Care for leather top tables?

I have inherited a charming pair of antique leather top tables. They each have a glossy leather insert that covers the majority of the top of the table. I am thinking they date back to the 1940%26#39;s or 50%26#39;s. I have no idea how to care for them, and keep them looking as nice as they always have. Any source of moisture seems to be a problem with them. I had a plant on the table, and the humidity/moisture from the soil in it must have come through the drain hole in the bottom, and left a large dry spot on the leather...even though the water never touched the surface. Any suggestions on how to polish or replenish the moisture to the leather?...and keep these tables in good condition for years to come? I have done some basic searching and e-mailing about this, and have come up empty handed.
Hi there! What a lovely thing to have inherited! Yes, moisture is quite a problem with leather items - if it doesn%26#39;t stain them, it dries them out, shrinks them, or causes them to discolor. It%26#39;s terribly frustrating, especially if you%26#39;ve never had experience in leather care. Fortunately, gaining the experience is easy, and there are products available to help you handle this with very little fuss. It%26#39;s not as tricky as you might think. My personal preference for leather care is plain saddle soap. It%26#39;s inexpensive, easily attainable at virtually any pet supply or leather goods store, and easy to use. When caring for my own leather goods, I use Kiwi brand, which is available in the shoe polish section of my local grocer. Additionally, it has a neutral, pleasant smell, which gives it a definite advantage to my mind over other methods. To clean your leather tabletops and restore the moisture, you%26#39;ll need to first wipe off any dust that has accumulated. Use the softest cloth you have - some suggest an old diaper or t-shirt. I use sections of well washed flannel (I purchase flannel receiving blankets and wash the daylights out of them specifically for this purpose. Target or K-Mart is a good source for inexpensive flannel receiving blankets, and they usually carry the saddle soap as well.) Carefully wipe the entire surface of the leather, applying gentle pressure to loosen any dirt or dust. Rub gently at any stains to ensure that there is no dirt caked into them. With another piece of clean, dry flannel, apply a generous amount of saddle soap to any areas that appear particularly dry, rubbing it in thoroughly until it foams, and allow to sit for at least ten minutes before wiping away the excess. If the spot is exceedingly dry, you may have to repeat this several times. When you%26#39;re satisfied with the condition of the spot, apply the saddle soap lightly to the entire surface, gently rubbing the saddle soap into the leather. Wipe off the excess, then buff with a clean, dry flannel cloth. You can finish with a light coating of Leather Oil, a finishing product you can obtain at any leather goods shop (a good place to look would be a shop like %26quot;Leather Ltd%26quot; or your local Harley-Davidson dealer.) You can maintain the shine with a light buffing once a week, and a light reapplication of Leather Oil once a month or once every other month, depending on how humid the conditions in your home are. Clean with saddle soap once every six months, slightly more often if the tables are actually used. (I%26#39;m sure the plant is beautifully displayed on the table, but I wouldn%26#39;t recommend keeping it there anymore without a felt-bottomed plate beneath it. Even a little moisture makes leather complain.) Some people suggest the use of Mink Oil for leather care. While Mink Oil does work wonderfully well to restore moisture, it does have the tendency to darken the leather you use it on, it smells odd, and it also can go bad if stored incorrectly. For tips and tricks, I%26#39;ve assembled a list of sites discussing leather and leather care. Most of them discuss saddles, boots or jackets, but that doesn%26#39;t really make a difference, as good leather care applies to all leather items: Cleaning %26amp; Protecting Leather http://www.equusite.com/lessons/basics/basicsLeather.html Tips %26amp; Techniques on Leather Care http://legendary.zoovy.com/category/17_leather_care/ Leather Care http://www.harrisonluggage.com/leacare.htm I hope you find this information helpful! If you%26#39;re interested in leather care products besides basic saddle soap, please don%26#39;t hesitate to ask for clarification, I%26#39;ll be happy to assist you further. Good luck! missy-ga