Leather is unmatched in terms of aesthetics and overall quality. While several other materials may attempt to “mimic” the characteristics of genuine leather, they all fall short. If you’re searching for a new handbag, you should consider purchasing one made of leather. The brilliant appearance combined with its comfortable feel will allow you to enjoy your handbag just a little more. Of course, you’ll want to follow some basic steps to properly care and maintain your new leather handbag.
Don’t Leave It Outside
Leather is naturally strong and resilient to most forms of damage, but it’s also susceptible to humidity. Leaving your leather handbag outside — even if it’s under a covered deck — may result in damage. For this reason, it’s recommended that you always bring your leather handbag inside.
Check The Humidity
Even if you bring your leather handbag inside, however, excessive indoor humidity may damage it. The moisture vapor will settle within the pores, saturating it to the point where it causes mold or event rot to form. The good news is that damage such as this really only happens in extreme cases where the relative humidity is above 70%. But when was the last time you checked the humidity levels in your home? Most people rarely, if ever, check them, which is why it’s a good idea to do so if you plan on storing a leather handbag inside your home.
Conditioning
If you haven’t done so already, pick up a leather conditioning product from a leather goods store. As the name suggests, this will “condition” your leather, keeping it soft, luxurious, and preserving its natural characteristics. Leather is one of the few materials that requires conditioning on a regular basis, due largely in part to its porous surface. A conditioning product essentially hydrates the leather, adding valuable moisture to the leather without heavily saturating it.
Clean Stains
When you notice a stain on your leather handbag — and it will happen sooner or later — try to get into the habit of cleaning it in a timely manner. Blotting the stain with a damp washcloth should to the trick. With that said, you should avoid using special stain removing sprays, foams or other products, as this may damage your leather.
Have any other leather care tips that you would like to share with our readers? Let us know in the comments section below!