Leather Care


How To Clean Leather With Saddle Soap

How To Clean Leather With Saddle Soap

While many fabrics and materials attempt to mimic its characteristics, nothing compares to genuine leather.  Whether it’s a handbag, belt, jacket, wallet or even shoes, leather offers the perfect combination of style, comfort and quality. However, if you’re going to invest in a genuine leather product, you should be prepared to clean it on a regular basis.  Failure to clean your leather on a regular basis will result in its gradual degradation. Saddle soap is arguably the best leather cleaning product available on the market. It’s made of several different ingredients, including neatsfoot oil, glycerin, lanolin and beeswax. As the name suggests, it’s used primary for cleaning saddles and other leather-based horse tack, but it can also be used for leather garments. What is needed for comprehensive care of leather clothes? Before we start, you’ll need to pick up a few basic items. This includes some saddle soap (sold at most horse and tack stores as well as various general goods stores), a washcloth, and a light-bristle scrub brush. It’s important to note that the exact steps to using saddle soap will vary depending on the product you are cleaning. If you are  cleaning a pair of leather boots, for instance, you’ll want to scrub them vigorously to remove any hardened dirt. But if you’re cleaning a leather jacket, you’ll want to take a more cautious approach to avoid any accidental damage. Be conscious of the garment you are cleaning and make the necessary adjustments to prevent any damage. When you are ready to begin, first wipe down your garment with a damp — not soaked — washcloth. The...
Storing a Leather Jacket For The Summer

Storing a Leather Jacket For The Summer

The hot summer season is right around the corner (June 21, FYI), which means you probably won’t be wearing your leather jacket for quite a while — not until fall rolls around. Until then, you should find a suitable area to store your leather jacket, keeping it safe and protected from the elements. Unfortunately, far too many people overlook the importance of properly storing their leather jacket. They assume it can be hung in their bedroom closet just like any other garment. While this may not cause any immediate damage, there’s a better and safer solution to storing leather garments for long periods of time. Humidity First and foremost, be conscious of the humidity in the room or part of your home where you intend to store the leather jacket. Humidity — the amount of moisture vapor in the air — can wreck havoc on leather, saturating it to the point where it begins to rot. This rarely happens, however, unless the leather is stores in a highly humid area, such as the attic or basement. Note: if the humidity in your home is above 40%, consider using a dehumidifier to lower it. Dehumidifiers can be purchased for less than $100 bucks, which is a small price to pay to keep your leather jacket preserved. Acid-Free Papers Before storing your leather jacket, you should wrap it in acid-free paper. What’s the purpose of this? Well, there are a few benefits to using acid-free paper, one of which is the simple fact that it serves as a barrier of protection against moisture, dust, dirt and bugs. Furthermore, wrapping your leather...
How To Care For a Leather Handbag

How To Care For a Leather Handbag

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...
The Surprising Benefits of Leather

The Surprising Benefits of Leather

There are many reasons why people choose leather in the construction and manufacturing of products over other materials. You’ll find it’s commonly used in furniture, backpacks, car seats, office chairs, jackets, apparel, belts and countless other items. Lets take a closer look at all of the benefits leather has. Durability and Strength When you compare it to other materials, there’s simply nothing else that’s as strong or durable as leather. While there are many different types of leather, as well as various tanning methods, all natural leather is made from the hide of an animal (usually a cow). Because it’s made from the hide of an animal, you can expect leather to be extremely durable and able to withstand much tension without tearing or ripping. There’s no denying the fact that leather is one of the longest-lasting materials on the market. With little care and attention, you can still expect leather to last for 10 or more years without showing any signs of deterioration. On the other hand, cotton, wool or denim will almost certainly show some signs of damage after a decade of wear and use. Repels Dirt, Dust and Debris Naturally, leather doesn’t absorb or attract any dust or debris. In fact, it actually does the opposite by repelling these things. If you find your leather getting dusty over time, just take a cloth or lint-free towel and wipe it down. Ease of Cleaning If you’ve ever owned anything that’s made with leather, then you’re probably aware of how easy it is to clean it. Always read the care label on your leather products before attempting to...
Did You Know? Humidity Can Affect Leather

Did You Know? Humidity Can Affect Leather

It’s a little-known fact that humidity (or lack thereof) can affect the quality of leather. Whether it’s a jacket, handbag, belt, wallet, pants, or even a piece of furniture, airborne water vapor can take a toll on leather. To learn more about this phenomenon and how you can protect your leather goods from humidity-related damage, keep reading. What The Heck is Humidity? Humidity is the measurement of moisture vapor in the air.  Although you can’t see it — not with the naked eye, at least — water is all around us in the form of moisture vapor. A “normal” amount would be approximately 30-40% relative humidity (RH). This indicates the air contains a moderate amount of moisture vapor — not to dry, but not overly saturated. Leather and Humidity The problem with humidity and leather is that leather is extremely porous, containing thousands upon thousands of microscopic holes. These holes, which are found on the surface of leather, absorb moisture from the surrounding air. So when leather is exposed to a humid environment, it absorbs a significant amount of airborne moisture vapor. The good news is that leather is designed to absorb moisture from its surroundings. Therefore, exposure to moderate humidity levels shouldn’t cause any problems. On the contrary, it will actually prove beneficial, as it keeps the leather soft and comfortable. When leather is exposed to high-humid environments, however, it can cause it to rot. This isn’t something that happens overnight, but leaving a leather product in a humid environment for days or weeks on end will eventually cause damage. But low humidity can prove equally as damaging...
What Is ‘Corrected Grain’ Leather?

What Is ‘Corrected Grain’ Leather?

If you’ve done any research into the different types of leather, you’ve probably come across full-gram, half-grain, and the lesser-known “corrected” grain. Full-grain is arguably the most popular, as it’s characterized by a smooth, luxurious surface with few-to-no flaws. Of course, it’s also the most expensive type of leather, making it less appealing to budget-conscious consumers. But what in the world is corrected grain leather? Corrected grain is a special type of leather that’s been fixed, or corrected, by a professional leatherworker to improve its aesthetics and functional qualities. If a leather worker deems a piece of leather as having too many flaws, it’s used as corrected leather instead of full-grain. The leatherworker will attempt to remove as many of these flaws as possible before using the material in a product. When the flaws are removed, the material is dubbed “corrected grain,” at which point it’s used in the production of a jacket, handbag, shoes, belt, furniture, etc. Physical properties of this leather For a better understanding of corrected grain, you must first look at the physical qualities of leather. Normally, leather has a rough, almost sandpaper-like grain on the surface (to a lesser degree, of course). This helps to create its appealing characteristics. With corrected grain, however, the leather grain’s is below  the necessary standards for the leatherworker to use it as a full-grain. Instead of throwing it away, however, the leatherworker removes the flawed grain on the surface and replaces it with an artificial grain. The exact process for this varies depending on the leatherworker’s preferences. There are both advantages and disadvantages to choosing corrected grain leather....