Care of authentic leather photo album

Even in this digitized world of web uploaded images and online photo sharing, the old fashioned photo albums have stood the test of time and not lost their charm. An authentic leather photo album is akin to the most treasured family heirloom, in which you preserve and protect the most-prized memories of you and your loved one’s lives. Turning the pages of an old leather photo album is like taking a walk down the time into the bygone days that you wish would have never ended – pure nostalgia.
Authentic leather is virtually timeless, just like the memories stored in the leather photo album, and with little care and maintenance will last well into its vintage age. Here are some tips that will help you to care for your authentic leather photo album better:
Authentic leather is a beautiful material to work with and requires very little cleaning, if any. As leather photo albums are rarely exposed to extreme conditions or likely to get soiled, just simple dusting with an old rag is enough to clean it. Leather tends to retain dust and moisture, which if not cleaned regularly can discolor the leather and damage the finish. Hence, remember to dust the album regularly.
In case there are any stains or spots on the leather cover, rub it off by using a cotton ball soaked in alcohol or nail-paint remover. If you have pasted any photo or design over your leather photo album, check if it is compatible to alcohol/ nail-paint remover by rubbing it on an inconspicuous area. Do not allow the stain remover to spread inside the photo album, as it can destroy your prized photos permanently.
Leather photo album covers do not require any leather cleaners; one because the leather over the photo album is seldom exposed to severe dirty and climatic conditions, and secondly, these cleaners can potentially overrun and destroy the photos inside. Just regular dusting is done as explained before is usually enough.
Conditioning the leather cover once in a while is a wise idea. This helps to lubricate and replenish the suppleness of leather, which in turn increases the life of the leather. When buying a leather conditioner, go for non-petroleum based products. The mineral oils in such conditioner can damage the leather over time. Look out for products that provide thick, greasy conditioning.
Polish your album cover once in a while to give it a nice glossy effect. When using a polishing agent, try it out on a small corner and leave for few hours to days and check if it suits your leather before using it over the whole album. Remember conditioning and polishing are to be done occasionally for some extra care, regular use of conditioners can damage the leather's life. Obviously, you should not polish at all if your leather has a matt rustic finish.
Rub a moisture barrier over the leather album cover before the onset of rains or other high moisture conditions. This will prevent stiffness and spouting to occur.
Never store your leather photo album in plastic as it is impermeable to moisture and will hence promote the growth of mildew and bacteria, which in turn destroy the leather and its binding. Always cover your leather photo album in quality tissue or muslin cloth or any other “breathable” fabric to protect it from moisture and mildew. Never expose your leather album to extreme sun or any form of heat. It will not only damage the leather and its finish, but also makes the photos fade.
Last but not the least, treat leather the way you treat your skin (that’s what it is after all). Improper treatments, harsh chemicals, and over exposure of elements can all cause irreparable, non-irreversible damage to the leather. Think of care and maintenance of authentic leather photo album similar to skin’s anti-aging treatment. Is something not good enough for your skin, then not for leather either.