Leather belts are one of the popular belt options, and this is because this material holds up really well, looks good, and functions exceptionally if properly taken care of. Another great thing about leather belts is that they’re low maintenance, and there’s little that you need to do to get years of use from your belt—you can check out Badichi Belts for women’s leather belts.
However, like any other material, the wrong usage or wrong types of cleaning products can severely affect the wearable lifespan on the belt. Fortunately, we’ve prepared a detailed plan that will show you how to care for your belt:
Keep it Dry
The greatest threat to leather material is wetness; you should always keep your belt dry.
In case your belt gets wet, do not try to accelerate the drying process by using hair dryers or even placing it over naked flames, but instead let it dry on its own. Direct contact with heat can severely take a toll in the leather, including hardening and making it brittle.
So, in case your leather belt gets wet, the best way to dry it is to place it in the open area of room temperature and let it dry on its own.
Condition
Think about the time you normally spend conditioning and shining your leather shoes. Why does it get too hard to dedicate even a fraction of the effort towards your leather belt? After all, they’re both designed from the same material and have the same needs.
Just like your shoes, your belts require regular conditioning to protect against moisture and filth. A conditioner is also a wonderful option for de-hardening the leather material.
To condition, the belt lay it down and try to evenly apply a portion of the conditioner on the belt before gently rubbing the conditioner on the leather.
After use, the belt will look shinier, and what you need to know is to let it lay for a couple of hours to dry and let the conditioner do its thing.
Clean your Belts with Care
After intensive sessions of wear, leather develops an odor, and of course, you will want to clean it. However, as we had indicated earlier, under no circumstances should you get your leather wet, or even use a washing machine to clean it.
Instead, we advise that you use a toothbrush, or any small brush dedicated for belt cleaning, alongside with liquid soap. Gently scrub the belt on both sides before letting it dry on its own.
Storing your Belt
Assuming you’re not going to use your belt for an extended period, you’ll need to store your belt. Ideally, we recommend storing your belt upstairs in the living space, as opposed to the humid and damp locations such as the attic, basement, or any unheated areas.
See, the leather is susceptible to mold, and storage in damp areas can result in the drying and cracking of the material.
Beyond the location, you should also consider how you position your belt. For instance, it’s not recommendable to roll the belt as it degraded the leather and exacerbates the creasing process.
Instead, get yourself a hanger, and while you might think using them is too much work, the hangers let the belts hang down, which allows your belt to “rest” and breathe.
Don’t Over Wear
Think about how much movement, bending, flexing and twisting that you usually do throughout the day, and then multiply that by 30 days with zero rest. That said, you now see why it easy for your belt to give in and break down in record time.
Ideally, you should always consider your belt like your regular garments; letting your belt rest in-between wears accompanied by general maintenance like conditioning will promote its durability as well as overall performance.
To preserve your leather belt, try alternating two or three over the week. And while at it, make a point of always detaching your belt from your pants as it forces it to stay in a bent position, ultimately creating creases.
Wear the Right Size
An often ignored but essential component for leather belt care is wearing the right size. When your belt is loose-fitting, it can develop creases because of how it folds on your waist, and on the other hand, if it’s too small, it can stretch to fit on your waist, and this can cause damage.
So, both ways, a loose-fitting or tight belt can result in damage to your belt, and it’s, therefore, recommendable that you choose the right size of your belt.
Ideally, the right-sized belt should be approximately two inches larger than your pants waist size, and it’s always a good idea to test on the belts before purchasing one.
Do you own a leather belt? Or do you usually go for pleather belts at stores like H&M? Let us know in the comments below! Read more:
