Mink Oil for Leather

Mink oil is one of the commercially important animal based oils, derived from minks. Chemically, this oil contains high amounts of palmitoleic acid, a fatty acid found in human adipose tissues. Considering this, mink oil is extensively added in skin care products, formulated for dry skin treatments. The usage of mink oil for leather was first known to hunters, who applied it on leather shoes to make them waterproof and flexible. But, what is so special about mink oil and using it for leather? Scroll down to delve more on extraction of mink oil, leather cleaning by using mink oil.

What is Mink Oil?

There is thick fatty acid deposition underneath the skin layer of minks, which is the main source for production of mink oil. Commercially, mink oil is extracted at the time of slaughtering minks for their valuable pelts. However, small scale extraction is also done from live minks. The unique property of mink oil is attributed to the high percentage content of unsaturated fatty acids. In fact, more than 70 percent of the total fatty acid content is of unsaturated type. Unlike other vegetable oils and animal oils that become rancid over a period of time, mink oil remains in its original state for a longer period.

Where to Buy Mink Oil?

When it comes to uses of mink oil, leather treating and conditioning cannot be avoided. Read the labels of superior quality leather shoe creams and you will find mink oil as one of its ingredients. The softening effect of mink oil is highly appreciated for increasing the flexibility of leather goods. Shoe creams containing mink oil are loaded with waterproof components to increase the life of shoes. You can purchase best mink oil for leather care from shoe stores and other shops that sell leather based products.

How to Use Mink Oil on Leather?

Most leather manufacturing companies use mink oil to make their products more supple. To be more precise, your leather items are already treated with mink oil during production. This is because, during leather treatment process, much of the animal oils are lost. So, over time, after constant usage of the leather goods, they become dry and often develop cracks on the surface. Repeated rubbing of the fibers quicken the deterioration process of the fibers. And the outcome is poor appearance of leather, which you do not like at any cost.

Using mink oil on leather clothing and goods lubricate the tough fibers and increase durability. Loaded with fatty acids, it repels moisture and water, which are common elements for speeding up the fiber decaying process. Thus, the primary benefit of using mink oil for leather jackets or shoes is to supplement the lost oils, making them soft and flexible (to some extent). Whether you are using mink oil furniture or other leather goods, the tips are the same. You just have to follow the instructions mentioned in the leaflet of the product.

No doubt, the benefits of mink oil are noteworthy. But, it has certain drawbacks as well. For example, regular use of mink oil causes over softening of leather, especially those that are chromium treated. It is also not unusual to notice discoloration of leather after using mink oil repeatedly. In short, your main focus is to search for quality mink oil products, appropriate for your leather goods.