Patent leather has its own beauty and elegance. It is lavish, luscious, and screams luxury. But, something that rich necessitates timely maintenance. Read this Buzzle article and know how to care for your precious patent leather goods and accessories.

Those who know about the different types of leather, they would definitely be having a special attraction towards patent leather. Patent leather is a type of leather which has an extremely glossy finish. Its shine gives it a completely elegant look and makes it just a class apart from other leather. Patent leather footwear is especially, much classy and perfect not only for formal wear but it goes well on casuals as well.

Patent leather is widely used in many types of shoes, outfits, belts and purses. Patent leather bags and clutches look great and are adorned by many women. While this leather is one of the most elegant looking leather, it is not the most comfortable one due to the hard finish varnish and is not much breathable.

While you opt to buy any patent leather goods, remember that caring for it is a must. Most of you would choose to purchase patent leather product due to its amazing glossy finish. However, its maintenance is something that cannot be overlooked and is a little demanding. Many leather shops offer patent leather maintenance services. While there are also many products available commercially for patent leather care, you can opt for some inexpensive ways. But, of course, there are other simple and easy methods that you can practice yourself at home and maintain your dear accessories and goods. 

Daily Care

Mineral oil is best to be used for daily patent leather care. Take a cotton ball and have 1-2 drops of mineral oil over it. Gently rub it over the surface to clean away dirt and minor scuffs. You can also just buff the surface with a dry clean wash cloth and have a shiny surface ready to wear or carry. 

Cleaning

Use a damp wash cloth to clean the patent leather surface. The surface would be slightly moist now, let it dry. Now, take a little amount of petroleum jelly over a dry wash cloth and apply it over the leather surface. Leave for five minutes and then buff the surface to have a sheen-y look. Baby wipes are also popularly used for instant patent leather cleaning.

Scuff Marks

Acetone nail polish remover is a popular ingredient used to remove the scuffs over the products made of patent leather. The procedure is as follows. Dip a cotton swab into acetone nail polish remover, now carefully buff out the scuff marks and gently wipe off the excess acetone using a tissue paper. In case of white patent leather, you can use toothpaste to cover the scuffs. Dab a small amount of toothpaste into the scuff and leave it for a while. After some time buff the entire surface with wash cloth to give it a clean and shiny look. For instant coverage of scuff marks on black patent leather, you can use black shoe polish as well.

When you are not using patent leather product, store it in a dust cover. If it is handbag, then fill it up with rags or plain papers/ tissues. In case of shoes, fill them with plain papers as well. Make sure you fill up to maximum capacity. This will ensure that there are no creases developed over it. Make sure you keep it in a safe place to avoid wear and tear. Another patent leather care tip is not to store it, so that it might touch any other item as this might lead to scratches. Remember, not even two patent leather handbags or two shoes of same pair should touch each other while stored. 

After reading, you must have realized how easy the above mentioned tips are. You must make sure that you follow these simple steps for proper patent leather care. You can also opt for some commercial products and use them on special occasions. The wonderful look of patent leather can be maintained easily, but all you need to do is care for this classic piece as much as you can.