Top Tips for Leather Care.

Maintain your leather first and foremost.

If you have leather items in your home or your wardrobe, maintenance is key. It is better to avoid having to fix up damaged leather, and instead, simply maintain it to the best that you can. 

Caring for leather is especially simple, all you need is a few things here and there. So, how do you care for your leather? 

One of the main things you should do to care for your leather items is to keep them out of the sun. Sun dries out leather it will make it become brittle, and once the leather has become brittle it will begin to crack and deteriorate.  

You should also keep leather cool, and dry when it is not in use. If leather items get moist, mildew can deteriorate leather if it starts to grow on it. Never leave leather items in a humid or wet basement or attic, as this can promote mildew growth. Similarly, never wrap it in plastic, leather needs airflow and removing the air supply from leather is bad for the material.

Keep your leather items away from abrasives. Once leather gets damaged, you cannot repair it. This is only preventable to a degree, so do not get obsessed over it. Do not leave leather on gravel, for example. Over time leather will experience natural damage, but keeping leather away from abrasives will simply help to prolong its lifespan.  

In the case that your leather dries out, add moisture to it. If it starts to crack, moisturize your leather, this can be done with leather dressings, creams, oils, and waxes that will reduce the dryness. Use this intermittently, even if you have not used the item in a long time. It needs to get some moisture periodically. 

How to clean leather.

So, how do you clean leather? 

If your leather gets dirty, or needs some periodic upkeep, cleaning can be done easily. Try it down with a damp cloth around once a week. The more diligent you are about providing a quick clean, the less you need to worry about providing a deep clean later on. 

Use a damp cloth to brush off any dirt or grime that may be on the leather. Do so first with your hand and then use a damp cloth.  While it may be tempting, do not use any soaps or cleansers on your leather. These chemicals can remove the natural oils in the leather that preserve the material. Soaps will only cause it to dry out, crack, and deteriorate, just clean your leather with water. 

Should your leather get wet, as you might expect from something like a leather coat, you will want to dry it. Do not put leather by a fire to dry it out, nor is it a good idea to put it in the sun either, or even near a heater. Simply leave your leather in an area that is room temperature and let it sit. If you try to dry it quickly, it will change its chemical structure. 

Can you use Mink oil for leather?

Earlier, we mentioned conditioning your leather. One substance you can use for this is mink oil. 

Mink oil is an oily balm that is extracted from the fatty pelts of minks, which are semi aquatic mammals that are often hunted for their fur. 

Mink oil easily permeates leather and replenishes the internal fibers, this means that it works very well on full-grain leather, which is highly porous. Apart from suede, it also represents a great option for many leathers. 

Out of the vast array of leather oils that exist, mink oil shows the best results, it removes surface scratches and subtly darkens the tone of leather for a uniform finish. As well as this, mink oil is a natural leather softener, providing temporary waterproof resistance and improving flexibility by lubricating cracked fibers.  

Mink oil is typically recommended as one of the best oils to use for leather. 

There are some arguments against it, some might say that it will harden the leather afterward, however, these arguments are few in comparison to those who have positive reviews of using mink oil on leather. 

It is best to get a proper and confirmed mink oil to use for leather quality preservation. So for those asking is mink oil good for leather, the answer is yes, just make sure that you get a quality oil to use for the best results and preservative qualities.