Bags have been an essential accessory since time immemorial. It has been used to carry many objects people want to carry in bulk in one go. History tells of water held in bags made from animal skins, especially for soldiers in war. Those waterskins are made of leather.
Since the time of the Tyrolean Iceman, people of all ages and civilizations have been using leather bags. The iceman’s leather bag discovered alongside his mummy is proof that leather bags were in use more than 5000 years ago.
A bag made of leather can withstand the ever-changing climate conditions. That’s why many people invest in high-quality leather bags. They find it worth investing aside from it’s worth keeping. It never goes out of style. Some even still have bags or handbags made from the finest cowhide inherited from their great, great grandparents.
Leather bags are easy to store and restore. Still, others reform leather bags to give them an upbeat vibe, especially if it’s one of those inherited mementos. To reform your leather bag, stuff it with old newspapers and store it in a warm place. It’s sure to recover its lost shape and appeal in no time.
Professional repairing and restoring well-loved and well-used old bags, especially if made from leather, can be costly. It’s handy to do them yourself with some helpful tricks from this work.
Some Helpful Tricks To Repair And Restore Leather Bags
Lucky for you, repairing and restoring leather bags are possible to do all on your own in certain cases. Keep on reading to learn more.
- Repairing A Scratch
A scratch on your leather backpack or handbag is quite unsightly. Though it may not affect its utility, restoring it to good condition is still ideal. You can repair a scratch or even a little cleft in leather and save on restoration services. You may use a toothpick, dip it in some leather glue, and then apply that glue to the bag’s damaged portion.
Start by holding and pressing the edges of the fractured parts together to flatten and join them together. Use a damp cloth to remove the extra glue from the leather surface you’re working on. Hold it together for a few minutes. Wait and ensure that your patch with the adhesive has dried completely. Then you’re done.
You can also do this repair job with your other leather possessions. You can stylishly remove a scratch from your leather outfits. Though a few scratch repair marks on a jacket made of leather can add a more worn-out and timeless beauty to it.
- Restoring A Chipped Bag
It’s heartbreaking when your precious bag gets chipped for some reason. Fortunately, you can try restoring it on your own. You’ll need moisturizing soap, a leather cleaner, a filler, and a knife. Then start restoring your bag’s chipped part by cleaning it with a leather cleaner or a moisturizing soap to wash off dirty particles in the bag.
Allow the bag to air-dry, and then check that it’s absolutely risk-free to continue working inside of it. You might want to let it a whole night dry out just to be sure. The next step is to smooth out the section of the chipped bag and put a leather filler on it. This will fill in any gaps or indentations in your trustworthy leather.
To achieve a more uniform finish, use a knife to remove as much of the excess oozing leather filler as you can. As a reminder, allow it to settle for around six hours so the filling can adhere properly.
- Fixing Signs Of Wear And Tear
The original sheen and hue of leather may become less noticeable over time if it’s subjected to direct sunlight or suffers any other form of wear and tear. The color of leather will change as it dries out. You may need a leather conditioner or leather color creams to help you restore that good old look of your leather accessory.
Applying leather honey can bring back the leather’s original color and shine. It helps restore faded colors due to wear and tear. In this fix, you need to apply the solution to the entire outside cover of your bag to avoid uneven or spot treatment.
You can also use leather coloring cream or leather dye if you want more color in your bag. It has an extensive range of hues and tones, each perfect match for the leather’s natural color. So, after you’ve conditioned your bag’s leather skin, use the color balm or the dye for sporting another look for your bag.
After giving it a go on your own, you’ll find that repairing the signs of wear and tear on your old leather case is a very satisfying endeavor.
- Curing Water Damage
Ill-fated happenings, like bad weather, may leave you with your treasured leather handbag soaking wet. You may need to act on it pronto to avoid further damage. Restoring leather that has been ruined by water can be a challenging but doable task. If the piece of leather is wet through and through, the most uncomplicated technique to keep it dry is to blot the water away with a dry cloth.
Microfiber towels are the best to absorb liquids from wet things fast. When trying to dry the wet surface, you should avoid heating leather. Heat causes more harm to leather materials. The most effective treatment is time. Towel it dry, and let the water evaporate overnight.
Leather that has been damaged by water can become dry and brittle. You can use leather conditioners. It’s essential to condition the leather to recover the moisture that has been lost. If the water damage leaves water marks on the leather, clean the leather very well before using your leather conditioners.
To remove water markings, combine warm water with a few drops of unscented dish soap in a container. Put a sponge into your container, take it out and squeeze as much water out of it as possible. Then use the sponge to dab at the water stain with gentle strokes.
Bottom Line
Leather-based objects like bags are fun to mix and match to give you a fabulous outfit of the day. These leather gears may be hand-me-downs, ancient heirlooms that provide you with more sentimental value than their hefty price. So, it’s more often a must to restore and repair than buy new ones.
Indeed, bags made from the finest leather are treasures to behold. That’s why learning a few tricks to restore them to beauty is always a very satisfying challenge to complete. So, make your job easier, check out the insights here and enjoy your repair and restoration stint today.
