Classy and durable leather clothes and accessories are must-haves in your wardrobe. Buying leather items is not precisely pocket-friendly and does need special care so they can last longer. You can enjoy your leather goods from handbags and purses for a lifetime. By taking care of your leather clothes and accessories, you will maintain and value the appearance of your most treasured pieces. Maintaining leather clothes and jackets needs special care and treatment compared to regular fabric clothes. They need special care every day depending on what you have in your wardrobe. You can start looking after your leather goods with day-to-day care so they can remain dust and dirt free. However, if you accidentally get any stain on your leather cloth or accessory, you will need to treat it immediately. Stains of ink, water, coffee or wine can remain alive if not treated simultaneously and ruin your favourite item.
In this article, we will discuss every single tip that can help you extend your leather goods’ life. So first, we will discuss how you can care for your leather clothes and items daily, so keep on reading.
How To Care For Your Leather Goods Every Day?
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Follow the below-mentioned rules to avoid unnecessary wear and tear and extend the life of your leather accessories for years.
- Avoid overfilling your leather handbag or purse if you want to maintain its original shape.
- Do take extra care of the leather items that you use frequently. Take time every week to wipe away debris and other spots with a soft brush and clean cloth.
- Even a minor scratch can ruin the beauty of your crafted piece. Avoid contacting your leather item with a heavily adorned outfit, sharp surfaces, or thick-bodied jewellery.
- Wet Leather needs extra care, so if it’s raining outside, do not forget to take an umbrella.
However, good Leather requires not only everyday cleaning but also proper storage. If you are cleaning your leather goods daily or weekly and not storing them correctly, you are ultimately reducing their life. As storing is one of the easiest ways to prevent damage and maintain a high-quality finish.
Top Nine Tips To Extend The Life Of Your Leather Clothes And Accessories:
Follow the below tips to protect your leather clothes and accessories, as regular care and proper storage can go a long way in maintaining the life of your favourite leather item. Still, some specific products may require different techniques of care.
- Keep the Leather away from humidity-
Humid conditions can make your leather items soak in moisture from the air leading to the cracks and growth of the mould and fungus. But if you already live in a humid region, store the leather items where they can breathe. Also, remember to clean them daily with a damp cloth and dry it out. Also, avoiding storing them in plastic as plastic can reduce air circulation.
- Avoid keeping leather items directly in the sunlight-
Leather is a material that already has some moisture in it, making it soft. Exposing it to direct sunlight for a longer duration can dry it out and lead to cracking up the material. So, do not keep your leather items under direct sunlight or dry them under the sun even if they get wet. The best way is to let the Leather dry out naturally. Please do not use a dryer or keep it in the sunlight.
- Weekly dust your leather goods-
Leather is a material that is absorbent and can easily absorb anything. So regularly dusting off your leather item can prevent it from any scrape caused due to dust. Take a damp cloth and clean your leather item; now, allow it to dry naturally.
- Condition your leather items-
Leather is a material that tends to lose its natural moisture over time. If you allow this process to happen naturally without interrupting it, you will notice that your leather item starts to crack up. So, to prevent your leather item from losing their natural moisture, you need to condition them with a leather conditioner. You can buy a conditioner that is crafted specifically for leather care. Also, it would help if you remembered that different leather items are made using different types of Leather, so choose the conditioner.
- Keep your leather item away from sharp objects-
Leather is a soft and delicate material in nature which means if you put a sticker on it, you might find small rips to the fabric while getting it off. So you can imagine what will happen if you keep any heavy adorned or sharp object near your leather accessory. To prevent this, the best way is to store it away from humidity, heat, plastic, and anything that is likely to harm the Leather.
- Store your leather bags with bubble wraps-
If you have a convertible backpack crossbody or any other leather bag, the best idea is to store it stuffed with newspaper rolls as they can extend the bag’s shape. This is so because Leather is not the best when you want to get it in its original shape. You can also use cloth and butter paper rolls to stuff your leather bag.
- Polish your leather shoes-
Polishing your leather shoes is necessary to maintain the shelf life of the shoe and keep it in good condition for extended periods. However, if you want to wear it regularly, it is best to gently wipe the shoes with a damp cloth and a brush. Do remember that the brush should be slightly stiff bristles to remove any dust or dirt. You can also use the shoe polish three to four times weekly to get that extra shine.
- Hang your leather clothes-
Never fold your leather clothes if you want to keep them unchanged. If you want to expand the life of your leather clothes, keep them hanging in your closet to avoid creases, cracks, or a cut. Please keep in mind that if you are hanging more than one leather cloth, hang them at some distance so they can breathe.
- Remove stains quickly if you find any-
If you see any stain on your leather cloth, bag, purse, or handbag, treat it immediately so that it doesn’t leave a mark. Although, different leather products may require different processes to clean. In the case of leather jackets or any other leather cloth, dip a clean cloth in a solution of some water and white vinegar and rub it on the stain in a circular motion. If you find an ink stain, clean it with some alcohol dipped in a cotton swab and rubbed it on the ink stain. Once you are done, you can condition it with a leather conditioner to regain the Leather’s natural oil and moisture.
Final Thoughts:
Having a leather jacket or a leather handbag defines your fashion statement, but if you care for it correctly, you can extend its life and durability. Above in the article, we have mentioned a few tips on how to care for and maintain your leather accessories to give a long-term service.
