The Ultimate Guide for Caring for your Bag
When you buy a Sarah Haran bag you are investing in a handbag for life, our handbags are designed to last a lifetime. From the moment they are crafted, until the moment it arrives in your arms, they need to be cared for properly. This helpful guide will give you some tips and tricks to ensure that your most treasured pieces will continue to bring you joy for years to come.
Everyday Care
Looking after your leather goods starts with day-to-day care. By following just a few simple rules, you can avoid unnecessary wear and tear and extend the life of your accessories for years:
- Leather is a skin, and it can stretch. Avoid overfilling your handbag, purse or wallet to maintain its original silhouette. Take extra care with leather items you use often.
- Take the time each week to wipe away dust and spots with a soft cloth or brush. We suggest you use Pedag products to assist you
- Scratches can detract from a flawlessly crafted piece. Take care to avoid contact with heavily embellished clothes, sharp surfaces, or chunky jewellery when you are out and about.
- Wet leather requires extra care, so if rain is forecast, remember to take an umbrella
How to Clean your Bag of Joy
- Do clean your bag regularly using our Pedag cleaning compilation (For full instructions go to the bottom of this blog)
- Do regularly clean leather with a soft brush or cloth.
- Do regularly air out leather
- Do blot away water or moisture as soon as possible
- Do dry wet leather naturally, away from artificial heat
- Do keep leather supple with a specialised leather conditioner every 3-6 months
- Do clean spots and stains with a mixture of soap flakes and warm water
- Do use a steam cleaner to disinfect and remove buildup from regular use
- Do test any conditioners, cleaners, polishes or wax in a hidden spot beforehand
- Don't machine wash leather
- Don't get leather wet wherever possible
- Don't dry wet leather next to a radiator or with a hairdryer
- Don't tumble dry leatherDon't iron leather
- Don't immerse leather in water to clean
Storage
Many of us have spent a significant amount of time trying to think how best to store our Sarah Haran collection. From cupboards being built to outdoor storage areas being designed, we have done it all. Below are our 4 key steps to storing your bag correctly.
1. Always stuff your bag to keep the handbag's silhouette.
2. Always store your bag in her dust bag provided to avoid scratches.
3. Store all bags away from direct sunlight and artificial sources of heat (e.g. radiators and boilers).
4. Avoid stacking bags on top of other bags as this can damage the leather.
Pedag Three Step System
1. Pure Cleanser
First remove loose dirt with a brush or cloth. Moisten a clean brush with water. Shake the bottle and spray some of the cleaner onto the brush or the surface to be cleaned. Then scrub the entire surface until plenty of foam is produced. Always treat the back and front of the bag the same to avoid colour differences after drying. Then remove excess foam with a cloth and repeat the application if necessary. Once the bag is clean, allow it to dry at room temperature for 24 hours. After drying, polish smooth leather and brush up suede.
2. Deep Conditioner
First clean and allow to dry. Shake the bottle and apply a small amount of the care lotion to the micro-fibre cloth (on a brush for suede leather). Then spread the care over the entire surface and rub in. Always treat the back and front of the bag the same to avoid colour differences after drying. Allow to dry at room temperature for 10 minutes. After drying, polish smooth leather and brush up suede.
3. Natural Protector
Ensure that the surface is clean - product can be worked into the still wet material. Shake the bottle and spray the waterproofer from approx. 15 cm evenly onto the entire surface until it has become damp. Now massage in thoroughly with a brush (suede leather) or a soft cloth (smooth leather) so that the active ingredient can penetrate deeply into the material. For particularly good results, repeat application two to three times, wait 10 minutes before each application. Finally, wait another 10 minutes, then remove any excess impregnator to avoid colour differences after drying. Allow to dry at room temperature for 24 hours. After drying, polish smooth leather and brush up suede.