Smooth leather
Smooth leather is the term used to describe all types of leather whose grain side faces outward, regardless of the animal's grain type. Calfskin, for example, has a particularly flat grain, while crocodile leather is characterized by its strong grain. Leather on which animal hair is still present is referred to as fur or pelt.
Depending on the thickness of its surface coloring, smooth leather is characterized by different properties. It can be either pigmented, i.e. surface colored, or open-pore.
The open-pored variant, which is called aniline leather, feels softer, but usually fades faster and is more sensitive to stains. Pigmented leathers are less sensitive, but they do not feel quite as soft.
The counterpart to smooth leather is suede, which can be, for example, the reverse side of smooth leather, smooth leather ground on the grain side (nubuck leather) or uncoated split leather.
The right care for shoes made of smooth leather
In general, the smooth leather care is divided into three parts: The cleaning, the care itself and the polish.
1. cleaning
Thorough cleaning is the basis of ideal leather care, as dirt can attack the leather in the long run or even make it porous. If the leather cream were to be applied directly to the dirty leather, stains can only be removed with great difficulty. First, the laces should be removed so that the leather can be cleaned everywhere optimally. If the shoe is only dusted, it is sufficient to clean it with a cloth moistened with water. For larger stains, we recommend Combi Care Foam, which removes even stubborn stains and at the same time refreshes the color. Important: Eyelets should also be treated regularly with shoe polish so that they remain permanently stable.
2. creaming
Regular creaming of smooth leather is important to maintain the protective function of the material or to impregnate the leather. Optimally suited for brush leather is the hard wax cream, while colored shoes are best treated with a color cream. A small amount of the cream is taken up with the help of a moistened cloth and worked into the leather in circular movements. In this way, the leather is further cleaned at the same time. The active ingredients should then be left to work for around 15 minutes.
Important tips:
- It is worth using a cream brush to reach inaccessible areas.
- The cream should be applied only very thinly, so that there are not several layers, which bring an undesirable visual effect.
- When using a colored cream, the right color is enormously important, otherwise the leather will be discolored.
3. polishing
After the care has dried completely, the shoe is polished with a shine brush. This not only gives the material a shine, but also provides effective care once again: The smooth surface allows moisture to roll off in the long term and prevents dirt from settling again. In wet and cold months, it is also advisable to treat the shoes with an additional waterproofing spray to protect them from moisture and salt stains.
