[Is leather dry and flaky?] Here are some maintenance methods to prevent it from cracking.
Hello!
He is the musician for HushTug.
The temperature in the Kanto region has been relatively comfortable recently, but according to the weather forecast, temperatures are expected to drop sharply from December 1st, resulting in cold weather typical of December.
As the weather gets colder, the air begins to get really dry.
Just like human skin, if leather products are not regularly maintained during the dry winter months, the surface of the leather will become dry and cracked.
So, this time we will introduce you to the ``oil maintenance method'' to prevent leather products from drying out!
Even if you don't usually do much maintenance, it is easy to care for, so if you're interested, please give it a try.
The videos also provide easy-to-understand explanations on how to use brushes and apply oil.
If you would like to check it out in video form, you can do so here.
1. Before cleaning
Before you begin, here is a quick rundown of the tools you will need to prepare.
Make sure you have all the necessary tools ready before you try it!
<Things to prepare> 
-Mink oil maintenance is primarily intended to replenish moisture and oil.
At HushTug we recommend mink oil, but any leather maintenance cream will do!
⇒Check out Mink Oil on Amazon
- Horsehair brush: Use this to remove dirt from areas where dust and dirt tend to accumulate, such as where leather overlaps or at the bottom of a bag.
⇒ Check out horsehair brushes on Amazon
・Cloth (for dry wiping)
This is the cloth used for finishing.
This cloth is used to wipe off excess oil that comes out when applying oil.
As long as the material is cotton, you can use an old T-shirt as a substitute.
2. Care instructions/procedures
Once we have all the necessary items ready, we'll get to work.
There are four steps in the care process, so we will introduce them in order.
Step 1: Brushing
Use a horsehair brush to brush the entire bag to remove any dust or dirt.
<Points>
The bottom of the bag and areas where the leather overlaps are particularly prone to collecting dirt and debris, so be sure to brush these areas thoroughly!
Step 2: Apply oil
After removing any dirt from the bag, the next step is to apply oil.
Take an amount of oil (about the size of a coffee bean) onto your finger and spread it thinly.
<Points>
At HushTug, we recommend using your bare hands when applying the oil.
This is to prevent over-application and also because the body heat of your hands will melt the oil, making it easier for it to penetrate the leather.
Of course, if you don't like applying it with your bare hands, you can use a cloth!
Step 3: Let the oil soak in
After applying oil to the entire bag, leave it in a well-ventilated place for 15 to 30 minutes to allow the oil to soak in.
We recommend hanging the bag as the bottom is also oiled.
Step 4: Finish by wiping dry
Finally, wipe off any excess oil.
If you use it without wiping it off, it may get on your clothes or cause stains, so be sure to wipe it off!
lastly
This time we introduced you to leather oil maintenance.
This is easy to do even if you don't usually do maintenance, so when you have time, replenish the leather's oils and protect it from drying out!
This care method is also a basic leather oil maintenance method.
This information can also be used for other leather products, so why not try out some oil maintenance on your leather products?
Thank you for reading to the end today.
HushTug
P.S.
I think there will be more areas where it snows from December onwards.
We think that the video on waterproofing maintenance will be helpful as a measure against snow, so if you live in an area that receives snow, we recommend that you watch it as well.