Oil maintenance during the dry season
Hello!
He is the musician for HushTug.
The air has been dry recently, making hand cream essential, but how are you all doing?
When it's dry, your leather products can suffer from the same dryness damage.
The appeal of leather products is that they can be used for many years because the longer you use them, the more beautiful their color becomes and they are durable.
However, if you do not maintain it, the leather may become damaged and its lifespan may be shortened.
So, this time we will introduce you to an "oil maintenance method" to keep your leather products in good condition for a longer period of time.
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.
Is maintenance necessary ?
First of all, do leather products really require that much maintenance?
Some of you may have thought this.
Leather products are made from animal skins, which are transformed by craftsmen into leather so that they can be used for a long time.
For this reason, leather is a breathable material, absorbing and releasing moisture according to usage and the environment.
In dry seasons like winter, leather products can become too dry and start to crack.
Furthermore, if water or dirt gets on the surface while it is dry, the deterioration will progress even further.
Once cracks have appeared, the area cannot be restored to its original condition, so maintenance is extremely important.
By performing maintenance, you can keep your precious leather products in good condition for a long time, so let's do some oil maintenance together.
What you need for leather maintenance
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!
・Mink oil
The main purpose of oil maintenance is to replenish moisture and oil.
At HushTug we recommend mink oil, but any leather maintenance cream will do!
・Horsehair brush
It is used to remove dirt from areas where dust and dirt tend to accumulate, such as where leather overlaps or at the bottom of the bag, during everyday use.
・Cloth (for dry wiping)
This is a cloth to wipe off excess oil that comes out when applying oil. We use the one in the photo above, but basically any cotton material will do.
These are frequently used in leather care, so I recommend having some on hand.
As long as the material is cotton, you can use an old T-shirt as a substitute.
Oil maintenance procedure
Once you have prepared everything you need, it's time to perform oil maintenance.
The oil maintenance procedure consists of the following four steps.
1. Brushing
2. Apply oil
3. Allow the oil to soak in
4. Finish by wiping dry
This video clearly explains how to use a brush and apply oil.
When performing maintenance, please try practicing while watching the video!
Step 1: Brushing
Use a horsehair brush to brush the entire bag to remove any dust or dirt.
Don't press too hard, but brush gently.
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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.
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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!
Finally
This time we introduced you to leather oil maintenance.
This is easy to do even if you have never done maintenance before, so when you have time, be sure to oil your precious leather products and protect them from drying out!
Also, the care method introduced here is the basic method for maintaining leather with oil.
This is a care method that can be used for other leather products as well, so why not take this opportunity to try oil maintenance for the leather products you own?
Thank you for reading to the end today.
HushTug