Leather gives any accessory a luxurious look and feel, durability, and you an elegant appearance. Whether your item is genuine leather or faux leather, you’ll want to keep it functional and looking brand new. So how do you maintain that fresh, elegant look? Here are our top tips to care for your leather accessories.
Moisturise with Oil and Conditioner
Much like our skin, all types of leather need good, conditioning moisture. So while we need to keep our leather dry, we don’t want it to get too dry. What happens when leather get too dry? The fibres in the material break instead of stretching - which is particularly the case for fake or faux leathers, which against popular belief are less durable than genuine leathers. Once the fibres begin to break you will see permanent cracks on the surface, hence why it's important to take care of your compendium units early.
When applying any care product, a less visible patch of the material should be tested 24 hours before ensure there aren’t any undesired effects.
Apply Oil
Many types of oil, when applied to leather, will create a protective barrier from moisture-zapping UV sun rays.
Apply Conditioner or Polish
Dozens of products are available in the market for leather products. When applied, such products will keep the fibres soft and supple. Other benefits include forming a protective barrier against water and scuffs or scratches.
Keep Leather Dry
If you get caught in the rain or spill coffee at your desk, it’s possible to damage especially genuine leather by getting it too wet. When this happens, allow ample time for your accessory to dry thoroughly and slowly. Speediness in drying is more harmful to the material; normal room temperature air is best. Keep in mind, during the drying process your accessory should be stored in its natural position, so the material does not stretch the wrong way.
Clean Spots Gently
The best way to remove dirt and dust from leather is warm water and gentle wiping. Use of standard household soaps and chemical cleaning products is much too harsh but more importantly will have too much of a drying effect afterwards if your cleaning product isn't a moisturising one. Don’t forget to be gentle! High pressure can damage or remove the finish.
Removing Ink
When it comes to stains, warm water won’t work. There are many different tips for removing stains like pen ink from leather on the internet. No matter which method you choose, remember our first few tips to let it dry naturally and replace the moisture.
Protect from Sun and Severe Temperatures
The sun’s UV rays affect the molecules in the fibres, which can lead to cracking or bubbling of the finish. Severe heat or cold work similarly so you should not expose your leather to either for too long.
Don’t Overstuff
Leather, specifically genuine, stretches but does not stretch back. So it’s best to avoid adding overstuffing your accessories with too many items.
All Room to Breathe
Back to our first tip, a well-moisturised leather needs air and ventilation for the moisture to move and spread naturally through the fibres.
