A high-quality leather bag is much more than just a pretty accessory you get to keep in the back of your closet. From the moment you buy it, the leather bag becomes an indispensable piece you’ll look forward to pairing up with the perfect outfit. However, a designer leather handbag can just as easily be a well-thought-out investment. If you’d like your leather bag to stay valuable in the upcoming years, it’d be wise to protect it and maintain it properly. We’ve put together a list of useful tips and tricks to help you keep your favourite leather handbag in mint condition.

Gentle everyday use

One of the key factors in protecting leather is changing your daily habits, which is why it’s important to be careful and gentle when using your leather handbag. When going out, carefully choose where you’ll put the bag. Avoid placing it on moist or outright wet surfaces if possible, especially if you’re planning on keeping it in that place for a while. If the leather gets wet, though, leave it out in the open and let it air dry. We recommend you steer clear of using blow dryers as these can dry out the surrounding leather and cause cracks. Instead of placing the handbag on the floor, put it on your lap or the table. If those scenarios aren’t possible, get a simple handbag holder and use it to hang the bag on the table instead.

Keep it protected when you’re not wearing it

Properly storing a leather handbag is among the most important things you can do to ensure its longevity. We don’t advise simply stuffing the bag in the back of your closet when you don’t use it. Before you put the handbag away, wipe it down with a clean rag dipped in a special leather cleanser and leave it out to dry. When not stored right, leather handbags will lose their original shape, so we recommend you fill the bag with bubble wrap or paper before placing it in the closet or on the shelf. If there are any metal parts or pieces on your handbag, such as zippers or decorative pieces, wrap them up with tissue paper to add another layer of protection. It would be best to keep the handbag wrapped in a protective bag you get upon purchase, but a simple, clean pillowcase will do the trick too.

Remove stains immediately

The perfect scenario includes removing every speck of dirt from your leather handbag the moment you motive it. The longer the leather stays dirty and stained, the more difficult it will be to remove it afterwards. Food stains are particularly common and, unfortunately, difficult to get rid of. Seeing how delicate the leather is, we advise you to steer clear of harsh chemical cleansers and instead turn to natural cleaning solutions and products. The simplest natural cleaning product is ground chalk, which helps remove the stains and eliminate odours. All you have to do is get a bit of white chalk, grind it into a fine powder, apply it to the stain, and leave it overnight. It takes a lot of patience to clean a handbag this way, but harsh chemicals will likely damage the leather.

Only use gentle leather cleaners

If you’ve already tried chalk and the method didn’t work, don’t reach for hand soaps and laundry detergent straightaway. Fortunately, many gentle cleansing solutions are designed to be used on leather only, so try to get those if the stain is persistent. That said, try not to use too much of that either, as leather soaked in a cleansing solution can easily wrinkle. Arm yourself with patience and move slowly; use a dry cloth and apply a small portion of the cleansing solution at first. If it looks like it needs more cleansing solution, drip a bit of warm water onto the cloth and add more cleansing solution.
Leather is a natural material that should be maintained appropriately, not unlike the skincare routine you perform regularly. Just like you’re very particular about the quality and type of oils and lotions you apply to your skin, should you look into the right products for your favourite leather handbag. One of the most important things to remember about leather is that it needs lots of attention and love. Only with tender care will you be able to protect your leather handbag and keep it in mint condition for a long time.