Using Mint Oil To Dye Handmade Italian Leather Bags
Using Mint Oil to Dye Handmade Italian Leather Bags
After using your handmade Italian leather bags for several occasions over the years, you start noticing it fading though it is still intact. That is the genuine leather for you. The quality remains though the color seems to fade. This is likely to affect its appearance, but you still assured of the quality. You can restore the image by dying it yourself or paying for professionals to do it for you. When doing it yourself, consider using the mink oil to darken your handmade Italian leather bags. Don't blame yourself for the fading because it is beyond your control even with utmost care you had for your bags. Follow the following steps as you use mink oil.
Ø Mink oil soaks and lubricates leather to condition it since it is a natural substance. The waterproofing ability in it makes it ideal for this process as it too protects from mildew, mold and salts into the fabric. First, clean the leather surface using a brush or a damp cloth to get rid of any dust or dirt on the surface.
Ø Put the leather bag in the sun to gently warm up. This will help the mink oil go deep into the leather that will make it indelible and permanent in the leather. Also, warm up the mint oil by placing the bottle in a container with hot water to gentle heat it.
Ø Proceed to apply the warm mink oil now. Using a clean cloth, spread the oil across leather lengthwise. Implement the coating evenly to ensure you get an even finish too. You may be required to make multiple applications until you get the desired darkness you intended to reach.
Ø On getting the shade you want, allow the material to dry for about half an hour to one hour. As it dries, keep moving it back and forth to prevent the leather from stiffening if it dries in one position. It will also help the oil to penetrate into the leather surface. To get a shiny finish on drying, you can polish it using a shoe brush or a piece of cloth. Buff the material by rubbing it with a piece of cloth in circles.
Ø Finally, handle the finished leather with care because the traces of oil may rub onto your skin or clothes, or worse anything that comes into contact with it. You are likely to get stains on it if you not careful. It is important to store your dyed handmade Italian leather bags in a safe place until thoroughly dried. You can opt to repeat this whole process again if you still want a deeper color saturation.