While it may not be too difficult to care for, leather still needs your time and attention. It’s organic, so it will gradually break down and could even become soft and unusable. To prevent this from happening for longer, we have compiled a few tricks to properly take care of raw leather to best suit your needs in caring for your material.
Keep It Clean With a Regular Brushing
When you wear or use leather frequently, it will eventually get dirty. This dirt can trap moisture and debris, which can harm the leather over time, causing it to weaken. Keep dirt from damaging your leather with a soft cloth. Take the cloth and gently rub it all around the leather until you no longer see any dust or debris. Continue this process as you use the leather to keep it from degrading or wrinkling.
Air It Out To Draw Out Moisture
If your leather has come into contact with moisture, let it rest and dry out completely. This may take some time, but it will keep the leather from absorbing the moisture and breaking down. If you leave the moisture unaddressed, you’ll eventually notice the leather softening and weakening—it will ripple and can even crumble if the conditions are bad enough as it weathers. Avoid this problem by giving your leather time to dry.
Keep It Out of Heat and Cold
Leather is an extremely durable material and can tolerate a lot of stress, but under the right conditions, it will deteriorate. In excessive heat or cold, it will eventually start to weaken since the structure of the fibers can’t hold up in those conditions indefinitely. When this happens, you’ll notice it ages rapidly. To prevent damage, store your leather in temperate conditions.
Use Conditioner Periodically
As leather ages, it’s a good idea to give vitality back to the fibers of the hide so that it can maintain its strength and durability. One way of doing this is by using leather conditioners. Condition your leather at the right time and use the right amount—otherwise, the conditioners can harm the leather, causing it to become weak and brittle. Apply a light coating about once every three to six months. This will absorb into the hide and give it just enough elasticity to restore itself.
When you have a material like leather, you should understand what it means to keep and preserve it. Use these steps on how to properly take care of raw leather to maintain yours.