Will a Leather Wallet Get Ruined if it Gets Wet or Washed?

At Allett, we create the slimmest leather wallets available today – so slim, in fact, that these walls can safely be carried in your front pocket without the discomfort or odd looking bulge that people find undesirable. Owning an ultra-thin wallet has many advantages. 

But it also has one drawback – it’s so slim, that if you’re someone that is not used to taking your wallet out of your pants pocket at the end of every day, there may be a situation where you leave your wallet in your pocket before you wash it, not realizing that it is still in there.

What happens then?

Or what happens if you are thrown into a pool? Or if you’re caught in a rainstorm? What happens to a leather wallet if you accidentally go surfing with it?

What happens to a leather wallet if it gets soaking wet?

The Effects of Water on Napa Leather

It is generally a good idea to keep leather as dry as possible, and that is still true of the high quality napa leather that we use to make our wallets. Still, a light rain is unlikely to ruin a leather wallet. Leather offers a small amount of water resistance due to the oils, so a bit of rain should – hopefully – drip right off. Dabbing it with a napkin should be enough to get rid of small drops.

Issues may occur, however, if it is a much heavier rain. If your wallet is drenched, such as much occur if someone tosses you into a pool, then you will want to try to quickly dry it, remove any soaked in water as fast as you can, and then potentially condition it.

Leather has these natural oils that help create its attracting appearance and softness. Those oils remain present for most of the life of the wallet. If your wallet gets drenched in water:

• The water molecules bind to the oil.
• The water molecules pull the oils out of the wallet when they evaporate.
• Without its oils, the leather can become easily stained, stiff, and warp.

Luckily, sometimes this can be prevented if you act quickly. You’re going to need to draw out the water as fast as you can *without* heat drying it (heat will speed up process of drawing out the oils and potentially damage the leather) and, depending on the condition of the leather upon removal, you’re going to need to give it back some of its oil. To do that:

• Place the wallet immediately in something that draws out water, like a bowl of rice.
• Make sure that it is out in the open to help it air dry.
• Once completely dry, consider adding a leather conditioner to give it back its softness.

Part of the concern is how long it has been drenched in water. If you’re spending all day in a pool because you forgot to take your wallet out of your pocket, you will be at greater risk than if you are simply rained upon while paying for an outdoor hot dog. 

But, no matter what, your wallet is worth saving. The above tips and techniques will help improve your ability to save your wallet if it has been drenched in water for an extended period of time.

Can You Get Rid of Water Stains?

The tricky part can be dealing with water stains, but even those can often be removed. Once the leather is dry, use a damp cloth to gently rub the stains in a circular motion. Apply a leather cleaner—most name-brand leather cleaners will work—and use the same cloth to rub the cleaner into the stain. Alternatively, you can try white vinegar, which some people find effective, but be sure to test it on a small, inconspicuous area first.

If you’re cleaning an Allett wallet, make sure to use a leather cleaner that is safe for Napa leather.

For more tips on cleaning your Allett wallet, check out our how to clean your Allett wallet blog.

Ordering a New Wallet

Our wallets are designed to last. We are often optimistic that any wallet that we create is going to be able to withstand some degree of wetness and, if it does get drenched, can be cleaned and saved using the method above.

But if your wallet is damaged beyond repair, come try a new wallet today. We have a lot of ultra slim new leather wallet styles in stock, and have your next favorite wallet readily available at a competitive price. Browse our selection and order your next wallet from Allett.