Purses are a unique accessory that completes your outfits. You can purchase purses in all kinds of materials and designs. The material dictates how long your purse will remain presentable and functional. There are materials like leather that can stand the test of time, and thus, it makes for an excellent material for purses. If you take care of your leather purse properly, it’s likely to last for an extended period.
Sometimes, however, we fail to notice when our leather purses are in disrepair, which is why we may need cobblers. Getting a cobbler to fix your leather bags is one of the best ways you can receive purse repair in the Chicago area.
Checking for Purse Repair: Chicago
Before looking for places or cobblers to conduct purse repair, you must check whether your purse is eligible. We have listed some ways for you to do so:
1. Clean Your Leather Purse
We rarely find time to clean our leather purses. However, if you sense that your purse needs repair, it’s good practice to clean it thoroughly first. Cleaning it makes it much more apparent what areas of your purse need repair. Additionally, when your purse is clean, it’s easier for the repair treatment to take on it.
2. Check for Scratches
One of the most common ways you may harm your purse would be through scratches. They’re relatively common and are a common sign that your purse has gone through some use. However, there can be two significant scratches: surface level and deep. Deep or severe scratches can crack up the entire exterior of the leather. Thus, it can seriously harm the aesthetics of your purse.
3. Torn Lining
The lining of your purse has likely seen some rough days. The interior of your purse is responsible for facing everything you’re throwing in there. From lipstick to bobby pins and other sharp objects, the lining of your purse has seen it all. Thus, it only makes sense that your lining may give up after a while. The lining is what makes your purse a perfect place for your possessions. It’s the part of your purse that holds everything together, so you’re better off having a full lining than one that’s torn. It’s an easy fix. All you would have to do is attach an applique.
4. Ripped Seams or Stitching
Ripped Seams are similar to the lining, except these are present on the exterior. Ripped seams give the overall bag a lousy presentation which is why many people want to fix an issue such as this as soon as possible.
5. Peeling Edges
In leather purses, you may notice that there are spaces where the leather seems to be peeling or is just distressed. In low-quality purses, this problem is much more prevalent. However, there are ways of preventing this peeling. There are certain areas where the peeling is much more likely to happen, such as areas with more significant skin contact, like handles or straps.
How to Clean Before Purse Repair: Chicago?
Now that we know that cleaning is a significant step you must take before you conduct purse repair, we can list the steps you must take to clean your purse.
- You’re going to pick out all the cleaning materials. You will need a clean cloth, warm water, leather cleaner, and conditioner.
- Begin by applying the damp cloth to your leather bag and cleaning the entire bag in sections. This action helps to remove any dirt at the surface level so you can observe if there are any stains or areas that require special care.
- Once you’re sure that you’ve cleaned the leather purse thoroughly, you want to then go in with the leather cleaner. Begin by testing the leather cleaner on the bottom of the bag and see how it reacts. You can use the leather cleaner to treat the stain or problematic areas if all appears well. It would be best if you used a clean cloth to press the leather cleaner into these spots. You must ensure that you don’t use any other soap for your leather purse as it can harm the exterior.
- Once your feel that the stain is no longer persisting, you must wipe the cleaner off using a clean, wet cloth. You want to do this as often as it takes for a clean purse.
- Leave your purse in a cool, dry place. Once it’s dry, you’ll have a clean purse.
Ways to Conduct Purse Repair at Home?
If you’re one of those people who love to conduct purse repair at home, there are ways for you to do this. After cleaning, you may find slight or large scratches you want to get rid of, and there are ways for you to do so.
- You’ll need to gather a few articles before you can begin repairing your purse, like a cloth, leather conditioner, leather glue, or a toothpick.
- Once you’ve cleaned your bag, the issues in your bag will become much more apparent. However, you can fix these using a proper leather conditioner. A leather cleaner is a moisturizer that helps fix the damaged area.
- If you want to fix the deeper cracks, then open up the crack to expose the surface. Take the toothpick and dip it in the leather glue and then apply the glue to the inner folds of the torn surface.
- Let the glue dry a little, and flatten the torn edges until the cracks join together. Take a moist cloth and remove any excess glue, so the purse remains protected.
- Allow the glue to dry over the crack completely. Once you do that, you can add another layer of leather conditioner.
Final Thoughts
It’s challenging to repair purses from most materials. However, when it comes to leather purses, you may still have hope once the damage is done. It isn’t easy to find places for purse repair. Chicago is a huge city, yet finding the right cobblers for leather goods like purses and goods can be challenging. Thus, you may want to look for ways that you can clean and fix your purse on your own. With this article, we want to empower you to do so!
