Care and Cleaning
Based on years of experience in handcrafting and
handling these leather bags, we have compiled here a few guidelines for you to
keep your beautiful bag in its best possible state and retain its stunning,
antique look even after many years of usage.
Managing leather odour
The leather used in this bag is not treated with any
chemical and is naturally sun dried. There is a possibility that you might find
its smell a bit too much when its brand new. But there is no need to worry
because the more often you put the bag to use; the quicker the smell will fade
away. We have been told by our customers time and again that the smell almost
disappeared within couple of weeks of usage and airing. Some quick tips below
to help you resolve this sooner:
Use febreze fabric classic odour eliminator. Spray this
inside the bag and the odour effect will diminish in no time. Febreze can be
found in all major retail outlets. In addition you can also learn more about it
at www.febreze.com
You can also apply baking powder on the inside of the
bag and leave it for the entire night. This powder will take in any moisture
hence help in reducing the unpleasant smell (this can however leave some
temporary marks on the inside of the bag as traces of white powder might be
left behind).
Alternatively, take few drops of your favourite scented
oil such as lavender, lemon, etc on a tissue paper and gently smear on the
inner and outer sections of the bag. This will give your bag an adorable scent
immediately.
Handling a wet leather bag In case your bag gets wet,
ensure it is completely dried up before next usage. You can leave it out in the
sun if that’s a possibility or near a room radiator taking care not to allow
any contact. Also consider squeezing in scrunched up newspaper into the bag and
its pockets. This will make the bag dry faster and in shape.
Restoring/Re-waterproofing a dry leather bag
Your leather satchel can at times dry up and may feel a
bit rough when touched. This condition could be a result of the bag being wet a
few times or frequent changes in humidity levels in the atmosphere. This means
some natural oils have eroded off hence the need to substitute them. We coat
all leather bags with two layer of sunflower oil which makes them water
resistant. This also ensures that the leather remain nourished, soft and shiny.
If you want to nourish your leather satchel then just
sponge it gently with vegetable, baby, rapeseed or sunflower oil until it
develops a light layer. After that, leave the leather to dehydrate in a warm
and aerated place such as an airing cupboard for a day. While drying up the
leather colour will become darker but will get lighter as the drying process
continues. You can always do this whenever you feel that your leather satchel
is dry and requires some special attention.
If you are not comfortable with applying oil to your
bag we recommend using leather care products available in the market to treat
your bag:
Renapur Hi-Shine It is great product in taking care of
your leather item and will make your satchel extremely shiny. In addition it
has a pleasant scent too. This leather care product can be found at www.renapur.com.
Lincoln Lanolised Conditioning Soap - general all round
leather conditioner and very good value at only $5 per tub. Available at
www.amazon.com
Mending leather scratches
All ALBORZ leather bags are tough and remain in good
condition for long. A scratch here and there adds to their great vintage look.
However if a scratch persists even after rubbing a few times with your finger,
then consider applying sunflower, baby, vegetable or rapeseed oil on the
affected portion using a cotton wool.
We hope that the above guidelines are helpful and you
do enjoy using this beautiful bag..
Best wishes
ALBORZ Team