How to care for your leather bag like a pro!

Care for your leather bag and enjoy it for a lifetime! That’s what we aim for. Long-lasting and quality products are the way to go if we want to reduce our impact on this planet. And guess what… With a little love and care your leather bag will last for years.

How to care best for your leather bag?

But how to care best for your most treasured leather piece? We are here to help! We’ll answer all your questions about how to pamper your leather goods. Ready for this? With this practical blog, your leather bag will stay in tip-top shape for years to come!

Why we love leather

Premium quality leather from Europe is at the heart of our products. We love leather because it’s strong, varied and it has a natural comfort. Leather is an organic material, which means that no hide or skin is alike. This uniqueness is part of the charm.

Over time, leather will acquire an even more authentic look. Call us romantics but it’s partly this evolving sense of character that we find so endearing. Your bag may pick up signs of use and there may arise some imperfections… In the end, each bag will have its own story to tell. Just like us!

Leather has the capacity to age gracefully if it gets the right love and care. We cannot stress enough how important this is! And we may sound like your mum right now, but who’s always right? Exactly! Together we keep your bag happy throughout the years!

How to clean your leather bag, step by step

Believe us, it’s not difficult to keep leather items in shape if you know what to do. We recommend giving your bag a monthly, well-deserved treat. This might be a little less or more, depending on the weather, usage, and (let’s stay realistic) your motivation. Follow these steps to give your leather bag a proper refresh:

Step 1: Clean

Let's go! Start by cleaning the bag with a liquid cleaner suitable for all colors and leathers. Apply the cleaning solution with a soft (bambu) cloth and carefully massage it into the bag. If there’s a stain, always rub gently. Read further to find out how to treat specific stains.

Recommended products: TARRAGO UNIVERSAL CLEANER + BAMBU CLOTH APPLICATOR (H3)

Step 2: Nourish

Leave your bag up to dry for a moment before nourishing it with a protection cream, preferably made with natural oils and waxes. Take extra care of the handles, corners and frequently touched areas. This will keep the leather smooth and rejuvenated.

Recommended product: TARRAGO PREMIUM DELICATE CREAM

Step 3: Protect

The last step is to provide a water-based protector. Spray evenly over the leather, making sure every part is coated, and let it dry naturally. Like this, you protect your bag from water and other substances, like rain, snow, stains, and even drinks. Your bag will thank you for it! You can use the protector whenever you want to give your bag some extra TLC. Reapply the water-based protector if your bag has been caught in the rain.

Recommended product: TARRAGO WATER-BASED PROTECTOR

Leather Care Kit: the best products to care for your leather bag

A proper maintenance cleaning for your leather bag starts with having the right products on hand.
Your bag is happiest when treated with natural, bio-based products. After some trial and error, we fell for the products from Tarrago. This Spanish brand provides us with the best high-quality and natural products to maintain our bags.

We like them so much that we choose them to compose our Leather Care Kit. Our care kit comes with everything you need, so you have all the tools required to keep your bag looking fresh and shiny.

Click here to purchase our Leather Care Kit.

Leather Bag Care: Tips & Tricks

Extra Tips & Tricks for a long-lasting leather bag.

Hand sanitizer - Be careful with hand sanitizers. The alcohol may cause damage like discoloring to your precious bag.

Cleaning products - Stick to proper cleaning products. Never (ever!) use chemicals like turpentine, gasoline, or acetone to remove spots.

Hand cream - It’s not a good idea to hold your bag if you’ve just applied hand cream. Grease stains are waiting for their chance… Note to never use water on grease (or oil) stains.

Discoloration - It’s normal that leather slightly changes color over time due to sunlight and rain. Protecting and nourishing the leather with the right products slows the process down.

Storage - When you are not using your bag for a while, store it well. Make sure you’ll put it in a dry place away from moisture, direct sunlight and radiators. Avoid plastic bags, your bag is best stored in our dust bag. Also remember to keep it in the shape you want it to end up, including the handles.

How to remove different stains from your leather bag?

If you and your leather bag are inseparable, it may happen that at some point you’ll find a stain. Obviously, accidents do happen! The sooner you treat it the better, but please do take the time to read how to deal with each specific type of stain.

We suggest always testing a cleaning method on a small area on your bag before using it. Preferably on the bottom of the bag that can’t be seen by curious eyes.

Raindrops:

In general please note that leather isn’t water’s best friend. Dried-out raindrops can be removed by gently (!) rubbing the leather back and forth with a soft (bambu) cloth.

Water:

Oopsie. Your water bottle just opened in your bag. Before the water has time to dry, use a soft cloth to dab at the stain. Dab is the keyword here, instead of wiping by which the water will enter more into the leather.

Afterwards, dry it slowly. Don’t use your hairdryer and keep it away from the radiator. Leather doesn’t like to be speed dried at all. Instead, dry your bag naturally at room temperature with gentle air.

Color Run:

A color run shouldn’t ruin your day. A stain from a color run, for example from jeans, can be removed with a decent leather cleaner.

Ink:

Ouch, this isn’t a good one and you better be quick if this happens. We suggest using a special ink removing product for leather. If you don’t have this at hand, you can try with a leather cleaner. Make sure to condition the area afterward and leave it to dry properly. If the ink stains are too old or aggressive, don’t try to remove them yourself. They will likely be one of ‘the bad guys’ and will need professional care.

Click here to purchase our Leather Care Kit.