To this day, it still pains me to remember the time I was caught in a Pacific Northwest downpour in my brand new pair of suede ballet flats. The luxurious and bright orange material just never looked the same after that, and no matter what I did, I knew the scuffs and stains were there to stay. Had I taken precautionary measures and used this widely adored protective spray that claims to repel all kinds of stains and water damage, I would be sitting here with a lot less regret (and a much cleaner pair of shoes).
I knew weather-proofing products like Scotch Guard existed for this very reason, however, in my defense, spraying an unknown substance on something so precious seemed a little terrifying. After looking online for the best pre-treatment leather solutions, I found that, despite concerns similar to mine, people were facing their fears and trusting this highly rated spray to protect their incredibly expensive designer handbags –– and with great success.
This may be because the Apple Brand’s Gardé stain repellent is actually designed specifically to adhere to fine leather goods, without altering their existing texture and shades or leaving behind any unwanted residue. A quick scan of the Amazon reviews yields a veritable boutique’s worth of designer brand names — Louis Vuittion, Balenciaga, Gucci, Marc Jacobs, Rebecca Minkoff and Ugg — whose leather goods have benefitted from the protection of this spray.
Ideal for shoes, wallets, outerwear, car interiors, furniture and even colorfast items, the spray acts as an invisible shield against everything from scuffs to water to body oil or salt stains. Its sealing powers cause liquid and messes to bead up on the leather’s surface where they can be wiped away in an instant, all without interfering with the breathability of the material.
Gardé can also extend the life of your leather goods because of the conditioning formula, making it suitable for older items as well as new, which is why many reviewers have adopted this as a reviving treatment specifically for Vachetta leather commonly used in Louis Vuitton bags.
To use, make sure that your leather item is clean and dry before spraying in an even sweeping motion while holding the can about six to nine inches away. Let it dry for 30 minutes then repeat. When treating old items, the directions suggest cleaning the leather first using a stiff bristled brush. The company also recommends pretreating items periodically in order to help maintain stain protection.
Take my hindsight advice and protect all your suede, nubuck and leather products this fall and winter season by grabbing a can above. You can also take a peek below and see why other users are happy they did.
“This product is the real deal. I sprayed two coats on my leather purse and it rained the next day. The water literally rolled off the purse and i feel so much more comfortable taking my handbags out in rain or even spilling something. Great product.” — WinterGlitter3030
“I finally decided to buy my first Louis Vuitton bag with Vachetta leather. I heard many reviews about this product on YouTube and wanted to try it out to protect the leather on my bag. Since where I live is very snowy. I was skeptical and a little scared about using this product because even after hearing so many good reviews you can’t help but be a little nervous. I applied two coats. The first coat went on perfectly but when I applied the second coat in some areas on the bag it looked like there was some dark spots due to over spraying. Mini panic attack. But after waiting the 30 minutes for the bag to dry like the directions say, everything was perfect. The leather had evened out to the brand new looking color of the Vachetta. Update (1 month later): I have worn the bag out and it was pouring rain. Most of the leather was soaked. Once inside, I took a paper towel and wiped off the extra water that was on my bag. The rain due to the protection of the leather spray seemed to just bead up and roll right off of the leather. My bag was still in perfect condition after getting wet. I am very happy with this product. 10 stars.” – Anonymous
“I primarily use this on my light color leather bags and Louis Vuitton Vachetta. It works as expected. Doesn’t leave any streaks, smells, or residue and performs as advertised. Great stuff that I will always keep on hand to keep my handbags looking as best for as long as possible.” – yaya007
“I used this on my new snow boots and two purses, one new. It works great. In a rain storm the water beaded up and rolled off! It’s repelling the snow too, it beads off. I wipe my boots down when I get home to remove salt/dirt. It’s held up so fantastically that I sprayed my new aniline leather ottoman! I’m ordering more.” – Mountain Mama
“I read a lot of reviews about different stain repellants and guards for fine leather products, but there was just something about this Apple Brand Gardé Rain & Stain Repellent that roped me in.
“I am not displeased ― in the least. Truly amazing. As others have said, make sure your leather goods are clean and dry before you begin, and do it in a well-ventilated area. I had a new purse with the tags still on it, so I cut them off, headed outside onto the patio and fired away. Don’t overspray! A quick “one-two-three” in a sweeping motion is all it takes. If there’s a slight breeze, your leather goods will dry rather quickly, allowing you to spray all areas rather easily.
“I took the precaution and allowed my new purse to sit for 48 hours and then sprayed it again. The film from the spray seemed a bit thicker and, to me, took a tad longer to dry that second time around, but after about 30 minutes of dry time I wiped over the entire purse with a clean white towel as a buff. Marvelous! There were no color bleeds or signs of spray-type imperfections.
“Sure enough, I got caught in a rain storm today out of the blue. My purse looks perfect. Absolutely PERFECT ― not one water mark. Wow.” – Texas V
Before You Go
