The Journal
Practical guides and honest, hands-on advice on caring for leather, suede, sheepskin and specialist pieces, straight from our London bench.
Latest article
Real and faux fur trims need very different care, so the first job is working out which one is on your coat and whether it comes off. Here's what's safe at home, how to rescue a soaked hood, and what a specialist clean can and can't do.
Hus · 11 November 2026
UGG and other sheepskin boots are one piece of skin, suede outside and fleece inside, so they need a gentle, even clean and slow drying. Here is the home method, what to do about a smelly lining, and the signs a pair needs a specialist.
Hus · 6 November 2026
White salt marks on winter suede boots can usually be lifted at home with a brush, a damp cloth and a little vinegar, as long as you let the boots dry first and work each mark out to a seam. Here is the full method, and the point where it becomes a job for a specialist.
Hus · 4 November 2026
Coats that looked fine in spring can come out of the wardrobe with darkened collars, moth or a stale smell. An autumn routine for checking, cleaning and repairing sheepskin, fur and leather before the cold arrives.
Hus · 19 October 2026
Moth larvae, not the adults, do the damage, feeding on the keratin in wool, fur and sheepskin fleece. How to spot the signs, treat every stage of the moth, what can and cannot be repaired, and how to keep them away.
Hus · 12 October 2026
Ozone removes smells by breaking down the molecules behind them rather than masking them. How it works, which odours it deals with, why cleaning usually comes first, and why home ozone machines are best avoided.
Hus · 5 October 2026
Suede, nubuck and smooth leather can come from the same hide, but they are made from different sides of it and need different care. How to tell them apart at home, and how to look after each without damaging it.
Hus · 30 September 2026
What a suede handbag is built from decides what can be rescued from it. A specialist explains which marks clean up, which ones never fully clear, where recolouring comes in, and the home fixes that close off the options.
Hus · 23 September 2026
Mould on leather feeds on the oils and dust in the hide, not the hide itself, so caught early it lifts off. A specialist explains what causes it, how to remove it without doing damage, what cannot be recovered, and how to stop it coming back.
Hus · 17 September 2026
The calendar is a poor guide to reproofing and the fabric is a good one. A specialist explains how often a waxed jacket really needs rewaxing, why cleaning has to come first, and what wax cannot fix.
Hus · 9 September 2026
Designer trainers are a materials job before they are a cleaning job. A specialist walks through how a pair is identified, tested and worked panel by panel, what home kits ruin, and what cannot be undone.
Hus · 12 August 2026
A specialist guide to looking after sheepskin and shearling coats: why ordinary dry cleaning ruins them, how to groom the fleece and suede at home, moth and summer storage advice, and what a professional clean actually involves.
Hus · 3 August 2026
A leather and suede specialist explains how to get stains out of suede safely, with a proven method and a stain-by-stain guide covering water, grease, ink, wine, blood, salt and more, plus when to call a professional.
Hus · 25 July 2026
What actually drives the cost of cleaning a leather jacket in the UK, from leather type and condition to recolouring, odour removal and repairs, plus how to get an honest quote.
Hus · 20 July 2026
A leather and suede specialist's honest, step-by-step guide to cleaning suede shoes at home, the kit that actually works, and the point where a scuff or stain really needs professional care.
Hus · 15 July 2026