Caring for your bag

Every leather asks for slightly different care and the first step is simply knowing which one you are carrying. Your receipt usually names it and your Sales Associate can always tell you.

• Grained leathers have a textured surface and are the most forgiving. They resist light scratches and a few drops of rain and a soft dry cloth is usually all they need.
• Smooth leathers show scratches, fingerprints and water marks more readily. They deserve extra caution in wet weather and around hand cream, perfume and makeup.
• Exotic skins are the most delicate. Keep them away from water and humidity, never apply a product meant for ordinary leather and leave any care beyond dusting to the boutique. Dust them gently with a soft, lint-free cloth.

A bag spends far more time resting than being carried, so storage does most of the work.

• Keep it in its dust bag. Cotton lets leather breathe, while plastic traps moisture and can mark the surface.
• Fill it lightly with acid-free tissue or a soft insert so it keeps its shape. Avoid newspaper, which can transfer ink.
• Stand it upright on a shelf with a little space around it. Stacking bags or pressing them together can crease leather and metal resting against leather can mark it, so a layer of tissue between hardware and leather helps.
• Avoid hanging a bag by its handles for long periods and store a detachable strap flat beside it.
• Choose a place that is cool, dry and dark, away from radiators, windows and damp rooms such as a basement.
• Take it out now and then. A few minutes in the air is good for the leather and lets you notice anything early.

Rain. Blot the surface gently with a soft dry cloth, without rubbing. Fill the bag with tissue so it keeps its shape, then let it dry slowly at room temperature. Never use a hair dryer, a radiator or direct sun to speed things up. If a water mark stays on smooth leather, or if an exotic skin got wet, show it to the boutique rather than treating it at home.

Sun. Long exposure to light fades color and dries leather. A bag left on a sunny seat or near a window changes faster than one kept in the shade.

Heat. A car interior in summer can reach temperatures that dry leather and weaken the materials that hold a bag together. Take the bag with you rather than leaving it in the car.

Most marks are easier to prevent than to remove.

• Let hand cream absorb fully and apply perfume before you pick up the bag.
• Keep pens capped and cosmetics in a pouch inside the bag.
• Be careful with new dark denim against pale leather: the dye can transfer.

If something is spilled, blot it straight away with a clean soft cloth. Do not rub and do not add water to smooth leather or an exotic skin. Household cleaners, baby wipes, alcohol, makeup remover and erasers can all damage the finish, so keep them away from the bag.

Ink, grease and color transfer are best left to professionals: home attempts often spread a stain or set it for good. Ask your Sales Associate first. If you then choose to clean a grained leather yourself, a neutral, pH-balanced leather cleaner is well regarded, tested first on a hidden spot and any home treatment remains at your own risk. Conditioning, if any, should stay light and rare, since oils and waxes can darken leather over time. On exotic skins, views on conditioning differ, so ask your Sales Associate before using anything at all.

Handles take the most contact. Carry the bag with clean, dry hands and avoid handling it right after applying lotion. Some collectors wrap a silk scarf around the handles for protection; if you do, keep it loose and dry, since a tight or damp wrap can mark the leather and make sure its color does not transfer onto pale leather.

Corners usually show wear first. Setting the bag down on a chair or a clean table rather than the floor or rough stone helps them last.

Hardware can be wiped with a soft dry cloth. Keep metal polish away: it can stain the leather around it. Some bags arrive with a protective film on the hardware and whether to keep it is a personal choice.

The boutique's after-sales service is the safest path for anything beyond everyday care. Your Sales Associate can look at the piece, explain what is possible and arrange it for you. Cost and timing vary, so ask before you decide.

It is worth a visit for a stain you could not blot away, a water mark on smooth leather, anything at all on an exotic skin, worn corners or edges, a loose stitch, handles that have darkened or a problem with the hardware. Having the receipt at hand can make the request simpler, which is one more reason to keep proof of each piece.

When in doubt, ask before trying anything at home. A treatment that goes wrong is much harder to undo than a mark left alone.