In the United States, leather is used for many things, such as bags, furniture, tools, and even sports equipment. The great thing about leather is that with time, it actually looks better. That is, if you take care of it properly. There are many things that can damage leather, including too much exposure to sunlight, extreme changes in temperature, not cleaning stains right away, and even water.
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When we say water, this means that your leather could mistakenly be soaked in water, or it could just be exposed to humidity. When leather is exposed to this moisture, the oils in the leather bind to the water molecules. When the water dries and evaporates, it draws out the oil with it, therefore causing it to dry out and become brittle.
When this happens, there’s a small process that you should follow. The first thing that you should do is wipe the water away from the leather with a clean, dry cloth. Next, try to keep it as dry as possible. For example, if it’s a jacket, make sure to keep it hung for hours. Once the leather has dried a little and is only a little damp, wipe it again with a soft cloth. Lastly, the most important step is to condition the leather item. This will repair the damage that was caused by losing the oils.
Now that we know how to reverse the effects of water damage, let’s discuss how you can prevent it. Although you may not be able to prevent it from raining while you’re wearing your favorite leather shoes, we can at least prevent damage from humidity while you’re not using them.
You can do so by using protective packaging while it’s stored in your home. The best option that you have are desiccant packs. Desiccant packs work by absorbing moisture and odors from the air. This means that even if you live in a humid part of the country, your leather items don’t have to pay the price.
As we said, leather looks better with age, but only if it’s well-maintained. To do so, make sure to use protective packaging.
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