How to clean a leather bag at home: 25 chemical and folk remedies

Daily care rules

In order for a leather product to last as long as possible, you need to consider the following:

Excessive amount of water damages the skin, therefore, from time to time it is recommended to treat the surface of the product with special sprays and creams. Before carrying the bag, wait until the product is completely dry. Do not dry with a hairdryer.
In order for the product to retain its shape as long as possible, it is not recommended to wear heavy things in it. The skin stretches and deforms over time.
Using perfume to create a pleasant scent is not the best solution.
When storing your bag out of season, you need to find a dark but well-ventilated place. You cannot store a leather product in a bag.

> It is also necessary to clean the bag from dirt correctly. Aggressive substances such as alcohol, acetone, gasoline are not suitable for maintenance and cleaning.

Main cast

Before emptying your leather bag, remove all items from the inside and outside pockets. Turn the bag inside out and shake it well to get rid of small debris.

Cleaning the bag begins with its lining. If it's not too dirty, you can get by with wet antibacterial wipes: turn the bag inside out and wipe the inside of it with napkins. If these are not at hand, resort to using a cotton pad dipped in alcohol. For a more thorough wash, apply a foamy shampoo, liquid soap, or a powder solution to the sponge. After wiping the backing cloth with any of these compounds, rinse gently and let dry.

Next, move on to washing the outside of the bag. To do this, you have to prepare a special solution - here are a couple of optimal options:

Mix a tablespoon of liquid soap, a teaspoon of ammonia, and a glass of water. Even better, instead of ordinary soap, take laundry or baby soap, rubbing it on a grater. Choose white soap for a white bag.
Instead of ammonia, add a spoonful of baking soda to the soapy solution at the rate of 1 tablespoon to 1 cup of warm water.

Dip a sponge in the solution and thoroughly wipe the bag itself, all its pockets, straps, handles, decorative items. When this process is complete, immediately rinse off the cleaning compound with clean water, also using a sponge, without letting the bag get too wet. Wipe dry immediately and let dry completely at room temperature.

Make-up remover can be used together with the soap solution. It will not only remove all dirt from the surface of the bag, but also soften the skin to some extent. The same effect is possessed by hand wipes impregnated with glycerin, hand cream, castor oil, petroleum jelly, oil for baby skin without dyes and fragrances, ordinary glycerin. Using a cotton pad, apply any of these products to the surface of your bag using a gentle rubbing motion. Let it soak, remove the excess with a cloth and, after half an hour, lightly polish the treated surface.

First stage

How does it all start? First, you need to empty your favorite bag completely. This is done if a full cleaning of all parts and elements is planned. If you just need to refresh the outer surface of the product, then, of course, you can not take out all the things, but gently wipe it with a sponge or brush it.

Next, the type of material is determined, and which the bag is sewn. It can be:

Bags made of matte smooth leather or leather with the effect of artificial aging - almost any cleaning method and means for this are applicable to such things, they are quite practical and not capricious.
Lacquered handbags require a special approach, leather with a glossy coating cracks at low temperatures, and melts at high temperatures. Chemicals make it hard and dull. Therefore, you need to very carefully use such an accessory so that the need to clean the lacquer bag arises as rarely as possible.
Suede products can only be cleaned dry or with steam, immersed in a bowl of water, especially hot, with washing powder, is strictly not recommended. The results of such experiments are guaranteed not to please you. Only special care products can be used for such material.

Next, you need to determine the degree of pollution and outline a plan for the necessary work. What exactly needs to be done - to clean the light bag completely, or to remove only individual stains, wash off the lining, restore scuffs and stains on the handles and in the pockets? Based on the answers to these questions, the means and methods of cleaning a leather bag are selected.

You can use liquid soap or soap solution, alcohol to remove stains, professional or folk remedies, helping yourself with brushes, sponges and napkins - then the skin does not have to be completely wetted and it will tolerate cleaning well.

Universal ways

You can clean a leather bag using either specially designed products or folk remedies. Any housewife can find most of the "folk" in her kitchen or bathroom, so they are initially cheaper.

Cosmetic methods

The first remedy is laundry soap. The algorithm of actions is very simple:

Pour warm water into a basin.
To adjust the laundry soap. Add the resulting shavings to the can.
Stir the soapy solution well until smooth.
Wet a soft cloth or cotton pad, wring out.
Treat contaminated areas of the bag.
Wipe the surface with a dry cloth.
After simple manipulations, it is necessary to saturate the skin with a moisturizing composition. Fatty cream, glycerin, petroleum jelly, or castor oil work well. You can also buy a special skin softener.

For everyday leather bag care, it is best to choose the least aggressive substances. Hand cream or cleansing milk works well. Algorithm of actions:

Soak a cloth or cotton pad with a cosmetic product.
Thoroughly wipe the entire surface of the bag, focus on dirty areas.
Remove excess milk or cream with a dry cloth after five minutes.

Grease stain removal tools

Dishwashing detergent will work better with greasy marks on your bag. Using it is simple:

Apply the liquid to a cotton pad or lint-free cloth.
Wipe off the area of contamination.
Cover the treated area with cling film to avoid evaporation of the substance.
Leave the film for twenty to thirty minutes.
Finally, wipe the skin with a damp cloth.

In case of particularly heavy contamination, you can repeat the steps, leaving the film for a longer period.

The grease on the bag will also help remove starch. Procedure:

Sprinkle the grease stain with starch.
The fat will gradually be absorbed, therefore it is necessary to wash the waste substance and pour in fresh one.
When the dirt is almost invisible, you need to remove the starch residues and wipe the skin with a slightly damp soapy cloth.
Wipe the treated area dry.

Table vinegar

Vinegar will cope with the most severe stains. Procedure:

You need to take vinegar and mix with water in a ratio of one to two.
Wet a cotton pad with the solution.
Treat the contaminated surface of the bag.

Refined gasoline

Complex contamination from oil or paint cannot be removed using the listed methods. In this case, the artificial leather bag can be treated with refined gasoline. Of course, the agent does not act on the material as aggressively as acetone, but you still need to use it carefully.It is worth noting that such marks can be removed only from dense skin. But even with such material, neatness is needed.

Before scrubbing tough stains, you need to check on an inconspicuous place how the solvent will work. If nothing happened to the skin, then you can start cleaning:

Take a lint-free cloth and slightly moisten it with refined gasoline.
Try to erase the pollution until it disappears completely.
Remove gasoline stain with a cloth and soapy water.
Wipe the area with a damp cloth.
Wipe dry.

This method should not be used in relation to a bag with a lacquer coating - it will be hopelessly damaged.

Basic rules for daily leather care

So that your favorite accessory does not lose its original appearance for many years, you need daily care. After each wet wash, be sure to wipe dry and try to wet as little as possible. Do not overdo it with moisturizers, apply with a cotton swab, in small quantities, in order to avoid the appearance of streaks. The daily procedures described below will help to save the product.

Cleaning the surface from dust

It is enough to wipe it every day with a napkin, soapy water, trying not to wet it too much; gentle cleaning with wool will help get rid of dust. And also with the help of special rubber brushes.

Refreshing the lining

When cleaning the liner, you do not need to take it out and wash it every time. For daily care, wiping with a cotton pad moistened with alcohol is suitable, you can also use a vacuum cleaner. Experts recommend wiping the lining daily with sanitary napkins for disinfection.

Cleaning a suede bag at home: which remedy is better?

How to remove dirt

Remove dirt with a damp cloth or makeup remover. Wipe off dirt from suede or nubuck with a brass brush. It is worth waiting until the dirt is dry and cleaned. ...

The harm of being completely wet

Experts do not recommend wetting leather items too much; it is enough to wipe it with a cloth slightly dampened in water and wipe it dry afterwards. With frequent ingress of moisture, tarnishing is possible and the original shape is lost.

Other

To protect the surface, it is recommended, after complete cleaning, to treat the entire surface with a soft sponge impregnated with glycerin. So, a protective film is formed on it, which will protect against external adverse influences. You can also use a regular moisturizer from a cosmetic bag, castor oil, or petroleum jelly.

It is best to store leather goods in special bags, out of direct sunlight or away from heating appliances. So that the thing does not lose its shape, fill it with paper or special fillers.

How to clean a leather bag at home quickly and efficiently

It is good to remove dirt of a different nature in the shortest possible time with the help of a make-up remover - it will not only remove dirt, dust and stains, but slightly soften the surface of the product. Wipe all dirty and greasy areas with a cotton pad moistened with the product. It is not required to wash off the composition after cleaning.

Freshly brewed strong coffee will help to give freshness to a black or brown leather bag - you should soak a cloth in the cooled drink, squeeze it slightly and rub the solution into the product in a circular motion. This will not only clean the surface of dirt and dust, but also paint over scuffs, creases and roughness. You cannot leave the composition on the surface of the bag; after cleaning the coffee, it should be immediately wiped with a swab moistened with cold water.

Orange peel copes well with dirt of any type - it is worth rubbing a spot with a citrus peel and essential oils, the contained oils in it will cleanse the leather bag painlessly of problematic contaminants.

If drops of blood get on your favorite handbag (life is an unpredictable thing, perhaps the owner of a leather accessory had to fight off a night robber!), You should wipe the blood stains with acetylsalicylic acid dissolved in a small amount of water upon coming home. It is necessary to crush an aspirin tablet, add a few drops of water and apply the resulting mass on the blood stains with a cotton pad or a piece of foam rubber. As soon as they turn pale, you should wipe the cleaning area with a regular damp cloth and air dry.

Handbags made of smooth leather with a gloss should be wiped from time to time with a damp cloth and rubbed to a shine with a woolen cloth. Lacquered accessories should also be taken care of. To ensure that the smooth surface of an exquisite addition to the image always pleases with its appearance, you can purchase a product created specifically for such things on a water basis in a household chemicals store. It will create the thinnest protective film on the product and prevent the coating from cracking prematurely.

Such accessories are very moody. Therefore, they cannot be worn in extreme heat or in bitter frosts. Also, lacquer handbags are not lubricated with greasy creams and are not washed in soapy solutions.

Step-by-step instructions for the cleaning process

Before starting work, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with the rules for the safe cleaning of leather surfaces at home. It is necessary to remove the stain, moving from the edge to the center. Always clean fresh stains whenever possible: in 80% of cases, they can be easily removed with soapy water.

To properly wash a white leather bag, proceed as follows:

Do not wet the product. Use rags, sponges, cotton pads. They should be small and slightly damp.
Brushes, sponges, must be soft. Hard pile will scratch.
Do not dry bags with a hair dryer, battery or other hot methods. This leads to deformation and damage to the product. After cleaning, the bag is dried at a temperature of 20-25 ° C, out of direct sunlight.
After cleaning, wipe the surface with a softener.
The lining can be additionally cleaned with wet wipes.