Uses and Applications
General
Leather Mate and Urad clean, condition and protect
an extensive range of leather goods. They can also be used on unfinished wood and
often to spectacular result on rubber and vinyl, particularly in dealing with
sun bleaching.
They can be used on any
leather except those with a suede-type finish and on soft porous leathers such as soft finished lambskin.
They will not damage the softer or unfinished
leathers, but they may darken them and change their appearance
to a more "finished" look.
In most instances, Tenderly can be used on
the softer porous leathers (but you should always test on an inconspicuous
area first). Tenderly is basically the same product as Leather Mate and Urad
minus the natural carnauba wax.
When using Tenderly, don't over-apply it, and give it time
to fully dry. Follow the instructions inside the jar on how to properly
apply the product. You will need to gently brush suede once the Tenderly
is dry.
On any leather item, use only a very small amount of the appropriate
leather cream. For badly stained areas, apply extra pressure with the sponge
applicator to these areas. It may require more than one application.
Instructions are included with each jar on how to remove salt stains from
leather. You will find this product very effective in removing salt stains
when the instructions are followed properly.
SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING COLORED URAD AND LEATHER MATE
The black and other colors of Urad are fantastic color rejuvenators! They far exceed
the results of polishes, dyes or touch-up pens. They will far exceed your expectations.
But, if you are using black, or one of the colored Leather Mate or Urad products, you must ensure
it is properly applied. The instructions that accompany the product, and the tips and
instructions you will find on this website, stress that only a very small amount of product
needs to be applied. You will find this quite easy to do.
Using only a small amount of product gives a much better finish and makes your jar last
much longer which increases your value for money.
The colored Urad and Leather Mate products contain a special pigment that penetrates into the
pores of the leather rejuvenating it and bringing it to life. When dry, unlike a polish, it
will not rub off on clothing or furniture. And, unlike polish, it will not wash off in the first
downpour of rain.
However, if too much of the product is applied (too thick of a layer) it is possible for
some of the pigment to remain on the surface of the leather preventing it from properly drying.
You will know when too much product has been applied: your leather will look
very wet and it will be obvious there is a thick coating of product on it. If this is done and
the leather is used right away, there is the risk of some of the pigment rubbing off.
In most cases you will discover that Neutral is very satisfactory in restoring life and color
to your colored leathers.
And you will be surprised at the large number of colors that the black Leather Mate or Urad can
be used on. Navy Blue, Oxblood Red, Black and Dark Green leathers can usually all be treated with the
"black" (PLEASE NOTE: This is not the case with your leather furniture items. They require the use of the appropriate Urad color).
Of course, you are more than welcome to use the exact color of Urad that you want, especially if
you have a lot of leather of that particular color. In fact, you are strongly encouraged to do so. Just keep the above information in mind.
It is important to note that the colored products are not a dye and cannot be used to dye leather
a completely different color.
Shoe Care
There is nothing quite like the look of amazement on somebody's face the first time
they see Leather Mate or Urad applied to their shoes.
Maybe it's the speed or the ease with which the product is applied.
Or possibly the miraculous transformation of appearance that occurs in a matter of seconds.
Whatever it is, you can be sure that they'll soon be doing what most of us have done. They'll soon be treating
every shoe or boot in their home that they can get their hands on. And, when they've completely exhausted their own
supply, every guest that walks through the front door, and every nearby friend or neighbour will
soon be finding out what Urad or Leather Mate are.
Leather Mate and Urad enable you to keep your shoes and boots looking as good as or better than they day you bought them. They will enable you to greatly extend the life of your shoes with only a few minutes of work once every few weeks--this product does not need to be applied every day. Once every few weeks should be more than enough. If shoes or boots become dirty or scuffed between shines, simply wipe with a damp cloth and the spectacular finish will be restored.
Contained in each jar of Urad or Leather Mate are detailed instructions on how to remove salt stains from your shoes or boots. You won't want to miss this. The results you can obtain will completely astound you!
The product comes with a sponge applicator which makes it easy to treat your entire shoe, including the rim and heel.
This is one of those rare occasions where the faster and easier method is actually more effective, and better for your shoes at the same time!
Salvaging or protecting just one pair of shoes would more than pay for the jar. But with this product, you can do your entire closet of shoes and still have plenty left over to do every other leather or vinly product you have. Now that's quite an investment!
APPLICATION TIP: Dip the applicator sponge into the jar. Scrape off all excess product on the inside lip of the jar so that the sponge simply looks damp. That is all the product you need to do both shoes. Quickly wipe the sponge over the entire shoe, including the rim or heel. Apply extra pressure on any stubborn dirt. By the time you have finished the second shoe, the first shoe will be dry!
<< More Info on Shoe Care...>>
Leather Jackets
Leather Mate and Urad give amazing results on most leather jackets, even those you thought
were beyond the point of no return!
Have you ever priced what it costs to take your leather jacket to the dry cleaner? And don't
kid yourself. Those solvents are not doing your leather any good.
And what about those chemical sprays that are supposed to protect against water damage, or the
dyes and polishes that are supposed to restore color? The colors never quite seem to match, tend
get all over everything and don't seem to last anyway.
Yet, if you don't do something to take proper care of your jacket, your expensive investment
rapidly deteriorates due to damage by snow, rain, salt, and sun. Or it can be stained by natural
oils from your hair, neck or wrists. Even sitting indoors in the winter, your jacket can dry
out due to the central heating that keeps you warm.
You might be interested to discover that some of your dry cleaners and leather specialists
actually use Leather Mate or a product like it.
One jar of Leather Mate will enable you to clean, condition and protect your jacket up to 20 times
or more, and you only need to do your jacket 1-2 times per year.
Unless the jacket is deeply scratched, the Neutral Urad or Leather Mate will return the original
color to the jacket. It will also give it a protective coating to guard against future damage.
If the jacket has lost a lot of color or, is very cracked or dry, one of the applicable colored Urad
or Leather Mate products will usually do the trick.
The number one reason people don't take proper care of their leather jackets, or repair the finish
while they still can, is the other products are too difficult to use, are too messy and take time.
With the Urad range of products, you can do your entire jacket in a matter of minutes.
For newer jackets it will protect the leather against drying out and cracking and give it a natural
protection against the sun.
For jackets made of softer finished leather, such as finished lambskin, Tenderly is the ideal
choice. This is the same great product, but without the carnuaba wax. This ensures that you can maintain the very soft leather finish while still cleaning, conditioning and protecting your jacket.
Some customers still prefer to use Urad or Leather Mate on their lambskin jackets due to the extra protection that the carnauba wax gives. If you are unsure, you can always test on an inconspicuous area (such as the inside sleeve or inside the zipper).
(* One great tip on treating your leather jacket: Have someone wear the jacket while you apply the leather conditioner. Urad and Leather Mate will dry in just a few minutes).
Leather Furniture
Tired of those messy, expensive, time-consuming 3 or 4-step products that never quite work as well as you hoped?
People selling you leather furniture will tell you that it is easy to take care of, but they
often never really tell you how, or the advice they offer is faulty.
Some manufacturers or sales people tell you to use soap and water. Yet soap contains lye, which will eventually dry and crack the leather finish.
Urad was invented in Milan almost 40 years ago to meet the requirements of the Italian
leather furniture industry. It later was also marketed under the name "Leather Mate" in
North America.
It nourishes and protects leather against color fading, staining and scuffing as well as damage
from heat, sun and moisture. It has no lasting odor of any kind and completely penetrates the
leather. It does not rub off on clothing, and helps prevent natural oils from the neck and
hair from being absorbed into the furniture.
Leather Mate or Urad is suitable for most leather or vinyl furniture, is quick and easy to use
and dries rapidly after application. Once dry, it will not rub off onto clothes or skin and will
not become tacky due to body heat or warm climates.
You can treat an entire leather sofa in as little as 10 minutes, and you will only need to do your sofa once every 6-12 months. There is enough product in one jar for 7-10 applications.
You will not need to pre-clean your sofa, and there is no excess product to clean off when you are done and no exhausting buffing required.
You will find that once your furniture has been treated, it will be easier to keep clean, will not attract dust and will not readily absorb stains.
Do not use on furniture that does not have a finished surface (such as suede or similar material) unless you test on an inconspicuous area and are happy with the results.
Always test light colors or very soft leathers on an inconspicuous area before use. Due to the way these leathers are finished, they may sometimes darken slightly when the product is applied. It is not just Leather Mate or Urad that will do this. Any leather cleaning or conditioning product would have the same effect.
<< More Info on Leather Furniture Care...>>
Golf
Leather Mate and Urad are ideal for every golfing professional or enthusiast.
Leather Mate will clean out grass stains with the greatest of ease, and prevent future stains from being so readily absorbed.
Multi-colored golf shoes can be easily cleaned, conditioned and protected with the "Neutral" product without fear of mixing colors.
Urad has an amazing ability to protect against water, while at the same time still allowing the leather to breathe and not clogging up the pores with chemicals or sticky oily ingredients.
The "White" Urad is especially good on white golfing or running shoes where the leather has lost its white finish.
One jar is only $19.99 CAD and it will do up to 200 pairs of golf shoes.
Urad and Leather Mate will keep your shoes looking great all the way from Tee-Off to the club House. Guaranteed!
Also great on golf bags, wood covers and carts.
Review or customer successes and testimonials for a letter from a very satisfied Locker Room Manager of a private golf club in North Carolina.
The product cleans grass stains, and protects against water damage for all
leather and vinyl surfaces – shoes, bags, wood covers and carts.
Equestrian - Saddles, boots & tack
Leather Mate comes highly recommended by Equestrian professionals, competitors and enthusiasts.
It has received rave reviews by major horse riding magazines, associations and trainers.
It cleans, preserves, removes mildew and is easy to use on leathers and tack. It doesn't make the saddle slippery or sticky, doesn't attract dust and doesn't come off all over the rider's clothing.
But don't take our word for it!
To use a figure of speech, Why not hear it "straight from the horses mouth"? (please excuse the pun!).
A very large percentage of the letters, endorsements and magazine reviews that we receive are from the equestrian community. Some of these are included on this website. Click here to read them now.
<< More Info on Saddle Care... >>
<< More Info on Tack Care... >>
Motorcycle
You will have noticed that a large number of the magazine reviews and customer testimonials
contained in this website concern motorcycle leathers.
This is because Leather Mate and Urad are extremely popular with the motor
cycle crowd for seats, saddle bags, leather clothing and boots. Leather Mate and Urad promote the water resistant qualities of leather, help prevent fading, restore color, prevent racing leathers from drying and cracking and can even be used to
remove insects from leather clothing and equipment.
Its popularity makes our job easy as we don't need to write great pages of information on how and why you should buy and use this product. Nothing says it better than the users and industry magazines themselves! Click here to read them now.
<< More Info on Motor Cycle Leather Care... >>
Automotive
Leather Mate helps to protect against sun damage, color fading, staining and general
wear and tear.
It can be used on leather or vinyl upholstery, dashboards, steering
wheels, plastic and even car tyres.
Dashboards will be left with a smooth dry protective finish that is not oily or sticky and will not attract dust. It will also not produce the "chemical hazing" that occurs with other products in hot weather.
With regular use (once every 6-12 months), the various surfaces--including the dash board and fine leather seats--will be safeguarded against cracking, drying and fading.
The protective ingredients in Urad and Leather Mate are natural and will not chemically react with surfaces (like some of the more popular vinyl and rubber spray products).
More detailed information on what this product can do for your leather interior and how it is applied can be found in the furniture section above.
Boating
Leather Mate is great for cleaning and protecting your leather and vinyl surfaces against water, sun and the various
oils that can occur while boating: natural skin oils, sun screen and engine lubricants.
It is excellent for protecting against the salt, and can be very effective in removing salt and water stains from leather and vinyl upholstery.
It can also be used to help protect wood surfaces against the elements (except special non-slip surfaces). As with any new application, always test on a small area first.
Accessories - Handbags, purses, luggage, briefcases, etc
Leather Mate prolongs the life of handbags and purses by keeping the leather nourished so
that the straps don't dry out or crack, bag bottoms resist scuffing and color loss and
leathers do not pick up dirt from everyday use.
Briefcases and luggage are similarly protected, and often look "better-than-new" when treated.
The life of expensive leather wallets can be greatly extended, while at the same time keeping them in immaculate looking condition.
Leather belts that look like they are on their way out can be restored to top condition in a matter of seconds.
In general, Leather Mate keeps accessories looking new and professional for longer.
The real trick is to follow the directions and only use a very small amount of product. Remember, a little goes a long way. In the case of Urad and Leather Mate, the statement "Less is More" is definitely true.
Sporting Equipment
Leather Mate is ideal for conditioning and protecting leather running shoes, football boots, soccer balls, baseball gloves and a vast array of other sporting equipment.
Leather sporting equipment is not cheap. Without proper treatment it rapidly dries, cracks, scuffs and begins to fall apart. Which means someone is rapidly forking out more money for a replacement.
When footballs and soccer balls are treated, they resist scuffing and water-damage, and will not become so easily water-logged during rainy weather.
Surprisingly, balls and equipment treated with Leather Mate do not get slippery when wet. This is a major advantage over other products which may turn your equipment into a "bar of soap" in wet weather.
Leather Mate and Urad also provide excellent protection against the Sun, helping the leather to resist color fading and severe drying of the leather finish.
All of the preceeding sections of information and tips on Urad and Leather Mate apply to sporting equipment.
Recondition Leather
Anyone involved in restoring old automobiles or antique furniture simply cannot survive without Urad and Leather Mate.
In television commercials and shows involving Urad, one of the most common demonstrations is to take some very old, dry, cracked and faded leather item and treat it with the product. Literally in a matter of seconds the leather is rejuvenated beyond any possible expectation.
But it is not just the appearance of the leather that changes. It becomes more supple and smoother. Its color returns. It is cleaned and conditioned, and it is now protected against future damage.
Salt Stains
In demonstrating this product, one of the most remarkable things to see is how easily salt and water stains can be removed.
Because of the way the product works, it actually penetrates deeply into the pores of the leather, dissolves the salt and other impurities and forces them out and into the sponge applicator.
The important thing is to ge the salt OUT of the leather, not just cover it up. Leather Mate and Urad do that. If you don't get the salt out, the leather will be permanently damaged.
Trying to clean the salt with water simply makes the problem worse (as anyone who has ever tried this will attest).
Every jar of Urad and Leather Mate contains detailed instructions on how to remove both minor and more serious salt stains from your leather.
Don't throw away your salt stained shoes or boots without first trying the Urad/Leather Mate salt removal treatment.
<< More Info on Treating Salt Stains... >>
Water Protection
Urad and Leather Mate offer a very unique type of water protection.
Because of the properties of both principal ingredients (lanolin and carnauba wax), this product allows the leather to breath while at the same time giving exceptional water protection.
It also ensures that if the leather gets extremely wet, it will not crack and dry as the water dissipates.
For extra protection, it may require several applications over a period of a few days.
However, even with extra applications, Urad and Leather Mate will not make your shoes or boots completely waterproof. If you were to put your shoe in a bucket of water, it would get wet.
To make your shoe completely waterproof would require that the pores of the leather are completely blocked (which is not good for the boot or shoe). There are products that do this, but they should not be used unless the shoe or boot will be continually exposed to extremely wet conditions (such as a hiking boot or work boot).
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