Anti-viral Treatments on Leather Furnishings and Goods: Proceed With Caution! The Fine Leather Blog

Most of us are now hunkered down into our homes for an extended period of time. Some are online searching for solutions to quash any possibility of coronavirus Covid-19 on their possessions,…including leather goods… in their various forms. I’m reading a number of frankly feeble articles on this subject published by major news sources…and they’re of little help to the consumer. You don’t need to be told at this moment to keep your handbag tidy or to clean it with routine products which don’t kill viruses. What people want to know is how to minimize their potential Covid-19 exposure on leather items they already own… which may possibly be contaminated…without ruining them!

Some will be researching services to come into their homes when restrictions are lifted, with the intent to do an anti-viral “Spring Cleaning” for peace of mind. Some are searching to disinfect leather in corporate boardrooms, building lobbies, restaurants or private aviation to protect their investments. Some may be luxury houses seeking to sterilize their stock and boutiques before reopening their doors. There are indeed solutions for each, but “one size fits all” does NOT apply here! Please read on…

In my last blog post [HERE], I offered practical tips for the consumer to safely disinfect their handbags and gloves. Leather or shearling jackets, coats and other garments can also be treated the same way. Hang in direct sunlight rotating for an hour or two( clip up the arms if needed after an hour, so every inch has been exposed to the sun!) then turn inside out and do the same for an hour. This will expose the inside of the cuffs and hems…normally germ concentrated areas.

There are UV disinfecting lamps and wands available of varying quality and strength. Most appear to be out of stock as of this writing. If you already possess a travel size unit, know it’s output is for small jobs such as cell phones, remotes and door handles. Lamps capable of treating rooms CANNOT be used while occupied. Instructions must be followed exactly. Pets and plants need to be removed as well and a specific time period is required for the ozone these lamps produce to dissipate before re-entry. These are impractical for larger applications which can be accomplished by professionals proficient in leather care.

I’m currently re-dyeing a shearling jacket that was unevenly lightened 5 shades when placed in front of an ozone machine to remove cigar odors! While ozone machines are not common in homes (nor should they be), UV lamps could replicate the same disaster if improperly used!

I’m seeing a number of home cleaning companies advertising for disinfection services. A few of these specifically state they do leather, yet they’re holding the wand of a steam cleaner in the images on their “leather services” page! DO NOT allow anyone to use a steam cleaner on your leather! Heat + moisture will shrink, warp and deform the hide. It’s usually permanent. This is why wet leather shoes and leather gloves should never be placed by a heat source to dry.

Any disinfectant wipes currently on the market are NOT suitable for leather, nor will they kill viruses. Alcohol mixtures recommended by the CDC on hard surfaces aren’t suitable either, you risk damage to the protective finish and color on painted/colored leather and possible staining on untreated leather. Some current leather care products on the market may be anti-bacterial, but none are anti-viral, which is the area of concern here.

Bleach solutions of any kind are the “kiss of death” for leather. You’ve been warned!

One of the few leather-safe products that kills 99.999% of all viruses (including prior strains of human coronavirus) are hospital grade “quaternary disinfectants”. Properly applied after cleaning… then removed… these are safe for most leathers and ideal for larger items. Like the above these are currently unavailable, being rightfully diverted to hospitals, the military, first responders and should be applied by a pro.

So for the duration, hopefully the above is helpful to both consumers and to various businesses now strategizing to return to normalcy as quickly as possible. We certainly have the time to plan wisely!

Stay home, STAY HEALTHY!

Covid-19/Coronavirus On Your Leather??? Tips You Can use NOW! The Fine Leather Blog

It’s been an interesting week so far….

It began with a call from a clothing rental company. “We’re getting calls from concerned customers about renting the bags asking if they’re treated to prevent transmission from household to household… just in case? Can you help?”

Well, I only work on bags unless it’s a color, finish , stain or a leather damage issue; there are plenty of qualified shops in NYC that can fix stitching and replace hardware, so I’ll leave that to them. That said, I usually have a few cross my bench each month. A Tom Ford tote just went back to it’s owner.. I’ve a Bottega Venetta in process next to me. I’m taking a breather here while it’s curing. But this was not the usual inquiry, and it got me thinking…

There are a goodly amount of institutional -grade disinfectants out there, but there are very few that are safe to use on most leather. I happen to possess a decent amount of one brand, which I’m told is now…like masks, wipes and possibly toilet paper from what I’ve read… sold out everywhere.

A hospital-grade product not only kills bacteria…like our bathroom cleaners at home…but also kills viruses, a “virucide’. Some home cleaners are virucidal as well, but they can’t be used on leather.

This situation is a first for most of us. Panic accomplishes nothing. But if an individual wants to go the extra mile of precaution for their peace of mind, so be it. Where to start for the average leather handbag or backpack? Hopefully, you’ve done regular cleaning and conditioning. If so, your item is considerably less germy than one that was neglected and will be easier to clean. But how to zap corona virus that may have possibly alighted on the surface while you were on the subway or in the Uber without ruining the bag? Alcohol is very risky as it will dissolve most finishes. I use it constantly in my work and there’s a time and place for it…but it’s for pros. You won’t be able to get the industrial stuff mentioned above, but I’ll tell you what you can do to greatly minimize the virus living for up 9 days on your leather and it’s FREE…yes, FREE!

Ever hear the old saying “sunshine is the best disinfectant”? Nowadays it’s usually used to refer to bringing transparency to an issue; but sunshine…AKA UV light…is indeed an excellent virus killer! Placing in direct sunlight near a window (without UV protective film!) and rotating over a period of a few hours will do for the outside. But exposure has to be thorough, even if it means propping the bag open with a pencil or bamboo skewer for the sun to shine inside as well. You can prop outer side pockets open with popsicle sticks or toothpicks… tilt toward the sun if you need to… you want as little sun blockage as possible. This is IDEAL for viruses on leather gloves as well…which we’re all likely going to extend wearing this Spring… an hour or so on each side, spread the fingers then wash your hands! A smart home practice is to have a spot on a counter or table away from food prep with a small towel the bag/gloves can rest on at home, and the towel can be changed and washed with bleach as often as you’re comfortable with.

3/27 UPDATE- Your leather jackets, coats and other accessories can be treated the same way. Make certain every inch had been exposed to sunlight for a minimum 15 minutes. Jackets and clothing: turn inside out and repeat this step to treat completely…the inside of cuffs, sleeves and hems are germ concentration points. Clip up sleeves if needed so the sunlight can reach under sleeves.

3/31 UPDATE: In a USA TODAY article 3-30-2020: While the article focused on sunshine on the human body rather than items, there is still significant debate. Historically, sunlight has been an enemy of viruses. This article suggests the Covid-19 virus requires stronger UV exposure than sunlight…such as professional UV light treatments…which would cause the body to sunburn. As we are focused on leather articles, I’ll stand by prior suggestions in this post, but will update it as facts present themselves. It will take a while for definitive data on this particular strain to emerge. In the meantime, we will…like others… go by existing data on the related SARS and H1N1 viruses until proof of otherwise. View their article here: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2020/03/30/fact-check-sunlight-does-not-kill-new-coronavirus/2931170001/

NOTE: For ANY treatment of anything in the home: use only products and mixtures recommended by the CDC and WHO; however, their list left out several other products (mostly institutional) with proven anti-viral abilities. You can check your own products or those being advertised by Googling the product’s name + MSDS (Master Safety Data Sheet). That sheet, while lengthy…is the bottom line on whether the product is a virucide, killing 99.999% of viruses. If there’s no mention, it doesn’t. There are companies out there claiming to offer various sanitizing/disinfection services. Insist on seeing the data sheet of the products they’re using.

While Covid-19/coronavirus on leather furniture may not be a priority unless in a hotel lobby, restaurant or conference room, it requires a pro…at least initially…to treat and create a corona virus protocol going forward. So it appears I’ve added a few services to the roster I could never have imagined.

Hopefully they’ll be short-lived! Stay well, we’ll get through this together!