Your new leather platter mat requires almost no special care, but here are a couple “what ifs” and ways to keep it in good shape:
1. What if I get water on my leather mat? Immediately dry your mat with a towel.
2. What if my leather mat gets a fold in it and will not lie flat? You may carefully iron your mat with the smooth side down and suede side up. Set the iron to a medium setting and move the iron across the mat, taking care to keep the iron moving at all times. For added protection, you may cover the mat with a thin towel and then iron it. Do NOT use the steam setting.
3. Ideally, your mat will not collect any dust, but if your turntable does not have a dust cover you may get some dust residue on your mat. To remove dust, lint, or any other small particulate matter, use a lint roller (looks like double-sided masking tape) on the suede side(s). For the smooth side, if you have a split mat, just use a micro-fiber cloth or equivalent.
4. During the wintertime, static electricity can be particularly strong due to low humidity. If you have a split mat and are experiencing issues with the mat clinging to your LPs, try placing the smooth side down, in contact with your platter, and the suede side up, in contact with your LPs.