7 Tips on How to Care for Your Leather Handbags – 2024 Guide
There are few things that every woman loves so much and that causes as much enthusiasm as a handbag. They are ready to give all the money they have to buy a new one that they liked so much. Whether it’s a designer handbag, like the famous Birkin bag that costs tens of thousands of dollars, or one bought at a local store, a woman’s joy will be equal.
It is certainly one of the favorite gifts they can receive, and if they do not receive it as a gift, they will make sure to buy them themselves. Of course, leather ones is the most popular because they look the most beautiful and are of the highest quality. But they also require maintenance, unlike those made of fake leather or canvas.
Surely it must have happened to you that you were very disappointed when you realized that you destroyed your leather handbag because you did not maintain it properly. This will never happen to you again when you read the tips on how to care for your leather handbags.
1.Weekly exterior cleaning
If you use it several times in one week, you should definitely clean it at the end of the week. Set a day, let say Sunday, when you will clean it. Many things can have a negative impact on it, from the weather to many other things. So clean it every week using very little liquid soap and lukewarm water. Then gently clean it using a cotton cloth, but never soak it in water. Then dry it, using a cotton cloth again, and never a hairdryer or some other source of heat. Experts from the illiciumlondon.co.uk, the company whose name we associate exclusively with the premium leather products, told us that the most important thing is to bear in mind that leather is, essentially, a living material. And that we have to treat it that way.
2. Clean the interior when needed
Unlike the exterior, the interior does not need to be cleaned so often unless you have spilled something inside or soiled in some other way. If you use it daily, then you will have to clean the inside once every couple of weeks on average. If it is a handbag that you only use for special occasions, then several times a year is more than enough to keep it clean. You don’t have to be so careful in the process, because you can vacuum and wipe the inside using a damp cloth which you should avoid when it comes to the exterior.
3. You must not leave stains for a long time
There are substances that especially cause stains, and above all it is wine and different types of food. Even if you start cleaning such deep stains immediately, there is a possibility that you will not be able to remove it. And if you postpone cleaning for tomorrow, for example, you can be sure that you will never be able to remove the stain. To remove, try different products that are designed for that, but they must not be abrasive because your handbag is leather, so you don’t have to clean it further. Stain removal is a task that you must approach as quickly and as carefully as possible.
4. Over-cleaning is very bad
There are many women who clean their bag too much and constantly treat it with different products. It is also a big mistake and will contribute to deterioration equally, and perhaps even more, than negligence. As we have already said, the handbag is made of living material, and that is leather. Just as you don’t apply different chemicals to your skin constantly, you shouldn’t do the same when it comes to handbags. You have to find balance or otherwise, your actions will be counterproductive.
5. Pack everything inside
When we say you pack everything inside your handbag, we mean all the things that can get it dirty in some way. Here we primarily mean the various hand creams, makeup and everything else that every woman carries with her. The same goes for pencils. That is why it is very useful to pack everything in separate bags and only then put it in a handbag. This way you will protect your leather product, and you will also find it easier to find what you need at that moment. This can be a very demanding task, and everyone who was in rush and couldn’t find what they needed, knows that.
6. Take care of odors
It is certain that after a while, your bag will take on the smell of some of the things you most often carry in it. If it is perfume or makeup, then that is not a big problem. But if it is food or some other unpleasant smell, then the bad odor is definitely a problem that you have to address. Also, different bacteria can develop, so it is necessary to clean everything well. There are a few things you need to know to clean as best you can. The first is to use as mild soap as possible, so as not to damage the leather. Then that water alone can’t help you with grease stains. Also, after applying the skincare lotion, you must let it absorb because if you touch it immediately, stains will remain. Of course, as we have already said, leave it at room temperature, never use a hairdryer or leave it in the sun.
7. Proper storing
How you store your handbag is just as important as how you clean and maintain it. It is very important that you use a dustbag when you go to the closet. It is best to use an original dustbag which you got when you bought it. Also fill it with cardboard or paper, in the same way as it is filled in the store, so that it does not deform. It is very important to keep its shape.
Conclusion:
And lastly, don’t forget that no matter how much you take care of your handbag, it still has to show signs of aging. Precisely because it is made of natural material. But don’t take it as something bad, because that’s how it becomes unique.
