How Do You Take Care Of Your Leather Bags And Shoes?

leather care Most of the things that you wear from jackets to shoes and handbags to wallets are often made from leather. While the cost of these masterpiece leather articles might burn a hole in your pocket, the way it pays back in terms of its durability and how it pushes up your social standing totally makes up for it.

Add to it the way it warms your heart when the salesperson hands you your bag of that fresh smelling leather article. The slightest scratch or stain on your dear leather bag or shoe makes you itchy.

So, why not find out some ways to take care of your beloved and live happily ever after?

How to Properly Care for your Leather Products?

Most of the tips that you see online are only generalized theories, and may not be the best way to keep your leather purchase safe.

To understand how your leather goods should be properly taken care of, you need to know the basics. Look at the origin and the type of leather you are using. Check the tag on your shoebox or the tag on your handbag to know whether the leather is finished or unfinished – they require different kinds of cleaners.

Leather-care 101: It is always a good idea to keep your leather weatherproof

If you own a suede shoe or handbag, you must also own a suede brush to clean it. Remember, always brush in one direction only. Suede is the most delicate of leathers. The most important thing to know is, let your suedes breathe.

Between wearing, leave them in open air inside the house. Any leather shoe for that matter must be kept outside the box. Untreated leather, however, might occasionally want to catch some sun, but you should never expose leather to high temperatures.

Storing your Leather

Unless your handbag is made of chrome tanned leather, which is more water resistant, handbags in general, should be stored in cotton bags or dust bags which absorb moisture. It should never be kept in plastic or vinyl which traps moisture.  Vicenzo Leather bags and shoes come with a dust bag and desiccants, which help absorb moisture and keep it dry. Be sure to keep the desiccants away from children as it is not safe for consumption.

Moisture is leather’s biggest foe especially if you have a top-grain leather bag or one made of crocodile skins, which do not do well with moisture at all. It is highly recommended that you use leather protective products like Collonil and Chamberlain’s which are great water and dirt repellent.

Contact us at Vincenzo Leather to suggest the best leather care product.

Drying your Leather

If the leather gets wet, use a dry cloth and blot gently. Do not sun-dry nor use a heater or hair dryer.

Always clean your leather handbags or shoes with a cleaner made specifically for that particular kind of leather. When cleaning, do not use too much pressure, and rub gently. There are specialized products called “satchel knights” which are superb cleaners.

Note – No matter what kind of care product you are using, the right thing to do is test it on a small portion first.

Remove the Smell from Leather

Baking soda is highly effective as a deodorizer. To remove bad smells from the leather, sprinkle baking soda all over the surface of the handbag; you can also sprinkle it on the insides. Transfer the handbag into a pillowcase, more preferably a zip-lock bag and seal it.

Leave it overnight, even better is to leave it for 24 hours for proper deodorization. Get rid of the baking soda using a small vacuum, a clean cloth or a soft brush, taking care not to scratch the leather. If the odor still persists repeat the process.

Leather can be deodorized using other methods as well, like cleaning with a vinegar solution, or soaking the leather in vinegar solution if the smell is really bad.

It is obviously not a fully-fledged manual, but the takeaway is, the making of leather is a craft, and taking care of it is also an art. You need to love your leather and look after it as a caretaker.

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