Dry cleaning is a nasty word around here -- we think of it as the lazy man's way to tell others how to clean leather. Leather is not a mystery to us, and neither are the cleaning methods. Here are our secrets. We can only recommend these cleaning methods for our products as other leather goods you may own may have been tanned differently and therefore may not respond to our methods.

Deerskin, Buffalo and Elk

Deerskin's most magical trait (and this also applies to buffalo and elk) is that it will not water spot so it's safe to wear and use in all weather. The easiest way to clean it is to use Fiebing's 4-Way Care. Shake up the bottle and pour a bit on a paper towel and apply it to your leather. If necessary, do several light treatments instead of one large soaking. Let it dry naturally.

Sheepskin:

You probably won't believe this, but it is true-machine wash. Yes, you really can use you washing machine. But you must use only cold water, a non-alkaline detergent, and set it in the gentle cycle. We recommend Ivory Liquid Shampoo or Jentel (available through Bartlett Yarns 207-683-2341, In Harmony, Maine) or Woolite. Use 1/3 cup of detergent for one hide of sheepskin. For a pair of sheepskin Moccasins, use half that amount.

After washing, you can put the sheepskin in the dryer but only until the wool is partially dry. Let the back of the hide stay damp and let it dry naturally. Do not allow the wool to dry completely in the dryer, because that would damage the sheepskin. If you feel unsure how long is okay, just let it dry naturally. For quick cleaning, use a nylon bristle hairbrush to remove the surface dirt, and fluff up the wool. For a rug, brush it as you would your dog. For the slippers, turn them inside out and brush away! After washing sheepskin, we suggest that you brush the product after it has completely dried.

Garment Cowhide (It's soft like the gauntlets)

Once again, a bit of Fiebing's 4-Way Care will clean and condition for best results.

Belting Cowhide (It's stiff, like belts and satchels)

Unless it's really dirty, Fiebing's 4-Way Care should do the trick. But if it's ground-in dirt, then use saddle soap (please be sure to wash it off) and then apply Fiebing's 4-Way Care to condition.

Suede

Use a Suede brush or suede stone for spot cleaning. For overall washing, use Woolite and a sponge. First get the sponge sudsy and rub the suede clean. Then use the sponge again to rinse the suds off the suede-using cold water only. Let it dry naturally and then use a suede brush to fluff up the nap.

General Comments and Suggestions

There are not secrets for removing permanent ink, blood, grease, oil or wine from any leather. We also do not recommend your attempting to dye any leather a different color - even if you are lucky and get the color you want, the odds are that your "new" color will then rub off on your clothes, your skin or anything else that comes in contact with it. Remember also that sunlight is an enemy of leather- prolonged sunning will dry out the leather and cause the color to fade.

Care Products

4 Way Care - $5
Mink Oil - $5
Neatsfoot Oil - $5
Suede stone & brush $5
Sheepskin Soap - $10