My Top 3 Leather Care Tips

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This month I thought I'd discuss leather care.  It is vital to the longevity of your quality leather pieces to make sure you know how to properly care for them.  Given the right treatment leather items can become heirlooms passed down for generations.  People in the leatherworking community often share photos of products they made at the beginning of their career, twenty to fifty years ago.  I also see many pieces being lovingly restored that belonged to a grandparent or even great-grandparent.  Given a high-quality piece and some easy-care practices you’re investing in generations of enjoyment. 

A good way to think about it is to imagine a car.  Think about how long that car will tend to last if routine maintenance is taken care of in a timely manner.  Everything from new windshield wiper blades to oil changes keeps that car running smoothly and more reliably.  Take that same car and give it zero maintenance.  It may run for quite some time, but it’s going to struggle and it’s not going to be easy to use.  Those new windshield wiper blades come in mighty handy when it starts to rain!

So, you bought some leather, now what?

Let me set the stage, you bought a high-quality genuine leather item (shameless plug, hopefully it’s from my shop). You get it home, it's gorgeous, it's timeless, and it’s yours.  But how the heck do you take care of it??  How do you keep it looking beautiful?  How do you retain that brand-new look? Quality Leather is an investment, and you don’t want to ruin that investment with improper treatment.  Follow my top three tips and you’ll be on the track to enjoy your Sweet Pea Leather piece for decades to come.

Number One, Clean It

This seems like a no-brainer. Obviously, you should clean your things. Purses and wallets, in particular, get dirty.  Like, really dirty.  I once read about a study in which they tested common household items to see what bacteria and microbial content they had on their surfaces.  I don’t recall all of the items they tested or exactly how they ranked.  I just remember cell phones and purses were near the top of the list.  In fact, they ranked higher than toilet seats.  That seems disgusting, but when you think about it, we touch these objects a lot and set them down on a multitude of surfaces throughout our daily lives.  You never really know how many other people touched those surfaces or how clean they were to begin with. 

Not only do we want to make sure we're not becoming a delivery service for germs and bacteria, but those little baddies are actually not good for the leather. Dirt ad microbes can get into the fibers of the leather and start to cause premature damage. You have to remember that this is an organic material, given the chance it will start to break down and it can even get moldy.

How should you clean leather, though? You can't pop it in the washing machine and you definitely don't want to use overly harsh cleaners or chemicals that will do more harm than good.  You'll want to start off by giving it a gently dusting. I like to use microfiber cloths that won’t scuff the leather. Then using a damp, but not wet, cloth gently wipe away dirt and debris. Next, use a mild cleanser that's meant to be used on leather, like Fiebing’s saddle soap. Simply apply a small amount to a soft cloth and gently rub it into the leather. Apply the saddle soap in small circular motions. It will soak into the leather and give it a nice polish as it cleans it. Since it can be drying to the leather, be sure to follow my next step!

Number Two, Moisturize It

Have you ever come across an old leather chair? One that’s cracking and peeling? That's because it's dried out. Again, leather is an organic material.  Over time it will begin to lose any moisture it received during the finishing process, especially in dryer climates with temperature extremes.  It sounds counterintuitive, I know.  The tanning process actually removes excess moisture as part of preserving the hide and moisture is really bad for leather.  You need to add the correct type of moisture.  It’s kind of like how in the winter if you don’t dry your hands thoroughly after washing them, the water drying on your hands actually wicks the moisture out of your hands.  When you condition your leather, you’re essentially giving it lotion to keep it from cracking.

(I’m struggling not to make a very horrible Silence of the Lambs reference right now. Anyway, moving along…)

You'll want something that you can work into the fibers to keep them supple and and the leather feeling smooth. Well oiled leather also looks gorgeous! You'll really get the richness and deeply beautiful color you expect from a high-quality piece when it has the moisture it needs.

I've heard of people using everything from vegetable oil to high end specialty products from leather supply companies. Vegetable oil has worked for me, but I also had a terrible situation in which it literally made the leather rot (it was not pretty!).  As far as fancier products go, mink oil is nice and very luxurious, but I find it gets a bit pricey for the volume I’m working with.  If you want my ABSOLUTE favorite, I’m going to have to vote for Fiebing’s Aussie Leather Conditioner.  It’s a combination of proprietary oils, which moisturize the leather, and beeswax, which seals the leather.  And that brings me to my last tip.

Number Three, Protect It

You wouldn't go out without sun protection on a bright sunny day or leave your favorite book sitting in the sun, would you? Well, I don't know maybe you would, but this British Isles descent book-loving girl definitely does not! The suns rays can be extremely harsh. I would look like a tomato and my book’s cover would be a lovely bleached monochromatic mess!

Try to avoid leaving your leather items sitting out in the sun for more than a reasonable amount of time.  You also don't want to get your leather soaking wet.  While moisturizing it with the proper product is good, as I said, water is definitely a no-no. 

Obviously, a little sprinkle here and there is fine. Dry it promptly and never submerge your leather!  We bring a lot of leather with us to our medieval combat events, at which we are usually camping.  Inevitably we encounter rain.  It won’t immediately destroy your leather, but things can go really wrong if you aren’t diligent.  The dye will transfer onto clothing and if improperly stored your items will harden however they’ve been placed.  Nothing like a corset that pokes you in the rib because one corner hardened inward!  Also, not given the proper chance to air out and dry, you run the risk of some seriously moldy leather.  That is something very difficult to come back from!  Don’t ever seal your wet leather in a bag, tote, etc.

If you've got a leather item you routinely have out in the elements, you'll want to be sure it has a protective layer on it to seal it. If that layer gets worn away, you’ll want to reapply after a good cleaning.  Some of these are almost like a lacquer you paint or spray on, others are more of a wax you rub in. Aussie conditioner gets bonus points from me because it moisturizes AND creates a barrier for your leather! 

Taking the time to properly care for your quality leather pieces will ensure a lifetime of use.  With a little effort and some know-how these beautiful items will be catching eyes and making statements for generations to come! Thank you for joining me today, and as always, life’s better with leather!

jess

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