In this article of our leather section we talk about leather care.
Leather bags, the end products of meticulous and traditional workmanship, deserve to be treated with care. Here's how to clean your investment in five easy steps.
A leather bag is a special item, loved by women and men alike, who cherish the understated shine and intoxicating scent that can only come from the finest leather. However, one must be careful: a full grain leather bag, like the Edmond de Valet de pique briefcase, does not have the strength of metal or ceramic. It can get scratched and stained. It is an organic material, and no matter how shiny your new purchase is, it will become, dried out and sad if you don't take care of it. There are solutions!
Here's how to maintain it:
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HOW TO CLEAN YOUR LEATHER BAG?
1 Handle leather handbags with clean hands.
Leather bags are sensitive to the absorption of grease and oil. Wipe the surface of a leather bag with a damp white cotton cloth, but be careful not to use too much water, as leather takes time to dry.
2 Apply a cleaner specially designed for leather.
This "soft soap" is applied in circular motions and wiped with a slightly damp cloth so as not to clog the pores of the fabric. Applying this soap once or twice a year should keep your leather handbag clean.
3 Moisturize your bag regularly, protect it.
Like skin, leather dries out if it is not fed or if its environment is too harsh. It must be hydrated to be waterproof.
Moisturize your bag to keep it supple and limit scratch marks. Conditioner, body moisturizer, seal grease, beeswax... A lot of solutions exist!
Be careful though, beeswax and seal grease can change the color of your leather if they are not properly chosen. Always check first in a discrete corner of the bag.
For the frequency, it depends on the use. I use it every day, so I moisturize it about every six weeks.
Edmond bag, from Valet de pique
4 Remove stains as soon as you notice them.
Food or greasy stains can often be removed with chalk powder. Crush the white chalk, let it sit on the stain overnight and wipe it off with a clean cloth the next day.
5 Clean the interior.
Clean suede bags and the inside of unlined bags with a soft, dry brush (a suede brush is ideal).
Sometimes a clean pink eraser can remove small stains.
ONE LAST TIP
Allow your leather bag to dry naturally after rain, or clean with a damp cloth. At high temperatures, such as with the use of a hair dryer for example, you risk creasing the skin.🚫🔥
Martin
Valet de pique
