Leather goods are expensive, hence require proper care to last a lifetime. With some love, your leather items can last longer.
Whether your favorite is a timeless leather briefcase, a pair of leather boots, a
brown leather backpack purse, or a biker leather jacket, it needs some love. Leather is processed from animal skin, meaning it needs cleaning, conditioning, and proper care just like your skin.
Humidity levels and climatic conditions can affect the longevity of your leather goods. Here are five ways you can increase the life of your leather items:
Top 5 Ways to Prolong the Life of Your Leather Products
1) Protect It from Stains
Leather is porous because it’s made from animal skin. As a result, it absorbs liquids and stains or discolors overtime.
Remove scuffs and spills as soon as they set on your leather item. Stains that stay longer on your leather goods become
more difficult to remove.
Keep your leather goods away from areas where they’re more prone to spills and stains. During bad weather, keep a soft cotton cloth with you to wipe off stains or moisture.
2) Apply a Stain Protector
Spray a water-resistant leather protector on your leather items to make them moisture-proof. Leather contains oil that softens protein bonds that keep leather fibers together, preventing them from binding with water molecules and getting brittle.
Water draws out the oils near the leather surface, reducing the suppleness of leather fibers. However, a leather protector bonds with the leather, adding an extra layer that keeps off stains and moisture.
Do some research or visit a local leather shop, a shoe shiner, a shoe hospital, or a cobbler to recommend you the best stain protector for your leather items.
3) Reshape Your Leather Goods
Leather items lose their form and shape over time. Body heat and sun rays cause leather to loosen and warp as moisture dries out. The leather dries out, taking the shape you left it in. When this happens, reshape your leather item or maintain its shape to avoid warping.
Stuff papers or plastic inside your leather bags during storage to maintain their shapes. You can also use a shoe tree like cedar shoe trees to absorb bad odor from your shoe insoles.
4) Clean and Condition and Your Leather Products
Cleaning your leather items may seem obvious, but many people do not clean consistently. Use a boar’s hair brush to remove grime and dirt off your leather goods.
Designed for cleaning and polishing shoes, boar’s hair brushes can also clean wallets, leather bags, and jackets. The hair is soft and gentle enough not to scratch your leather surfaces while still able to clean your leather products.
Alternatively, use a mild solution of water and soap if your item needs more cleaning than just brushing. Clean your leather shoes with a boar’s hair brush then use a nail polish remover to clean off old polish on your leather goods.
Invest in a high quality leather conditioner to soften the leather on your goods and replenish moisture in them. Moisture helps leather items stay soft and supple. With the right leather conditioner, your leather item also becomes ready for polishing.
After cleaning and conditioning your leather products, let them air dry overnight. This prepares them for polishing. Avoid using harsh cleaners and remover mildew and mold, if any. Use white vinegar to remove tough stains from your leather items.
5) Polish Your Leather Items
After cleaning and conditioning your leather products, you need to rejuvenate them for added softness and suppleness. Polishing involves
adding a layer of wax for a brilliant shine and protection of your leather goods.
You can shine your leather products in three different ways. The Classic Shine, the Marine Shine, and the Quick Shine are similar, but deliver different shine levels.
Follow the steps from cleaning to polishing to achieve a longer-lasting shine. Each step maintains your leather, keeping it in a good condition for prolonged use. Polish your leather shoes, portfolios, bags, and wallets to perverse and maintain them.
Achieving a great shine on your leather products elevates your style and differentiates you from the rest. Although leather furniture and jackets need cleaning and conditioning, polishing them isn’t necessary.
Conclusion
Develop a maintenance schedule for cleaning and conditioning your leather goods. This enables consistent and optimum care and rejuvenation of your leather items.
Exposure to water, extreme temperatures, and direct sunlight can harm your leather goods. Store them away from these elements to increase their lifespan. Don’t hang leather bags and cases by handles, and cover shoes before storage to prevent scuffing.
Use wide-padded clothes hangers to store leather jackets for protection from stretching and wrinkling. Maintaining your leather items protects and lengthens their life, making it possible to pass your favorite pieces down many generations.
