Not only can leather absorb water/liquid and leave behind stain marks, but getting wet can even detract from the leather's durability.
Semi-aniline leather is water resistant and provides extra protection against spills. The finish provides a barrier against liquid absorption. Semi-aniline leather offers superior durability and does not require any additional treatment.
Real leather will feel soft and flexible, but it will also have a grainy feel. You also won't be able to stretch faux leather, but real leather can be stretched. Lastly, real leather will feel warm, while fake leather feels cool. Leather has a distinct, oaky smell, while faux leather does not.
Water strips leather of its natural oils and when wet leather dries, you'll often find that it has become dry and brittle. While rain can ruin leather, the following steps can help you treat and fix water-damaged leatherto help preserve your valuable leather apparel.
Leather is a natural, porous material. After tanning, some types of leather receive a protective finish. For LeatherShield products, this water resistant finish provides a barrier against liquid absorption. No additional treatment is required.
Sure, leather can get wet - but it's not a great idea. The main problem when leather gets wet actually arises as the leather dries. When leather gets wet, the oils in the leather bind to the water molecules. As the water dries and evaporates, it draws out the oils with it.
Real leather is porous and because of that, it cannot be 100% waterproof. Instead, think of leather as water-resistant. While your shoes or handbag will fare well while quickly stepping into the rain to get to your car, this isn't the same as submerging leather.
Leather can also be prone to rot if the water doesn't dry out quickly enough, as the fibres weaken and become easier to separate due to a lack of natural lubricants.
Quite possibly the safest way to wash your leather clothes is by using a solution of soap and water. Handwashing with this solution should even help with difficult stains, and it won't damage the leather. Make sure you are using mild baby soap or a fabric softener, instead of regular soap or laundry detergent.
When quality leather is cared for, it can last for decades, ages beautifully and forms a patina. Real leather is animal skin and so it needs to be maintained and moisturised – when it starts to dry out, it can eventually crack and peel.
The answer is, real leather can last decades if treated well. Faux leather, on the other hand, has about a third of the lifespan of authentic leather. It also won't develop lustre or become more soft and comfortable like real leather. But, instead, faux leather looks more worn out as it ages – like most fabrics.
In a class of real leather products, genuine leather products are the lowest in quality. These products are made from leftover leather after the high-end products are made.
First check whether the leather is absorbent. On absorbent leathers (aniline leather, suede, nubuck) if you rub in a drop of water, it will sink into the surface and darken the leather. On non-absorbing leathers water runs off.
Care & Cleaning Differences
Because it is naturally absorbent, real leather can easily absorb liquid, which can make it susceptible to staining and difficult to clean.
Sight: Check the stitching on seams or zipper. Real leather holes will have slightly uneven, rough edges that look like suede. Fake leather stitching holes are identical and uniform. If you can see the edges of the purse where two pieces are stitched together, leather will be rough and raw-looking.
A little water won't hurt leather at all, and most leather products have a protective layer that gives you enough time to clean up water spills before leather soaks it up. When spills and small amounts of water do damage leather, it usually just makes the leather stiff.
The result can be a spotty, stained appearance and a loss of the suppleness of the leather, leaving it brittle… even cracked. If the water takes a long time to evaporate, the leather can even begin to rot.
The best method for drying wet leather shoes is to let them air dry naturally for 24 to 48 hours.
The best way to remember what you can and can't use on your leather is to keep this in mind: The two most commonly used chemicals that will cause severe damage to your leather are alcohol and acetone.
Yes, you can wear real leather in the rain. However, if the leather gets wet, it will take longer to dry and may become stiff. Leather that is fully grain, top grain, or Latigo is a water-resistant material, so you can be confident that you'll be able to wear it without difficulty.
The bottom line is yes, yes you can. This is good news. If the forecast does call for precipitation, there is no need to fret about your leather being ruined. However, you should still try and keep your jacket as dry as possible.
Genuine leather is indeed real leather. This means that the material comes from real animal skin or that there is some kind of leather in the material. While its quality comes nowhere near full-grain leather or top-grain leather, it is still from real animal skin.
So if the leather is left untreated, it will start to bleed, especially after water spills on the furniture's surface.
When properly cared for, genuine leather can last for years. Many premium leather crafters even guarantee their work to last for decades, even up to 100 years. This is because genuine leather is simply built to last thanks to natural durability.