How To Care For Leather Hair Accessories

How To Care For Leather Hair Accessories

L. Erickson USA Genuine Leather 1" Headband - Black - Amazon.com - All Rights Reserved

Leather is one of the hottest fashion trends for Fall 2015.   How to care for leather hair accessories will be a concern for anyone purchasing gorgeous 100% leather headbands, hair wraps, barrettes, hair clips or similar items.

Handbags crafted of leather are also expected to be huge.

Luckily the Professional Leather Cleaners Association (PLCA) specializes in making sure any of your valuable leather hair or related accessories always look their best and last as long as possible.

Top Care Tips For Hair Accessories & Related

L. Erickson Palisades Crystal Leather Headwrap - Red - Amazon.com - All Rights Reserved

Luckily leather ages gracefully and can last a lifetime with the proper care right from the start.

Some of the top leather hair accessory care tips include the following:

1.  When not wearing a leather headband, hair wrap or similar, place them on a full roll of paper towels, toilet paper or similar covered in a silk or satin pillowcase to help maintain the shape of the band.

Or store in a custom designed leather hair accessory dust bag.

Be careful not to store on a roll or any other item which stretches the item in any way.

The reason you should store your leather hair accessories properly is because heat and sweat from head may seep into the leather throughout the day and start to loosen or warp it.

L. Erickson USA Exotic Snakeskin 1" Headband - Sunset
from L. Erickson USA/FranceLuxe.com- All Rights Reserved

2.  If you prefer, you can stuff headbands, wraps, clips, barrettes or similar with soft tissue paper to help retain the shape.  Remember to avoid using colored tissue paper or items which could transfer color to your hair accessory.

3.  Never store leather hair accessories in plastic or other non-breathable containers. Lack of air will cause leather to become dry.

4.  Allow wet or damp leather to air-dry naturally away from any direct heat source.  Keep your blow dryer away from your wet hair accessory.

5.  Leather headbands, hair wraps, clips or barrettes can be treated with special leather conditioners to restore softness and flexibility.

Jennifer Behr Thin Leather Headwrap in Black -All Rights Reserved - JenniferBehr.com

6.  Protect stains before they happen. Consider spraying your leather accessory, with a water-resistant stain protector.

Remember to shake the product completely before use and spot test or a hidden spot to make sure it doesn't react badly with the leather. Good stain protectors should never alter the color or texture of the leather, although it may discolor any exposed glue, so keep that in mind.

Jennifer Behr Lambskin Thin Pony Wrap - JenniferBehr.com - All Rights Reserved

Most people are not aware that leather protection sprays eventually wear off.  It's a good idea to reapply the product regularly, especially after a thorough cleaning.

7.  Avoid storing leather hair accessories in humid and/or dry environments.  Keep them out of direct sunlight, except when wearing them.

9.  Avoid using heavy waxes, silicone products or other leather preparations which may damage or impair the delicate leather on your hair accessories.  Heavy waxes and silicone products may clog leather.  It's imperative you allow leather accessories to breathe.

L. Erickson Lizard Leather Volume Barrette - L. Erickson/FranceLuxe.com - All Rights Reserved

10.  Avoid spraying perfumes, hair sprays or any type of  hair styling products while wearing a leather hair accessory.

11. When possible, keep your leather hair accessory away from hair and body oils.  Keep in mind contact with dirty, greasy or oily hair which may leech onto your leather accessories.

12.  Do not apply pins, adhesive badges or tape.

LErickson Leather Interlocking Turban - L. Erickson/FranceLuxe.com - All Rights Reserved

13.  Clean and condition your hair accessories before you put them away. The longer you leave your leather pieces untreated, the harder it will be to clean them.

Pen marks are particularly damaging because ink soaks into the leather drying in less than an hour.  It's important to deal with ink spots or similar as soon as possible. A quick cleaning at the end of the day should be fine.

14.  All products formulated for at-home use should be tested on an inconspicuous part of your leather accessory.

L. Erickson USA Genuine Leather Large Rectangle Barrette - L.Erickson/FranceLuxe.com

When in doubt, for best results, always consult a leather care professional.

More About The Professional Leather Cleaners Association

Established in 2010, the Professional Leather Cleaners Association (PLCA) is a not for profit trade association founded by a group of leather cleaners from across North America, each with at least 30 years of experience and dedicated to the highest standards for cleaning leather.

Metallic Leather Headwrap - JenniferBehr.com - All Rights Reserved

Their goal is to provide information and resources to the consumer about the unique characteristics, care and cleaning requirements for leather apparel and accessories.

For more information about the PLCA and to find a professional leather cleaner near you, go to their website at: www.professionalleathercleaners.org.

Remember, when in doubt about caring for your spectacular leather hair accessories, consult a leather expert of the manufacturer.

Note:  Hairboutique.com was not compensated in any way, financially or otherwise, for this blog.