Safe and effective ways to wash your leather bag

foto10799-1An indispensable accessory for women's wardrobe is a handbag. Regardless of what material it is made of (leather, leatherette or suede) over time, the bag loses its original appearance.

You can return your favorite thing to its purity and brightness of color by following the tips for proper washing.

How to wash a leather bag, suede and leatherette, lacquered will be described in the article.

Is it possible to use an automatic washing machine?

If someone decides to wash their leather bag in the washing machine, then, most likely, such an experience will end in failure - the favorite thing will be ruined.

Regardless of the price, color of the product, the skin loses its elasticity and softness after prolonged contact with water. Machine wash will turn a leather bag into a shapeless sack that cannot be returned to its original appearance.

When you start washing your leather bag, it will not be superfluous to read and remember the following rules:

  • washing is carried out only with the use of liquid detergents for delicate fabrics (dry powders injure natural leather, leatherette, suede);
  • the temperature of the water for washing cannot exceed 30C;
  • during washing, do not actively rub or twist the product.

How to clean at home?

Experienced housewives advise to clean leather handbags only by hand, using the dry method or wet wash. Read more about how to care for your bags. here.

Wet hand wash

The wet cleaning method involves using an alcohol wipe or a wet sponge and soapy water.

Algorithm of actions:

  1. foto10799-2The leather bag is laid out on a horizontal surface.
  2. After moistening the napkin with alcohol, first of all, gently wipe the lining. Alcohol removes any dirt, unpleasant odors from the lining fabric.
  3. Alternatively, instead of an alcohol wipe, you can use a sponge with soapy water (dissolve a spoonful of liquid detergent in a glass of water).
  4. The outer part is wiped with napkins dipped in ammonia or a sponge dipped in a solution of laundry soap and water (a spoonful of grated laundry soap must be taken in a glass of water).

Dry cleaning

With minimal dirt, dry cleaning will help you quickly return your favorite handbag to a presentable exterior. To do this, wipe the leather product with a dry soft cloth. A bag made of velvety suede is treated with a special brush.

During the cleaning process, special attention is paid to the attachment points of the handles, seams, pockets (this is where the greatest amount of dust and dirt accumulates).

Features for leatherette handbag

Just like bags made of genuine leather, leatherette products cannot be washed in a washing machine, dried at high temperatures, or cleaned with aggressive chemical agents.

You can simply and quickly clean an eco-leather handbag by following the following sequence of actions:

  1. foto10799-3In a small amount of warm water (200-300 ml), dissolve a spoonful of a special detergent for washing woolen products (can be replaced with powder for delicate fabrics).
  2. After moistening the sponge with soapy water, we gently wipe the bag, paying special attention to the processing of seams, joints of handles and pockets.
  3. The final stage is surface treatment with a silicone-impregnated sponge. Such actions will not only return the shine to the leatherette and create an additional protective water-repellent film.

Alternatively, you can use a generic skin care product. It can be purchased at any shoe store.

Before buying, it is important to make sure that the cleaning agent is free of solvent and acetone.

Suede

Preserving the delicate velvety surface of suede can only be done with proper care.

Here are some tips to remember when getting started cleaning suede bags:

  1. Only a quick hand wash is allowed for suede garments. Otherwise, after being saturated with moisture, suede loses its softness and elasticity.
  2. Only special shampoos or gels, liquid detergents for woolen and delicate fabrics are used for washing suede products.
  3. If the lining is dirty, wash it separately, after shaking off small debris. If the lining cannot be removed, the bag is turned inside out and the lining fabric is treated with a sponge soaked in soapy water.
  4. The water temperature for washing suede products does not exceed 30C.

Suede handbags are washed in the following sequence:

  • foto10799-4add a properly selected detergent to a bowl of warm water, beat it to a foam;
  • having spread out the bag on a hard surface, wipe it with soft circular movements with a sponge dipped in soapy foam;
  • after the bag is cleaned, it is additionally wiped with a clean, damp sponge or soft cloth;
  • if necessary, the lining of the bag is also washed in soapy water;
  • after washing, the bag is gently blotted with a terry towel (you cannot wring out the suede), laid out to dry in a well-ventilated room away from direct sunlight and heating appliances.


Suede is dried only at room temperature. Failure to do so may result in damage to the product.

To speed up the drying process of a suede bag, newspapers or papers that are filled with a still wet product will help.

How to wash the lining?

Unlike a leather bag, the fabric lining is washable. And this should be done as often as possible. After all, stains from cosmetics, money, dirty hands very quickly appear on the fabric.

Algorithm of actions:

  1. foto10799-5Before washing, the lining is turned inside out. All pockets are checked for coins and other small items.
  2. Warm water is poured into the basin, liquid detergent or gel is added for washing delicate fabrics.
  3. Carefully, avoiding skin contact with the detergent solution, wash the lining.
  4. After that, the lining is rinsed in clean water and sent to dry in an inverted state.

If there are stubborn, complex stains on the lining, they must be removed before washing:

  • lipstick stains can be removed with a sponge dipped in rubbing alcohol;
  • with a sponge dipped in dishwashing liquid, you can remove stains from mascara, eyeliner, blush;
  • stubborn greasy stains from the lining fabric will be removed by treating with a pasta from baking soda.

How to wash the lining of a bag, video instruction:

How to remove stains?

The choice of method for cleaning stains from leather and imitation leather bags is influenced by the color of the product and the type of dirt.

Dark products

Black, brown, burgundy and dark blue handbags made of genuine leather and leatherette will clean the stains from the following products:

  1. foto10799-6Warm soapy water with added baking soda quickly removes greasy stains from the surface of dark bags.

    The detergent is prepared at the rate of 250 ml of warm water, a tablespoon of grated laundry soap and the same amount of baking soda powder.

    In order not to damage the smooth surface of the skin, the solution must be filtered before use (remove undissolved particles of soda and soap).

  2. A napkin soaked in alcohol quickly deal with makeup stains on the dark surface of the bag.
  3. Treatment with a solution of ammonia (the composition is prepared at the rate of four parts of water and one part of ammonia) will remove blood stains. The sooner you start removing blood stains from your skin, the more chances you have for a complete restoration of the original appearance of the bag.

Light

You can remove stains from fair skin or leatherette using the following tips:

  1. Grease stains are removed with a cotton pad dipped in ammonia.
  2. Lemon juice will help remove ink stains. Freshly squeezed juice moisten a soft cloth and gently wipe the stain on the bag.
  3. In order to remove a blood stain from a white bag, it is necessary to moisten a cotton pad with hydrogen peroxide, and gently wipe the dirt. Alternatively, instead of ammonia, you can use a solution with Aspirin (one Aspirin tablet is dissolved in a glass of water).

Patent leather

A regular onion will help restore the purity and shine of a patent leather product.

The head of the onion is cut in half and the glossy surface of the bag is wiped with a cut. After that, the skin is wiped with a clean damp cloth, and finally rubbed to a shine with a velvety napkin.

How to dry after cleaning?

Maintain the shape and presentable appearance of a bag made of leather or leatherette after washing simple tips for proper drying will help:

  • foto10799-7bags are hung out to dry on a rope or laid out on a horizontal surface;
  • drying can take place only in a well-ventilated place, away from sources of open fire, heating appliances;
  • drying in the open air takes place in a dark place, sheltered from direct sunlight;
  • when unfolding the bag to dry, be sure to pull out the lining;
  • paper or newspapers stuffed inside a leather bag will help speed up the drying process.

Advice

  1. It is strictly forbidden to clean a bag made of leather or leatherette with aggressive chemicals: acetone, gasoline, solvent. Ignoring this rule will result in permanent damage to the product.
  2. It is forbidden to clean leather products with hard brushes. Such cleaning leaves scratches on the glossy surface that cannot be removed.
  3. For cleaning suede bags, use only special velvety Velcro brushes.
  4. Bags made of leather, leatherette or suede must not be completely submerged in water. When the product gets wet, it loses its shape, softness and presentable appearance.
  5. After washing leather products, leatherette must be treated with petroleum jelly or greasy hand cream, and then polished with a soft cloth.
  6. It is strictly forbidden to dry leather or suede handbags with a hairdryer. High temperatures are detrimental to the skin (make it hard, brittle).

Related Videos

How to care for a bag made of leather, leatherette, eco-leather and suede, the video will tell you:

Conclusion

Observing the simple rules of washing bags made of leather, leatherette or suede, you can not only return the product to its original appearance, but also maximize its service life.

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