Leather Care Tips
You have purchased you’re new bag or leather accessory and you’re over the moon. You’ll want to enjoy it for as long as possible. Leather is a natural material and should be taken care off to keep it in a great shape. A well maintained piece will last for years and only gets better with age. Check out my leather care tips below to keep the leather looking nice for a long time.
How to care for your VANK item
- Protection.
From the moment you own your item, make sure to use a leather waterproof / anti-spot protector to protect it from the elements, such as water and direct sunlight. Continue doing this for about every 2 months when using it regularly. - Heat.
Keep your bag away from direct sunlight or heat, since this can dry out the leather and it makes the colours fade away. - Overfilling.
Try to avoid overfilling your leather bag, clutch or wallet, as this causes stretching and is extremely difficult to reverse. So for all you ladies who have the tendency to bring along tons of stuff: try to keep it organised and fill the bag with small pouches to hold smaller items. - Cleaning.
When leather gets dirty, use a clean cloth and semi-hot water on smooth leather to clean it. - Drying.
Allow the leather to dry at room temperature. Don’t place it near the heating or dry it with a hairdryer because the leather can crack and dry out. Stuff it with newspaper pages to keep it in shape when drying. - Stains.
Leather is a natural product. It has tiny pores, therefore it’s not entirely water-resistant. Dried water stains, can be taken care of by gently rubbing the leather sides against each other. - Storage.
When you aren’t using your leather item, keep it stored away from direct sunlight and humid areas. Avoid dust by placing it in a white or neutral canvas or cotton bag. I strongly suggest not to use a dark or coloured dust bag, because they can leave stains nor use a polyester bag, because they ventilate less. When you don’t have a good dust bag, a good alternative is a soft cotton white pillowcase. Always remember to take the handbag out to be aired at least twice a month. Before you store it for a longer period, clean it first, because stains are more difficult to get rid of over a longer period.