Why Leather Needs to Be Maintained

At Copper River Bags customers often email us asking exactly how to maintain or restore older leather bags, so we took the time to create an article explaining how to do just that. Handmade leather bags like the ones we offer here at Copper River Bags are great investments, because they last such a long time. Yet they do a certain degree of maintenance to ensure the longevity and aesthetic of the leather throughout the years.

Due to the composition of leather, it requires special care to maintain its luster and strength. Leather is an intricate material that was once completely alive in the world, so its properties vary from standard manmade materials. The material is actually comprised of countless intertwined fibers that all contains pores. These pores literally breathe in all of the dirty, grime and air that it encounters. In a way, this is great, because it is part of what allows the smell of leather to permeate a room. However, it also means that leather can get dull and grimy over time when not properly attended.

The other major difference between leather bags and machine made material is that leather bags last a significantly longer amount of time. When machine made bags begin to unravel and tear, leather bags are still going strong. The one downside of this is that there is just a lot more time for them to acquire dirt and wear.

These two factors mean that we have to special care to maintain the bags, because you can’t throw a leather bag in a washing machine. Also, you most certainly throw a perfectly good leather bag away due to a little bit of discoloring. The remainder of this article will teach you exactly how to keep a leather bag looking like new and restore bags that were neglected.

What Can I Do to Maintain It?

With just a little extra effort, maintaining a leather bag is actually not all that complicated of a process. All you need to do is take a few precautions during everyday use and eventually use certain tools to clean and condition the leather bag.

Whether your bag is already worn and dirty or you just want to know how to keep up a brand new bag, the following information will be helpful to you.

Preventative Care

• Store Leather
  When left out leather absorbs all of the dust, light and humidity in the area. Dust leads to a musty smell, light fades the leather, and humidity causes mildew, so you really want to avoid exposing the bag to these elements whenever possible. When you are not a leather item, store it away in a well-ventilated dark room.
• Consider Waterproof Spray
  If you know it is going to rain or you live in an area with consistently high humidity, it is a good idea to get a waterproof spray for the bag and the strap. As we mentioned in the last point, humidity can cause the bag to mildew. Water can easily cause spots and stains on the bag that are aesthetically displeasing and actually bad for the leather. If you have to take the bag out in the rain or humidity, waterproof it often with a spray like Weatherproof Spray.
• Be Careful What you Carry in the Bag
  Carrying liquids, makeup, pens and other items that may stain the bag poses a risk. If you need to carry these types of items around, check to see if they are tightly sealed. You may even want to consider getting a protective case or plastic bag to surround the potentially leaky item to ensure it doesn’t spill and damage the lining of the bag.
• Don’t Overpack It
  Leather is sturdy, but just like with any bag, putting extremely heavy items in it can do damage to the bag. The strap can tear or break and the lining can rip or tear if you are not careful. Not to mention carrying around heavy items all on your shoulders is just bad ergonomics, but of course, that has to do with the maintenance of your body, not the bag.
• Keep it Tidy
  Dirt, crumbs, liquids and anything else that may drip on the bag should be cleaned and wiped off as soon as possible. These types of substances can get ground into the lining of the bag which will make it deteriorate over time.
• Clean & Condition It
  Another major way to restore and care for bags is by cleaning and conditioning the leather. By using a cleaning system like the D-LUX Cleaning & Condition Kits from Copper River Bags, you can maintain your leather bag like it is brand new.
  

How do I Use the D-LUX Cleaning & Conditioning Kit?

The D-LUX Cleaning & Conditioning kit comes with all the tools that you need to clean and/or maintain a leather bag. When you use this product you strengthen the material as well as enhance the appearance of the bag, so that your bag is stronger and shinier after a treatment. The treatment works by penetrating into the pores of the leather to clean then condition the bag to completely rejuvenate the bag.

The kit comes with three basic components: the brush, the soap and the cleaner. To clean the bag you first run the soap under water then foam it up with the brush. Applying the foamy substance to the bag with the brush you rub away the dirt and grime on the leather. Once you are finished you wipe away any remaining soap that is still on the bag. After you’ve completed a thorough cleaning, using the brush again, you rub down the bag with the conditioner to leave the bag smooth, protected and moisturized.

It is that Easy!

Consider how long leather lasts, the maintenance for up-keeping a bag isn’t too complicated. This simple maintenance will take years off the appearance of any bag while adding on years to the bag’s longevity. So if you are going to get a leather bag from Copper River Bags, consider the the D-LUX Cleaning & Condition Kits from Copper River Bags to make the bag last for years to come.