A leather belt retains a good look and function well if you properly care for it. Sunlight, perspiration, grime and spills all can take a toll on a leather belt. The two aspects of leather belt care you should keep in mind are cleaning and storage. Leather can dry out if stored in sunlight and can mildrew if stored in humid areas. Using the wrong types of cleaning products on leather can also damage it, reducing the wearable lifespan on the belt.
Cleaning Your Leather Belt From Dirt or Spills
Remove dirt or spills from your leather belt promptly. To remove dust or dirt , brush the belt gently with a soft-bristled tooth brush or shoe brush. Soak up spills on the belt with a clean, absorbent cloth. Use a damp cloth if spills are anything other than water. Dry the belt immediately with a dry cloth.
Soaps To Use In Cleaning Your Leather Belt
Clean your leather belt with saddle soap at least once every 6 months ( more frequently if you wear the same belt every day – about every 3 months in that case). Rub the saddle soap all over the belt. Wipe it down, to remove excess saddle soap and dirt, with a clean, dry cloth.
Condition the belt after cleaning (you’ll only need to do this if the best still feels too stiff feels too stiff-sometimes saddle soap alone will condition it enough) to keep it supple. Use a leather conditioner applied to a soft cloth. Rub the cloth over both sides of the belt until the belt has absorbed much of the conditioner. Let the belt hang dry ( straight down, with the buckle attached to a hook on the wall or in a closet) before you wear it again.
How To Polish A Leather Belt
A glossy leather belt dull with time, even if you keep them clean and wear them only occasionally. You can easily bring new life and high gloss back to most leather belts; in fact, when you are finished polishing your belt, you may be amazed at the results. You’ll need just a few simple, inexpensive items and a short amount of time. Plan a little ahead of an important event, however. You may not be able to wear the belt right away. Generally, allow the polish to cure on the belt at least overnight; otherwise some colour from the polish might rub off on your clothing.
Clean Your Leather belt before polishing. If it is not visibly dirty, wipe it down with a soft cloth; otherwise, apply leather cleaner ( the same kind you use for leather shoes) to a soft cloth, and rub it over the belt. Wipe it again with a dry cloth, and allow the belt to dry before continuing.
Buff the leather belt with a soft cloth. Remove excess polish using this cloth, and switch to another clean cloth. Buff the belt until it is shiny.
