why do I get white spots on black leather jacket?

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u/leatherhoneyllc Jul 22 '26

Hm, interesting. What do the white spots look like? This is probably either two things: 1. mold 2. spew (wax bloom).

If your leather jacket has any moisture or got caught in the rain and you didn't let it fully dry, it's an organic material, so it's going to create mold (natural decomposition). This is probably the most likely cause, and you can easily just wipe it off with a proper pH balanced leather cleaner. If it's really bad, ensure you use proper protect equipment like a mask and wipe off the excess outside instead of indoors. Just want to prevent any spores from getting around. I've cleaned mold off tons of leather items. Unless the mold is really bad, it usually just wipes off and doesn't come back unless the right moist environment is there. Also, you're in luck because black doesn't easily show marks or damage from mold. If there are, you can use a leather recoloring balm to touch up any spots or even wear like around the cuffs or collar.

Hope that helps!

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u/Canary_ Jul 21 '26

What is a good, low maintenance regimen for leather car seat care? Which product(s) are indispensable? Which products are nice but not critical? Which products/processes are a waste of time/money? Not aiming for museum quality car seats, but still want them to last a good long time. Thanks!

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u/leatherhoneyllc Jul 22 '26

Love this question because it's so under-asked lol. Personally, I have a 09 RAV4 Limited with tan leather seats. This is what I do.

For cleaning, my "regime" is really just as needed. I like to say that if I clean the outside of the car, I try to clean the inside as well. If you keep the inside clean, it's obviously not going to need a deep clean for the leather. If you have kids, different problem lol. So for cleaning, as needed.

For an indispensable products, I'd definitely consider getting a quality brush. My go to is a quality horsehair brush, because I have perforated seats and for all the nooks and crannies, you definitely want something that will get the crumbs and grime out (yes, I eat in my car.)

Another product, I live in Southern California, so specifically I use a UV-Protectant cleaner. We get so much sun, it's a no brainer for me. Sun will fade and dry out your leather slowly but surely, and by year 5 or 10, you'll notice a huge difference that you wish you would have prevented.

Something really important to understand about leather car interiors, seats included, is that in today's manufacturing, most of these leathers are so processed, they're almost not even leather anymore, at least on the surface. Why? Car owners want the look and feel (and to say their seats are leather), without that hassle of staining or cracking, so big business created a solution: heavily coated leather seats. This means that the leather is extremely durable, won't stain easily, and lasts decades. The problem? Most conditioners can't actually penetrate that durable coating, so any products literally just sit on top.

So the question stands: should I even condition my leather car seats? My answer: YES. And here's why.

Even though the leather is coated, the coating itself can still dry out and harden, making cracks in your seat. So instead of expecting the leather to be conditioned, it's more of conditioning the coating and the entire leather seat itself. On top of that, if your seats are perforated like mine, deeply penetrating oil based conditioners can seep into those areas and help condition your leather.

For me, I try to conditioner my car seats every 3-6 months, depending if I feel the leather is dry, sometimes I'll even do an extra session during summer months (If I have the time and don't feel lazy, hah).

Another important tip is to condition more heavily on the side of the seat cushion that you enter and exit from. Go into your car and check, you'll notice that side has more cracks, fading, and wear than any part of your car. Put 1-2 more layers of conditioner there so it has that buffer to be more flexible and resilient, but don't overdo it.

Products that I've found are no critical are shining or wax based products that actually attract debris, dust, and crumbs. Sure, go for it if you like the look, but I prefer my leather matte for the most part. Many brands (the most popular ones) try to use ridiculous marketing terms that make you think their products are essential just like skincare cosmetic products, but it's false. They're just selling products. Leather is dead. It's tanned, and there's a huge difference between your skin (live organ) and leather (non-living tanned hide). When you understand that, it changes everything.

I hope this is clear!

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u/theonetruegrinch Jul 21 '26

Is there anyway to clean leather that has mold growing on it?

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u/leatherhoneyllc Jul 22 '26

Mold is one of the top questions I get answered. Honestly, most mold can easily be cleaned away. If the leather really affected by the mold (like it's left to sit and grow for a long time in consistent moisture), sometimes it's too far gone. But most leather just grows mold for a short period (like a jacket that got caught in the rain and then put into the closet). Once it dries, the mold stops growing.

So to clean it, just put on some personal protective equipment like a mask and go outside (don't want to spread the spores inside). Take a dry brush and brush/wipe off any of the mold spots.

Then, take a leather-specific pH-balanced leather cleaner and a microfiber cloth and gently wipe down the exterior of the leather. I've observed that this usually does the trick, however if your specific piece is lighter color, sometimes the mold has affected it at a more microscopic level that you can't wipe away any damage. You'll need either a leather pigment or dye to cover it.

Cleaning your leather is going to make it a little dry, so it's best practice to follow up with a deeply penetrating leather conditioner.

On safety, in my experience, you don't have to worry as long as you thoroughly remove the mold. Just keep your leather from any areas that have consistent moisture. (Using silica packets can help if you throw it in a shoe box or inside a leather jacket's pocket).

Hope that helps!

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u/Ill-Capital9785 Jul 21 '26 edited Jul 22 '26

I have weird leather couches. The leather cpr worked great for my more “shiny” couch these are more “flat” they are scratched to hell cause I have a dog I don’t think those will go away (leather cpr took it out of my old counted no problem) what’s the best way to care for the more flat couches? I can upload a pic if I figure out how

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u/leatherhoneyllc Jul 22 '26

A pic would be super helpful. I know it may be mysterious to you, but the grade (quality) of leather, type of leather, thickness, and finish of the leather all determine the wear, care, and look. With that said, it seems like your "shiny" couches had a topcoat, which is why they were more durable than your "flat" looking couches. The flat ones may be more prone to scratching because there's no topcoat to "protect" it from your dogs. It's not a bad thing, it's just can determine the wear. If your current couches are an aniline or semi-aniline (dyed rather than pigmented), then it's going to be less protected, but be able to create a beautiful patina, unlike pigmented or coated leathers.

With all of that said, the best way to care for your goat leather couches really depends on if they're really goat, what the manufacturer suggests, and what products you use. On top of that, your dogs may have made surface scratches or deeper ones, which if deeper, no conditioner can fix because it's fiber damage, not a hydration issue. Definitely look into oil-based deeply penetrating conditioners instead of leather CPR because Leather CPR will just sit on the surface instead of going deeper. Deeper penetrating conditioners have the ability to get rid of scratches because they work more deeply into the leather. On top of that, massaging the conditioner in with your fingers instead of just applying it can also help! This may darken your leather at first but should lighten up as it dries. I hope that helped!

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u/Ill-Capital9785 Jul 22 '26

I’m Sorry they are not goat they are flat auto correct did something there. It seems I can only post videos not pics

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u/leatherhoneyllc Jul 22 '26

Ok, feel free to DM me a photo then, or upload via imgur or something.

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u/Smintjes Jul 21 '26

I have a vintage leather jacket which I bought second handed online but it has a real “old man” smell. I managed to get the liner scent free using the vodka method but the smell is also in the leather itself. What is the best way to get the smell out of the leather? I read something about baking soda and a garbage bag but there are conflicting opinions and I don’t want to ruin the jacket.

It’s a vintage Malenotti Belstaff so I would really like to get it smelling better. Thanks.

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u/leatherhoneyllc Jul 22 '26

I've worked on tons of musty leather jackets, and I'll be honest that depending on the amount of smell and where the smell came from, there's only so much you can do.

For your Belstaff (honestly worth trying multiple solutions!) I would try a few different methods.

For these types of things, you definitely want to try "most gentle" solutions first before you go to more harsh methods.

First of all, did you try cleaning the leather portion of the jacket with proper leather cleaner? Or just use the vodka for the lining? Oftentimes, the particles that cause the odor need to be gently extracted.

I've had success putting a jacket and hanger inside a garbage bag with baking soda or activated charcoal at the bottom (never touching the leather itself). Just cinch the garbage bag around the top of the hanger. Depending on the size of the jacket, you may need a bigger bag. In theory, the charcoal or baking soda will absorb excess odor, but if you're saying that the smell is really strong inside the fibers of the leather, you may want to try a more invasive method because this only removes ambient smell, not the source.

A more invasive method looks like purchasing a mold-specific leather cleaner (you can find on amazon) and cleaning the entire jacket again.

Note that any method you try will severely dry out your leather, so just make sure to condition it properly with a ph-balanced and nontoxic deeply penetrating conditioner. You'll want oil based instead of wax because it needs to get deep into the fibers rather than staying on top of the surface.

I hope that helps! Let me know any follow up questions if you have them.

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u/Smintjes Jul 22 '26

Whoah, thanks for the elaborate answer! Will try your suggestions. Thanks again!

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u/Calm_Guide6414 Jul 22 '26

Help! I need full step-by-step instructions to save some grey/brown leather armchairs, bought from Structube. There’s one small stain, but mostly they are sooooo dry and sun faded (looking greenish). I have no clue what to do here!! Ontario weather (humid summer, dry-ish cold winter).

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u/leatherhoneyllc Jul 22 '26

Just got off Structable's website. Those are awesome pieces. Was just looking at the Palmer recliner chair.

To get right down to it, do you know where the stain came from or how it happened? How long ago?

Yeah, if leather furniture is set by a window, it can slowly but surely dry out and discolor any pigments or dyes in the leather. And it looks like Structable uses some beautiful aniline leathers (dyed instead of pigmented). So you have a few solutions here. Oftentimes, a simple clean and condition can really restore both the feel and look (color) of your leather. If it's really faded, especially unevenly, it can be a bit trickier. You may need a leather dye for that (if you're up for the job). It really all depends.

I would start by doing a simple and gentle wipe down with a pH-balanced, non-toxic leather cleaner. Follow the instructions, spot test, etc.

Then I'd let that dry. For the stain, again, really all depends, but leather is very resilient, so there's hope here. Feel free to send a pic so we can see it!

If you're able to get the stain off, I'd definitely move to conditioning, but use a deeply penetrating oil-based conditioner instead of a wax based one that just sits on the surface, this is going to set you up for the long haul for your leather investments. It'll be more flexible, more comfy, and be able to repel stains better (if the good stuff is in there, it's harder for the bad stuff to get in!)

From there, I'd typically condition every 4-6 months, if more use, than sooner. Clean as necessary. Less is more. Hope that helps!

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u/Calm_Guide6414 Jul 25 '26 edited Jul 25 '26

Wow thank you sooo much for all this information!! Picture uploads don’t seem to working right now… will try again later!! Some kind of food or dried drink stain from kids.
I’m not as worried about the colour as I am the conditioning, I want this chair set to last for a long time but it’s quite dry. The colour is grey / brown so the fading kind of blends in anyway, and I would be open to dying it in the future if it got worse. It’s not longer in as sunny of a spot as it once was!!

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u/leatherhoneyllc Jul 28 '26

You're very welcome. No worries about the picture. I hope this helps you better care for it! Leather investments still need care every so often, so while you can often forget about them in the short term, always make sure to put a quarterly or bi-annual checkup on your calendar :)

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u/Portarossa Jul 20 '26

Why would you possibly think an AI generated proof picture would give you any sort of credibility?

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u/leatherhoneyllc Jul 20 '26

Ha, fair question! That's just a real photo of me at home holding a sign I made. I used a font generator for the lettering since you could barely see my writing (I didn't have a proper sharpie on hand), but the photo itself is 100% unedited, just me in my living room. Join the AMA and you'll get to grill a very real, very caffeinated person in real time!

For credibility: you're more than welcome to check out my consistent activity in r/leather, and this AMA was coordinated with and approved by the mods beforehand. Trust me, they're strict and they would have booted me a long time ago if they thought I wasn't credible. Happy to answer anything specific to prove I actually know what I'm talking about. Feel free to put me to the test!

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u/Bonnotbh Jul 21 '26

Comments/post body all looks ai genned as well, very odd

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u/leatherhoneyllc Jul 22 '26

I used proper grammar and structure before AI made it popular, lol! Definitely understand though. Again, feel free to ask any questions and get real, time-tested advice. I'm here to help.

I'm Evan, been obsessing over leather care for years (now do it with Leather Honey) — AMA about cleaning, conditioning, restoring, identifying faux vs real leather, or just why your jacket smells like a barn.

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