There's nothing worse than spending a bunch of money on a new leather bag or pair of shoes only to have them be completely junked up six months later. But there is hope! According to David Mesquita, owner of Leather Spa, a care and repair shop for luxury leather accessories n New York City, there are steps you can take that will double the life of your favorite leather accessories, slowing their transition from prized possession to just another piece of broken-down crap. Spray everything: "Whether it's bags, shoes, or clothing, the best thing you can do for leather and suede [but not patent] is to spray it with a water-resistant stain protector," David says. Shake the bottle thoroughly before use and spot test to make sure it doesn't react badly with the leather. A good stain protector should not alter the color or texture of the leather, although it may discolor any exposed glue, so keep that in mind. Also, these sprays do wear off, so it's a good idea to reapply them from time to time after a thorough cleaning.

2. Reinforce your shoes: "There is nothing you can do to protect against scuffs and scratches," David says, "but a shoe repair shop can add a rubber sole to the bottom of your shoes and taps to the heels and toes." air duct cleaning safeYou will need to get these pieces replaced when they wear out, but that's a lot easier and less expensive than replacing the whole sole of the shoe.best vacuum cleaner in delhiWhen it comes to stilettos, David says it's important to keep an eye on those little plastic nubs and get them replaced whenever they start to wear out. what is the best way to clean pleated shadesDon't let it get ot the point where you hear the clicking of your heel's metal shank hitting the pavement.3. best vacuum cleaner for laminate floors and carpet

Reshape your shoes and bags: "Use shoe trees in your shoes and stuff your bags with paper whenever they are not in use," David says. best hardwood floor cleaner 2014Heat and sweat from your feet seep into the leather of your shoes throughout the day and start to loosen and warp it. best way to clean fake leather car seatsOnce you take them off, they will dry in whatever shape you leave them in, so you need the shoe tree to stop them from loosing their shape. David suggests using cedar shoe trees because they help absorb odor and moisture, but plastic shoe trees and a deodorizing spray work too. "You can even use paper if you need to," David says.Although they are not as susceptible to warping as shoes, they still need to be stuffed when not in use to keep them from developing creases.4.

Clean and condition before you put things away: "The longer you leave your leather pieces untreated, the harder it will be to clean them," David says. "Pen marks are particularly bad because that ink soaks into the leather and dries in less than an hour, so you need to deal with it as soon as possible. But for everything else, a quick cleaning at the end of the day should be fine." For leather: Use leather cleaner and a dry paper towel to get out any marks or dark spots, then rub in a little leather conditioner and let your bag or shoes air dry. For suede: David suggests using a horsehair brush (although a soft nylon brush or even a new extra soft toothbrush works also) to remove dirt and shiny sports, which are usually the result of friction matting down the suede. For persistent stains, try using a suede eraser and then brushing away any leftover eraser bits with your brush.For patent: David actually suggests using Windex. "There are special patent cleaners, but Windex works just as well," he says.

"If that doesn't work, try putting a little acetone nail polish remover on a Q-tip and rubbing the mark gently. Don't rub it too hard because you could damage the leather."5. Store everything properly: Direct sunlight, extreme temperatures and moisture in the air can all adversely affect your leather pieces. Store bags upright on shelves — never on the floor and never hanging by their straps since this can wear them out and cause warping. Patent leather is particularly susceptible to color transfers, so make sure not to let any light-colored patent shoes or accessories come into contact with dark leather pieces in your wardrobe and use shoe bags and dust bags whenever possible.How to Keep Your Pointy-Toe Shoes Their PointiestAre Real Leather Pants Really Worth The Money?The Ultimate Fall Boot GuidePosted by Administrator on 4/16/2012 There are hundreds of thousands of leather products available on the open market these days, but Ostrich leather products are increasingly considered to be among the highest-status, highly desired items.

While it is viewed by many as an exotic leather, ostrich leather is increasingly popular in the fashion world and brings quality and beauty to the items made from it. The most distinctive and well known aspect of Ostrich leather is it’s unique Quill pattern. These quills are the telltale indicators of where the feathers were - and is an indicator of the quality - and therefore the value - of an Ostrich leather product. There are Half Quill and Full Quill variations, with the quality determined from the density of the pattern of theRegardless of whether your item is full or half quill, the methods for caring for Ostrich leather won't change. While caring for Ostrich leather is not difficult or complicated, there are some things to consider that you might not need to think about with other products. For instance, Ostrich leather can react to the oils of your skin, and unlike your leather jacket, you are likely to be handling it far more often - holding the handle or strap of an Ostrich

leather bag for instance. So for items such as handbags or briefcases, there may be a different type of leather used for the handle, or it may include a cover for this area. Even if no care is taken in this area, this can be considered to be natural wear and tear over time, as you would expect with any If you do not plan to use your ostrich leather item for an extended amount of time it is recommended to store it in a soft cloth bag or wrapped in tissue paper. Many ostrich leather products are packaged in a small bag when youHint: Keep that bag and use it as a storage bag when necessary. Most leather products are easy to maintain and clean, and just like most other leather products, when it comes to caring for Ostrich leather you should ensure that you are not using any chemicals or abrasive products that might come in contact with the leather. When you feel it is necessary to clean your ostrich leather product, using a dry, soft cloth is

If your ostrich leather product gets any liquid spilled on it, you must dab the leather with a soft dry cloth to soak up as much of the spilled liquid as quickly as possible.   Leather as a general characteristic is very porous and will soak up any liquids that spill on it so timing in removing any Most accidental spillages or marks, such as oils, inks, or other types of liquids should be removed with a slightly dampened cloth as soon as possible. But it should be considered that products with oil contained in them can cause permanent damage to the surface, and should be removed by adding a thin layer of talc over the affected area. up the oily substance and can be wiped away easily to leave a clean surface. no time should household cleaning items be used to attempt to remove stains or marks as these are likely to only cause damage. If you spill ink based items on your ostrich leather product can be a tough prospect. Ink, in it’s nature, is a dye.

Leather, being a naturally porous material, will soak up any ink very quickly.  The longer ink remains on the surface of the leather the deeper it will penetrate into and color the leather.  If the ink has soaked into the leather strong products would be required to remove it and this would damage the underlying leather and would necessitate replacement of your ostrich leather item.  Ink Remover product is recommended for cleaning ink from leather products but it is not a sure thing.Sometimes products made from ostrich leather can get water splashed on them.   To learn more about how to treat ostrich leather in situations like this, please read our blog article Removing Water Stains From Ostrich Leather. Some items made from Ostrich leather are more exposed to the harshness of the environment than others. For example, a pair of ostrich leather boots will need cleaning more regularly and more thorough care than a wallet or mobile phone case.

For heavy use items made from ostrich leather, only approved and tested cleaning products should be used. When cleaning ostrich leather products, first, brush away any dust or dirt from the leather surface, paying close attention to detail areas where dust and grime can collect. A cotton bud can be used to get into these small areas and remove any dust before any cleaning products areOnce this is done, apply a thin layer of ostrich leather conditioner, leather shampoo or shoe crème to the surface of the leather and allow it to dryOnce the conditioner or crème has dried you can then buff the leather with a soft dry cloth in a circularNever use detergents or chemicals to clean ostrich leather products as this can result in permanent damage to the surfaces of the leather.  of any cleaning products, crèmes or conditioners should be completed on a small test area that is out of view, to ensure that it doesn't adversely affect the

quality of the product before use. When cleaning, it is important to ensure that any bumps, ridges and creases are cleared of the cleaning agent. cleaning products in contact with your leather item can cause visible stainingOnce you have cleaned your leather product you can use a leather sealer or leather protection product to protect it against dirt and damage. When caring for Ostrich leather items which are not in use it is essential that they be stored in a clean, dry and darkExposure to sunlight for extended periods of time can cause discoloration and fading, just as would be the case with any other leatherEven artificial light can affect the color of the product, so ensuring that your item is stored away safely will assist in keeping it looking Caring for Ostrich leather products is simple, and following the steps of care suggested above will help to give you many years of use and enjoyment out of that luxury ostrich leather item that