Tips on Vegetable-Tanned Leather Cleaning and Care

Date：2017-07-24 10:57:48    Times：1060   Source：Custom Bags Manufacturer

Tips on Vegetable-Tanned Leather Cleaning and Care.

 

Vegetable-tanned leather is a kind of thick mainly cowhide made,natural-colored often in tan or cream or light beige or nude and smooth leather that you may see on bags and purses,saddles and horse tack and even luggage trimmings.It is also the leather that crafters use in tooling as it is solid and thick and durable in texture.Most of the leather belts are also made of vegetable-tanned leathers in raw then get dyed in specific or custom colors. Vegetable-tanned leather is tanned using tannins and the extracts from vegetables versus the oil-tanned or chromium-tanned leathers,which you might see on most of the lady fashion handbags,purses and shoes nowadays.Vegetable-tanned leather appears pristine and evenly colored but it becomes dappled and stained with use.

 

Keep Uniformity Finish

Vegetable-tanned leather typically has no dyes which we call it raw and that can be dyed into any desired color for different product natures.You may have likely noticed that the raindrops would leave stains on a vegetable-tanned pair of boots or handbag.As they dry,you will notice that the water leave some stains or marks which you may not able to remove with a soft fabric.This is no pain or tradegy about this - with time and use,the leather develops a handsome and classic broken-in look.However you may still wish to have a cleaner,neat and uniform look.You will find it difficult to maintain that original light finish,but you can clean it to maintain a uniform finish with some leather cleaners and conditioners.

 

Types of Cleaners and Cleaning Methods

The strongest and most aggressive cleaner available is acid-kind of leather bleach.It is very good for removing virtually any type of stain,from oils to rubber scuffs,but it also removes any surface protectants.You should use it carefully and in a very diluted solution.Too much oxalic acid leaves a dull and deadened look on the leather.

While another commonly-used method is to use soap,like the glycerin-mixed soap,or a simple unscented glycerin soap bar from a health food store.It is not the strongest of cleaners but is gentle and imparts moisture to the leather,while leaving a protective coating and suitable for cleaning tiny dirts or stains which are not too deep on the leather.

A third method is to use a mild substance such as baby shampoo or facial soap.These soaps are better for leather than the normal detergents,as they include such moisturizing agents as mineral oil,glycerin and lanolin,all of which are recognized to be quite suitable for leather care and cleaning.

Finally,you may opt for a commercial leather cleaner or look for a professional high-quality cleaning solution which those upholsterers and leather shops always use,as they are carefully formulated to both clean and penetrate the leather but contain no drying agents like acetone or alcohol and do no harm to the leather itself.They will leave the leather moisturized.This method tends to be expensive than mentioned above.

 

Protectants

Once you have cleaned your vegetable-tanned leather goods and let them dry naturally,you may have to also apply a protectant to keep it waterproof and stain-resistant or apply a layer of polishing spray to maintain the glaze for good looking.There are many protectants in the markets such as Lexol and Pledge which are all good brands and allow your leather goods stay well-protected.These protectants are formulated to seal the leather,still allowing it to breathe.This is important,because leather that absorbs no moisture will simply dry out and become brittle,that is as the saying goes leather itself breathing is the best and most durable leather and could definitely last for longer.

However,over time and using the vegetable-tanned leather will likely be darker than when you bought it.Again have to say it is very difficult to maintain that original pristine finish you expect.With ages,there is the story,so let your leather age handsomely and naturally.

 

Original by Michael

Founder of Bags

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