It is a well-known fact that clothes made from leather costs a lot of money. So you should know how you should take care of them. The best way you can learn about what techniques you should use to take care of the leather clothing you purchased is to first ask the salesperson or the manager of the store if there are any caring instructions or advice they have for you. Do an inquiry especially if you are unsure how to do aftercare. Here are the things you must ask about before making that purchase.
There are different types of leather. You can read it about what type of leather the item is made from. Ask whether it is the type of leather that is high maintenance or one that’s easy to maintain.
Leather is made from the skin of an animal that had undergone the tanning process. Know about the different quality of leather based on these variables:
-The type of leather used
-The tanning process used
-What part of the skin was used
-The animal’s health
-How well the item was constructed
There are different types of leather and here are some of them.
Lambskin leather is a soft kind of leather. This is usually used for fashionable items like pants and jackets.
The cowhide leather is a durable kind of leather and is very common. Usually it is used for making shoes or boots for motor riders.
The water buffalo leather can be compared to the cowhide. The difference is that it is much cheaper and the durability isn’t as great.
Sheepskin is a more expensive type of leather. Can be compared to lambskin but the difference is that this one is from an older animal thus its durability is better.
Maintenance and Cleaning
Knowing what type of leather you have will give you a better idea about how to take care of it. Since it is made of skin, it has natural oils that protect it from being damaged. You need to clean this without stripping the oil off. You can buy the leather cleaners from department and shoe stores but you can also ask the salesperson for what they would recommend. Avoid cleaners that leave some kind of residue or grease as this can make bacteria thrive on the leather and will make some damage you surely wouldn’t want.
For new cleaner product
If you have just purchased a cleaner product and it’s your first time to use it on the leather item you have, make sure you don’t use it fully. Make a sample testing first. Test it out to a small portion of the leather, the least visible part would be the best choice. Try to put the cleaner product solution there and wait a few minutes to see if there are any negative effects. If you see some kind of discoloration or dryness, then don’t use it. But if there’s none, then you can go ahead and use it to clean your leather items.
Clean it off with a damped cloth or a little brush especially when you are cleaning around where there are stitches.
Keep your items dust-free as much as possible so regular cleaning is necessary.
Make sure you don’t blow dry or use any type of heat to dry off your leather items. Always just air-dry them. When you have leather garments, make sure that when you are drying it you stuff it to avoid damaging or losing its shape. Avoid caustic cleaner as that is going to damage your leather.
Nubuck cloth is a great cleaning tool so if you can find one, buy it. It will really help you maintain your leather to make it look original and new for a long time.
If you see some mildew growing on your leather you can also use a mixture of rubbing alcohol and water. Mix 1 part of alcohol to 1 part of water and dip your cloth in the alcohol-water mixture and use that to wipe away the mildew.
If it won’t work then you are facing a more persistent type of mildew. The best way to remove the mildew is to use a germicidal soap with water and do the same process, just wipe off the mildew. The germicidal property of the soap will do the trick.
As for grease stains you would find it interesting to know that blackboard chalk is actually the best choice. Sprinkle it on the leather where oil is present and just leave it on for about a day before getting it off.
Conditioning of leather
This is important in maintaining your leather. It helps in lubricating the leather which is important to keep it supple.
Don’t use mineral oils or petroleum based conditioner and avoid those that leaves a thick residue.
What you want is a conditioner that actually penetrates the fibers and don’t cover it with goo.
Condition your leather regularly and more often during summer.
Make sure you store your leather in a dry and cool place and don’t store it in containers that won’t allow it to breathe so say no to plastic bags.
Use newspapers to stuff leather and avoid hanging the leather using metal hangers.
