Leather Care Guide

Good quality leather bags are known to be extremely durable, and can keep their shape for years if properly cared for. This is essential to prevent them from getting mouldy due to high humidity levels, or from drying out and cracking. Well-maintained leather also ages beautifully over time.

Tips on caring for your leather bag:

• Always handle your leather bag with clean hands.
• Leather is prone to absorbing oil and grease. Every once in a while, gently wipe the surface of a leather bag with a white cotton cloth and a little bit of water. Thereafter, pat the bag dry with a microfiber cloth.
• Invest in a good leather cleaner.
• Apply the leather cleaner once or twice a year. Application should be done in a circular motion, and the cleaner should be gently wiped off with a slightly damp cloth thereafter.
• Apply leather conditioner.
• Apply the leather conditioner after using the leather cleaner. This helps to moisturise the leather bag and keep it supple, giving it a slight sheen. An exception is patent leather, which should not be moisturised using a leather conditioner. 
• Remove stains as soon as possible.
• Chalk powder can be used to remove organic stains most of the time. 
• Stuff your bag with bubble wrap to prevent it from losing its shape, and store it in a dust bag.
• Bubble wrap helps to maintain the leather bag's shape. This also prevents unwanted creases from forming. Acid-free paper may also be used to wrap the bag and to protect hardware. Then, store your leather bag in a dust bag. 
• Ventilate your bag once in a while.
• It is always a good idea to remove your leather bag from its dust bag every once in a while to ventilate it. This is especially important in countries with high humidity levels.
• Ensure optimum humidity levels.
• Put one or two sachets of silica gel together with your bag, to absorb excess moisture and prevent mould growth. 

 

Note: Avoid cleaning your leather bag with alcohol-based cleaners as they will discolour and dry out leather.