Does Leather Shrink?

Yes, cows tend to be alive when they are wearing their skin, different properties.

You can condition and stretch it back to shape though. I can't remember the exact oil but it is best, just google leather and oil.

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I try. :)

Yes, if you wash and dry leather, it shrinks. The reason cows don't shrink when they get wet is because there is bloodflow to the skin to keep it elastic. Cells are constantly being shed and replaced.

I wash and partially dry my leather moccasins when they need it. I don't dry them completely because, while leather does shrink, it also tends to stretch. So I just put them on my feet and they stretch back to the right size no problem.

There are plenty of good conditioners out there for leather. If it's a good leather, you should be able to condition it with olive oil. Just soak a rag and gently rub it in. Let it sit, and then wipe off the excess.

Yes if leather dries too quickly it will shrink. If leather gets wet, it has to be left to air dry slowly in a cool place (or at least a place that's not hot and exposed to the sun - I'm assuming you don't mean that you laundered it, right?).

There are leather conditioning products that you can buy to keep the leather supple and give it the sheen it's supposed to have. My husband used to keep some around for his motorcycle jackets but for the life of me I can't remember the name of it.

Ah, Rosebud, you made me laugh!
I am not laughing at you.
Just at the question... because it sounds like me when/if I ask my Husband a question, of which he thinks my questions are always from outer space and I am from a different Matrix... and he looks at me all weird.
I can just hear his voice.
LOL

Anyway, leather purses, wet, can tighten up or get stiffer etc. Seemingly shrink-ed.
Anyway, just Google search "does a leather purse shrink if washed."

Get a good leather product, the kind used for leather furniture. Conditioning creams etc. Or the kind used for leather shoes. Not, shoe polish. That just makes leather shinier and more water repellent.

Next time what I would do is, turn your purse inside out if you can. Then, put it out in the sun all day. After having, wiped down the inside with maybe a leather cleaner or Lysol wipes.
Make sure it is THOROUGHLY dried inside, so that mildew will not grow.

Haven't you ever noticed that cows get smaller after a rain?

Not to sound like a princess but - I always send leather goods, including purses, to be professionally cleaned. In NYC we have places that are known for fine handbag cleaning/repair.

Maybe you should locate a place like that, even now, to take care of your bag at this point? I bet there are similar places in CA....

How about using baseball glove conditioner to loosen it back up?

Neetsfoot oil is what you want to use on your purse to re-moisturize it. Do it a little bit at a time, over the period of a few days.

The oil will darken the leather a bit (moreso on lightly tanned leather than a dark leather). You will see the oil being absorbed by the leather. I would expect your purse to be -very- thirsty!!

You can get this oil at Fleet Farm or simlilar stores, in the horse tack section. It is the "go to" leather conditioner for saddle & bridle maintenance. You may also see other leather care products in the aisle, read through their uses, many of them will also work for your needs.

And next time, follow S. H. 's advice on washing your purse!! =-) T.

It might shrink depending on a lot of things.

Was it real leather?
How did you wash it?
How did you dry it?

http://www.wikihow.com/Clean-a-Leather-Purse

http://www.ehow.com/how_###-###-####_machine-wash-leather...

http://www.unicornproducts.com.au/leathertherapy/leatherc...