Care Of Leather
By: Tim Sousa

So, you just bought yourself a nice leather jacket, or gloves, or boots, or some other article of leather clothing. It looks good on you, doesn't it? But how do you get it to last a lifetime? With proper care, you can keep your leather clothing from drying out and cracking, and it will last you a long time.

First of all, why does leather need special care? Well, although leather comes from an animal, it is not composed of skin cells. Leather is composed of interlinking microscopic fibers, which rub against each other as the leather bends and flexes. When the leather is on the animal, natural oils lubricate these fibers, so that they can rub against each other without breaking. But during the tanning process, those oils are removed, and then later replaced with other oils. Eventually, these oils will dissipate, leaving the fibers of the leather unlubricated. And unlubricated, the fibers will start to cut into each other as the leather bends, causing it to crack. With proper care, this will not happen.

Now how do you properly care for leather? Well, stop and think for a moment... leather is simply a processed animal skin. Now, how do you take care of your own skin? You keep it clean, you moisturize it as necessary. And so leather must be taken care of in a similar fashion. Leather can be cleaned as necessary with a damp cloth, don't use any harsh chemicals. You wouldn't use harsh chemicals on your own skin, would you? Once a year, treat your leather with a leather conditioner, to keep it flexible, and to maintain the proper moisture levels. Do not use a wax or silicone leather prepration, which will not allow the leather to breathe.

Some other leather care tips that you should follow:

-Hang your leather on a wide, sturdy padded hanger, to allow it to keep it's shape.

-Never store your leather in a plastic cover. Always use a cover which will allow the leather to breathe.

-If the leather becomes wet, allow it to air dry, away from any heat source.

-Do not store your leather in excessive heat, dryness, or humidity. Too much heat will cause the leather to dry and crack, too much moisture will allow mildew to form.

-In the winter, wipe off salt deposits from your leather garments with a damp sponge or cloth, then allow to dry.

-Do not spray perfume, or hair spray while wearing leather garments.

If you follow these instructions, your leather garments will continue to look good on you, and they could last you a lifetime.