For the layperson, it can be a surprise to know that beeswax is used in many leather care products. In this article, I’m going to tackle a specific question and that is whether beeswax conditions leather.
The short answer to this question is beeswax helps to nourish, soften and protect leather when used directly on leather goods or in other products like conditioners. Beeswax contains all the ingredients needed to condition leather surfaces.
Beeswax is a powerful all-natural ingredient that can help to protect your leather goods by conditioning it, softening the fibers, and also creating a barrier against water penetration as well as harmful UV rays.
It’s important for you to know how to apply beeswax to your leather goods in order to keep them looking and feeling great for years to come.
Beeswax is a natural product that has multiple benefits when applied to leather so make sure you don’t skip any part of this article.
Before we get into the details on the answer above, let’s explore what beeswax actually is, what’s in it, and how it’s able to condition leather.
What Is Beeswax?
Beeswax is a wax created by honey bees. It’s made from the secretion of the worker bee, which goes through multiple stages before it becomes what we know as beeswax.
Beekeepers often harvest and collect the substance to use in different ways including making candles, polishing wood, for the leather industry, among others.
The reason beeswax is so popular for leather conditioning is that it’s a natural product that contains many beneficial properties.
What Does Leather Conditioning Involve?
Leather conditioning is the practice of treating leather in order to keep it looking and feeling good. This involves;
Conditioning Has To Do With Maintaining The Natural Oils Off The Leather
Leather is skin, so it needs to be moisturized and conditioned just like our own skin does.
In order to keep your leather from getting dried out, it must be moisturized which is why conditioning plays a major part in the industry.
Conditioners will help to re-hydrate leather that has been damaged by exposure or lack of moisture over time, thus creating a protective barrier on the surface.
So whatever you apply to your leather goods should be able to do this.
Conditioning Involves Softening The Leather Fibers
Conditioning also involves softening the leather fibers. When leather dries out, it becomes stiff and can even crack.
Applying a conditioner to your goods will help to moisturize the leather and soften it back up which makes your goods look better – thus another thing to pay attention to when looking to condition your leather.
Conditioning Also Involves Protecting Leather Against Weather Elements
Leather is often exposed to the sun and rain and other weather elements. Over time, this can cause it to fade, crack, or even split.
A good conditioner will help to form a barrier on the surface of the leather that will protect it from these harmful elements.
Conditioning Keeps The Leather From Deteriorating Over Time
Part of conditioning leather is to prevent it from deteriorating over time. Leather goods that are properly conditioned with the right products will last longer and look better than those that are not.
In order to achieve this, the fibers of the leather must be softened and moisturized so they can stretch and move without breaking.
Applying a conditioner will help to achieve this goal and keep your leather looking great for years to come.
Why Does Beeswax Condition Leather?
As mentioned above, beeswax has some properties that allow it to effectively condition leather goods such as wallets, shoes, and furniture. Below are the reasons beeswax is able to condition leather:
1. Beeswax Is Water Repellent
The first property of beeswax is that makes it an effective conditioner is that beeswax is a very effective water repellent.
When you apply beeswax on your leather goods, it forms a protective barrier that doesn’t allow water to penetrate the surface.
This is important because if the leather gets wet, it can become damaged and start to deteriorate over time.
You may have noticed when you apply body lotion on your skin the lotion absorbs quickly into your skin to form an invisible barrier.
So when your skin comes into contact with water, what you will often notice is that the water beads up and stay on the surface of your skin.
Beeswax has a similar property to leather in that it forms a barrier against moisture and water.
When applied to leather, it will help to protect the leather from absorbing too much water which can lead to cracking and drying over time.
2. Beeswax Contains Natural Oils
The second reason beeswax works so well for conditioning leather is because it contains natural oils.
These oils actually mimic the oils that are found in leather and they help to keep it moisturized.
When you apply beeswax, you’re essentially treating your leather with a natural oil bath which is going to nourish and soften it over time.
Leather through wear and tear will often lose its natural oils and this is when it becomes dry, stiff, and difficult to manage.
Beeswax can help to replenish some of those natural oils that have been lost over time.
3. Beeswax Is A Softener
As I might have hinted already, leather conditioners often contain chemicals that soften the leather.
Beeswax also contains softening agents which help to make the leather more pliable and supple.
Leather that is well conditioned will feel soft and supple to touch and it won’t be as stiff and unyielding.
Beeswax has a high melting point so when it’s applied to leather, it doesn’t immediately liquefy and soak in.
This allows time for the softening agents to be absorbed into the leather fibers for a long-lasting effect.
4. Beeswax Also Has Antibacterial Properties
The next reason beeswax is such an effective conditioner for leather is because it has antibacterial properties which help to prevent your leather wallet from getting smelly and bacteria absorbing into the leather over time.
These antibacterial properties are great for preventing leather goods from smelling bad and becoming unusable. More importantly, beeswax helps to keep mold and mildew away as well.
Beeswax is such an effective conditioner because it has multiple properties when applied to leather that helps to keep your goods looking and feeling great over time.
5. Beeswax Is A Barrier Against Weather Elements (Uv Rays)
One of the leather’s arch enemies in direct sunlight. The sun’s UV rays can cause the leather to fade, crack and even peel over time.
Beeswax helps to form a barrier against these harmful UV rays and it will help to protect your leather from becoming damaged.
This is important for leather furniture or shoes and other leather items that are constantly exposed to the sun to be treated with beeswax to help prevent them from fading and cracking over time.
Also, acid rain as the name implies may contain acids that can erode and damage leather over time.
Beeswax also helps to create a barrier against acids so when you apply beeswax, your leather will be protected from weather elements such as acid rain, snow, or direct sunlight.
The Pros Of Using Beeswax To Condition Leather
Now that you know why beeswax is able to condition leather goods let’s take a look at the pros of using beeswax to condition your leather.
- Beeswax helps to nourish leather goods by replacing lost natural oils.
- Beeswax helps to protect the leather from cracking over time due to weather elements.
- Beeswax helps to protect leather goods from mold and mildew.
- Beeswax forms a barrier against the sun’s UV rays.
- Beeswax is a softener for leather goods.
The Cons Of Using Beeswax To Condition Leather
Now that you know the pros of using beeswax to condition leather, let’s also take a look at some of the cons.
- Beeswax can be difficult to apply evenly.
- It can be a little messy if you’re not careful.
- Beeswax may darken light-colored leather
Final Thoughts
So as you can see beeswax checks all of the boxes in terms of what you would expect any good quality leather conditioner or leather oil will do for leather goods.
Beeswax helps to repel moisture, it contains natural oils that help soften and condition the leather, and it also has antibacterial properties.
One of the great things about beeswax is that it’s a natural product so you know there aren’t any harsh chemicals or artificial ingredients in it.
This makes it a safer option for those who are looking for an environmentally friendly way to condition their leather goods.
