Items you can soak would include all-leather items such as leather clothing, boots, gloves, and accessories.
Some buckles and snaps may rust if they get wet, so you may want to avoid getting those wet. You can also spray an item that’s too big to soak, such as the leather on your sofa or car seats.
Make sure to get all of the leather evenly wet. Otherwise, there may be an obvious color difference between the parts you soaked and the parts that stayed dry. If you’re spraying the leather, you may want to place the item on a plastic sheet to keep from soaking the surface underneath it.
If your item is made of thin leather, however, like soft leather gloves, plunging it into the water may be enough to soak it.
Don’t hang the leather, as the weight of the water might cause the item to stretch, rather than shrink. Avoid placing the leather in front of a source of high heat, like a radiator. Drying the leather too quickly could cause it to become brittle or even crack. Check the care label if you’re shrinking a leather garment—as long as the leather isn’t suede or nubuck, you can put it in the dryer on high heat for 30 minutes to shrink it. However, keep in mind that the leather will take on a puckered, distressed look if you do this. [6] X Expert Source Mallika SharmaCertified Leather Care Technician Expert Interview. 14 December 2020.
Avoid leaving the nozzle of the hairdryer in one place for too long, as it could burn the leather.
If the leather isn’t the size you want after 3 rounds of wetting and drying it, you may just need to purchase a new item that’s the size you want.
You can find leather conditioner anywhere that leather is sold, as well as at many big-box stores that sell household cleaners and supplies.
