Ultimate Guide: Care and Maintenance of Leather Briefcase
Introduction
Leather bags are favored because of their fashionable appearance and durability. While the rest of us would know that cleaning leather bags from time to time would keep them healthy and prolong their lifespan, not many of us would know how to do it at home. Most of us might also fear that the wrong ways of cleaning them would actually damage them instead of benefiting them.
Here in this article, we are discussing, Why Caring for Leather Briefcases is Important?, a Step-by-Step Guide to Clean Leather Briefcase, how to Prevent Stains and Cracks on Leather Briefcases, and Common Mistakes to Avoid When Caring for Leather Briefcases, and this guide will answer all your queries regarding the cleaning of leather bags.
Why is Caring Leather Briefcase Important?
Honestly, it's difficult to make time to clean your bag. Life gets in the way, and briefcase maintenance is easy to delay. However, there are some very real benefits to having a clean, nice bag.
The following are three significant reasons to keep your bag in good condition:
Professional look - Your appearance, including the situation of your briefcase, will determine your reputation in the office, whether on a call for sale or really wherever you go. A clean briefcase helps you develop a reputation as a serious professional.
Helps stay organized - The regular removal of your unnecessary size will simplify your daily habits, helping you find what you need faster and contribute to a smooth day in the office.
Maximize the life of the leather briefcase - Maintaining your leather briefcase to ensure that you will draw the best returns from your investment by keeping it in a better condition.
Here are some briefcase care tips to ensure you look your best, maintain a smooth work life, and extend the life of your bag:
Make sure to empty all the leather bags and prevent and remove everything. Turn the bag and shake gently to loosen the dirt.
Step 2: Clean inside your leather bag
If you have a relatively thin and compact mobile vacuum cleaner to go through your leather bag, then use it to vacuum the inside.
Also, remove the inner lining and roll on the fabric with a lint roller. If there are stains or spots, wipe them with a damp cloth. Let it dry in the air before replacing the lining.
Step 3: Clean the surface of your leather bag
Using a dry microfibre cloth, wipe over the exterior of your leather bag to remove surface dust or dirt.
Step 4: Prepare a soap solution
You can use a commercial cleaner, but if one is not on hand, soap and water will work. Mix warm water with a small amount of mild soap to create a basic cleaning solution. Avoid hot water or harsh soap because they can damage the leather.
Step 5: Clean the exterior of your leather bag
Soak a soft, clean cloth in the solution and ring it out thoroughly before cleaning the entire surface of your leather bag. A white cloth should be used so as not to transfer colour.
Step 6: Dry your leather bag
Using another clean, dry cloth, wipe away any excess water on the leather. Let the bag air-dry overnight before conditioning the leather (Step 8). Don't use heat sources like hair dryers to dry your leather bag.
Step 7: Clean the hardware
Dip a cotton bud into metal polish and rub the same over the metallic hardware like claps and zippers to get them polished. Don't touch the leather otherwise, it may leave a stain on or injure the leather.
Step 8: Condition your leather bag
Condition your leather bag using a leather conditioner to make it supple and moisturize it. Follow the directions provided by the manufacturer of the leather conditioner, but, as a general guideline, apply the leather conditioner to a soft cloth and buff it in a circular pattern.
Allow the leather to air-dry overnight once more to enable the bag to dry completely before storing the bag.
Step 9: Store your leather bag correctly
Keep your leather bag standing upright in a dust bag to keep it intact. If you do not have a dust bag, place it in a dark area with low temperatures, never directly exposing it to sunlight to induce premature aging of the leather.
How to Prevent Stains and Cracks on Leather Briefcases?
Leather must be treated differently from synthetic materials. Leather briefcases are not fond of excessive water and some cleaning agents.
Some tips for how to clean a leather bag:
First, remove everything from the pockets and shake the bag upside down to remove dust and dirt. Turn the lining inside out and roll with a lint roller. If you can't pull out the bag lining, vacuum with the fabric brush attachment.
To clean the leather, make a solution of warm water and dish soap.
Dip a soft cloth into the solution, wring it out, and wipe the outside surfaces of the bag.
Use a second clean damp cloth to wipe away the soap.
Dry with a towel.
Note: Warm, soapy water will also remove water stains and scuffs."
You might also want to apply a leather conditioner to your bag after cleaning in order to protect it from damage.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Caring for Leather Briefcases
Failing to wipe your bag regularly
We know, we know, it's just such a nuisance having to clean your bag every time. But let us in on a secret: doing so would prevent you from making expensive trips to the leather repairman. You can prolong the life of your leather bags by cleaning dirt and grime (not necessarily visible) on a frequent basis and all it takes is all of 30 seconds!
Even if you're one of those who won't wipe down your bag after every usage, at least make sure you're wiping it clean with a soft dry cloth when you're storing it. Our All-Rounder Clothes are perfect for spot cleaning and wipe-downs. If the bag is heavily used, also condition it regularly using a water-based conditioner that moistures the leather so it will remain pliable.
Our Leather Protector will work effectively on most leathers and also create an invisible protective barrier on the outside of the bag to protect the leather from dust and dirt.
Not treating stains immediately
It's sometimes easy to simply bury your head in the sand when you've spilled something on your bag by accident. The longer you allow a mark or oil stain to remain, however, the more difficult it will be to clean. Some leathers without a protective finish such as aniline leather are porous and the stain will seep deeper into the leather the longer it sits.
The Leather Cleanser is also effective in water or oil stain removal. A Leather Protector applied prior to your leather bags will avoid stains sticking and come off considerably more easily.
Storing bags in plastic bins or boxes
Leather bags are like our own skin and have to breathe! They can mold if stored in a box, particularly if you live in climates with high humidity. Picture drawing out your lovely Chanel lambskin handbag to find patches of mold on the inside!
We recommend that you fill your bags or purses with acid-free tissue paper or cloth material to aid in their shape retention and place them in a dustbag for protection from dust and direct sunlight. Where storage in a box is unavoidable, place one or two sachets of desiccants inside the box to absorb excess humidity.
Avoid sunlight
Sunlight is intense and can discolour or dull your leather bags, or even better, dry out and become brittle from long-term exposure.
Put the glass cabinet in a shaded area of the room if at all possible, or drape it during times of day when sunlight is the most especially severe.
Conclusion
Cleaning your leather handbags regularly may be a chore, but they contribute a lot to maintaining your best carriers. To use a bag for a number of years, you must have routine care and maintenance at home — with the right tools, products, and expertise, in-home bag cleaning is convenient and saves time.
Prevention is better than cure, and therefore evading some eliciting situations and storing them properly are also essential to the upkeep of leather bags. It is also advisable to have your leather bags professionally cleaned when the time comes, such as when they get deep stains or exhibit signs of excessive wear.
We trust that this article has been informative to you and will help you keep your leather bags as clean as they can be for many years to come
FAQs
1. How long should a leather briefcase last?
With the appropriate care, a briefcase of high-quality leather can last from 10 to 20 years or even more.
2. What is the best way to take care of leather briefcases?
