Daily hacks to take care of your leather goods

Daily hacks to take care of your leather goods

Leather goods have always been a preferred material by consumers for decades. The durability, look, and feel of leather goods have made it a popular choice for all walks of people. However, there is always a catch to all good things. Leather is a great material but because it's made out of animal hide, wear and tear are a lot more obvious if you don't take care of it.

Leather goods are expensive, only because it takes a lot of time and effort to create it, and perfecting the art of making good leather goods isn't easy. If you are going to spend the money on a leather bag, wallet, or any other leather accessories, it's extremely important for you to know how to care for it. Here are our top hacks that you can practice daily to maintain and protect your leather products so that they can last a lifetime.

Hack 1: Wipe It Down

After a long day, always make sure you take the time to brush your leather bag with a soft brush. This will help get any dust or gunk that you might have collected during your dad on the go at work or just driving around running errands.
Also, pay attention to the hardware of your leather goods as well. If you have metal buckles, chains, and zips. Make sure that they are always dry and working well daily.


Hack 2: Remove Any Stains Immediately

If you notice any stains or spills, always wipe them down immediately. Stains on leather get harder to remove the longer they stay on the leather. This is why we also suggest that you should carry a simple cloth with you just in case of spillage.
According to the article on Medium, chalk powder is a good way to combat food stains, mud, and other types of organic compounds. You can apply the crushed chalk powder and leave it for a few hours and then just dust it off after the stains have been absorbed.
Because of leather's porousness, this allows moisture and any spillage to go through the leather easily and if not cleaned, it will cause the leather to lose its luster and the stains basically stay in there forever.

Hack 3: Store It Properly After Every Use

When you come home after a long day, we know that the last thing you want to do is to put away your bag or your shoes. But if you really are looking to store your leather goods, always store it properly every day.
For example, leather bags. They need to be stored with bubble wrap or paper in the bag to hold its shape. This way you will always maintain the shape of the bag and it won't wrinkle or go out of shape when you don't use it.
Leather shoes run on the same principle. Use a shoe stuffer or a pool noodle even to maintain the shape of the shoe.
Always store your leather goods in a cool and dry location as well. Leather does dry out quickly because of its porous nature and if it's hot it will be prone to cracking. If you store it in humid places, you will risk mold and mildew growing on them.

Hack 4: Carry Your Liquids in A Separate Bag

If you are carrying perfume, lipstick, or skincare products in your bag or even a bottle of water, always try to put them in a different bag. This is to ensure that if it does spill, it doesn't go all over your bag which would be a lot harder to clean.
A simple hack that goes a long way!

Hack 5: Never Hang Your Leather Bags

It might seem tempting to just hang your bag on the back of the door or even on a coat hanger. The stress the weight of the bag will have on the straps is immense over long periods of time. Place your bags on the shelf or on the floor if you are not using them and try to never hang them by their handles.

Hack 6: Keep A Humidifier Where You Store Your Leather Goods

This is not a hack that you can physically do every day but rather one for the storage of your leather goods. We suggest you to purchase a cheap dehumidifier and store it together with your leather goods.
If you live in a humid city or even if your home is more prone to be humid, we suggest having a dehumidifier where you store all your leather goods. They are pretty inexpensive and will definitely help in preventing mold to grow on your leather goods.
These next hacks can be used either once or twice a month that should definitely be followed to extend the life of your leather goods.

Hack 7: Conditioning Your Leather Goods

To safely condition your leather goods, oils are really good compounds that will keep your leather goods moisturised. You can safely use essential oils (avoid mint) to condition your leather goods.
Dampen a dry and clean cloth and drop around 10 drops on the oil on the cloth. Then, take the cloth and massage it into your bag.
Using a lemon peel is also something that will help condition your leather goods! And it makes it smell pretty amazing too.
You can also use something like beeswax as well. Try mixing ½ part beeswax, ¼ cup of almond oil, and 2 tablespoons of cocoa butter together. Melt it in a pan over medium type heat and make sure that you are stirring it constantly. Add the almond oil once the beeswax & cocoa butter has been melted completely. Once cool, use a dry cloth to then apply the mixture on your leather bag.

Hack 8: Waterproof Your Leather Goods

Since leather goods are sensitive to water, we suggest that you protect it from any water spillage, rain, or even snow! When leather gets wet, the natural oils from the leather seeps to the surface and once it evaporates it makes leather dry and brittle.
Try to do this at least twice a year to make sure it's always protected when it comes to the uncertainty of the weather.
Waterproofing sprays and waxes that are made specifically for leather goods can be easily bought online or in stores.


These are some of our daily hacks to keep your beautiful leather goods safe and sound! If you want more long term ways to maintain your leather goods, we wrote another article about how to extend the lifespan of your leather bags, you can read it here.

If you have any more hacks that you would like to share with us, let us know!

If you are interested in getting your own piece, visit Shuflia to find your next statement leather piece today.

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