How to Wax a Crocodile Purse

Crocodile and alligator purses are fashionable, but require some basic maintenance to keep them in good condition. Most products made for cow leather are not recommended for reptile skin accessories. If you keep your purse out of the rain and protect it from temperature extremes during storage (do not store in a shed or garage), the only other bit of maintenance needed is a good waxing to keep the skin on the purse in good condition.

Things You'll Need

• Kiwi brand shoe polish in a color matching your purse (Kiwi brand is specifically recommended by many websites, do not use another brand) or specially made reptile leather conditioner. Soft cloth (cloth baby diapers are recommended)

Instructions

1. Apply a small amount of shoe polish or reptile leather conditioner to a soft rag.

2. Rub the polish onto a small inconspicuous area in order to make sure that any color change in the reptile leather is satisfactory. If not, choose a different color shoe polish or another brand of reptile leather conditioner.

3. Apply more polish to a new spot on the rag.

4. Gently rub the bag all over, evenly applying the polish. These bags can have some weak spots, but extremely gentle rubbing will prevent any damage to the reptile skin.

5. Reapply the polish every six months to keep the purse in good condition.

Tips & Warnings

• Even light-colored shoe polish can change the color of light-colored purses, so be sure to test in a small unnoticeable area first.

References

• Crocodile purse care