Leather Care

Leather is an important part of our life and is used in various areas. There are various types of leather that are categorized by the grades according to their type of use. Leather needs great care so that its long life can be ensured. There are four main stages in the leather making process. These are categorized as:

Cleaning Leather
This is the first step and makes use of a cleaner. Cleaner is used because it helps to preserve all the natural lubricating oils that can be stripped off in the process. The chosen cleaner should not leave any kind of greasy residue behind because if the residue is left behind then the leather can be easily attacked by the bacteria. That can make the leather easily breakable. Before applying any item to the leather first the cleaner has to be cleared by dampened cloth. Most famous cleaning product is the nubuck cleaning because of its ability to clean and restore the leather back to its original form.

Conditioning Leather
This is not a necessary step and is used occasionally. Conditioners contain fats and oils that can provide necessary lubrication and replenishment to the leather. Petroleum by-products must be avoided because they can damage the leather.

Polishing Leather
Polishing is done to provide glossy finish to the leather. Some polishing agents may contain coloring factors that can brush off the things and clog the pores drying out the leather

Protect Leather
Rain or other liquids can damage the leather resulting in spouting and stiffness. Therefore there is a need of some kind of moisture barrier. But moisture barrier has its own drawback. They make cleaning, conditioning, and polishing very difficult by filling in the pores with greasiness. Moisture barrier should be applied periodically.

Removing Mildew From Leather
Mildew can be removed by using a mixture of rubbing alcohol and water. Besides this, mild soap and water containing a germicide can also be used.

Wet Leather
Best way to create good quality leather is by carrying out treatment always on wet leather before it dry. All the dirt stains or any kind of mud must be removed with a cleaning agent so that the pores again become fully functional. Leather should always be dried away from any kind of heat.

Storing Leather
Leather should never be stored inside a plastic because it is a natural material and therefore there can be ruined by the growth of bacteria and mildew. Leather must be stored in a cool and dry place. A garment type of leather must be stored in a breathable bag.

Removing Stains From Leather
Stains that are fresh can be removed easily using a damp cloth. Stains from any oil or grease can be removed by sprinkling the grinded ordinary blackboard chalk, over the stained area for a twenty-four hour period. After that powder can be brushed off simply. It is easy to remove fresh stains but the ground-in stains have to be attended by a professional cleaner dealing with the leather.

Once all these steps are followed properly and carefully, it is ensured that you will get good quality leather.