Product Care

 

Caring For Leather: Do not store leather goods in plastic bags or other non porous covers. If clothing must be stored in a garment bag, keep it open for ventilation. Allow wet or damp leather to air-dry naturally away from any source of heat. Apply a little leather conditioner when the leather is nearly dry to restore flexibility. Follow this with a full conditioning treatment after the leather has completely air-dried. To prevent mildew, protect leather from excessive humidity. In a dry environment, regularly condition the leather in order to prevent it from drying out and cracking. Do not use waxes, or silicone formulas or other leather preparations that impair the ability of the leather to "breathe". Never use caustic household chemicals to clean leather. Also, avoid leather preparations that contain alcohol. Avoid turpentine and mineral spirits as they can pull color. Use of mink oil or other animal fats will darken leather. Animal fat can also turn rancid, causing the stitching and leather to rot.

 

Caring For Vinyl: Vinyl is a plastic made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Vinyl is manufactured in different ways in a number of forms and in varying qualities for thousands of uses. A vinyl's topcoat holds in plasticizers, softening agents which keep vinyl supple. Vinyl is a UV-sensitive material which degrades when exposed to sunlight. Maintaining the integrity of the topcoat and protecting against UV damage are the keys to keeping vinyl looking and performing "like new". Rinse with cool water. Wash with soap (not detergent) and water using a soft cloth or sponge. For stubborn dirt, an extremely soft bristle brush may be used (baby toothbrush?). Rinse thoroughly with water and allow to dry. Avoid harsh cleaners, abrasives, petroleum distillates and alcohols. Using the wrong vinyl "protectant" product is worse than using no vinyl treatment product at all! Avoid vinyl treatment products that contain any type of oil, have an oily or greasy feeling, contain petroleum distillates or leave a coating that dries like wax. If a product label says "flammable or contains petroleum distillates", do not use on vinyl.