How To Clean The Liner Of A Leather Purse

Knowing how to clean a leather handbag *without ruining information technology* is a useful #lifehack that volition serve you lot well for years to come up. Whether you've invested in a designer slice or you've picked up a steal on the high street, leather bags are designed to stand the test of fourth dimension. And we're all for looking after our dearest fashion items and extending their life. Permit's confront it, we can't all have unlimited funds for shopping sprees like the Kardashian/Jenner association.

So, we're hither to provide you lot with *all* the info on how to clean your bag in detail. From step-by-step explainers of how to remove liquid stains and odours, to the best tips for protecting and storing your piece to go on information technology in tip-top status, who improve to ask nearly leather intendance than the experts at The Handbag Clinic?

Specialising in designer handbag care and restoration, here, they suspension down the virtually valuable advice on caring for your leather purse - including what to exercise, and common mistakes to avoid.

How to clean your leather purse

While you lot might love the thought of taking your bag to a specialist to be pampered and cleaned every month, for many of u.s., that's not very realistic. Simply at that place are many steps you can take at home to keep your pride and joy in tip-pinnacle shape betwixt specialist appointments. Here, Charlotte Staerck, the Retail Managing director and Co-founder of The Bag Clinic shows us how to give your purse a quick refresh with their Leather Intendance Kit. (It's a lot cheaper than a monthly clean, trust.)

Starting time by cleaning the handbag inside and outside, creating a foam with the cleaning solution, and massaging it into the handbag.
Leave to dry for a couple of minutes before applying the protection cream. Have extra care with the handles, corners, and frequently touched areas. You then leave this to dry for ten minutes before buffing off any backlog.
This process takes no more than than xv minutes and could save you a fortune on restoration treatment in the hereafter - it will also go on the value in your bag, getting the most out of your purchase.
If y'all accept a calorie-free-coloured bag or if it's a very absorptive leather, you may desire to repeat the protection procedure a couple of times to really look after those hands stained leathers.
If you don't have time to do the total bag, focus on the chief areas such every bit the handles. Giving them a quick wipe down will go on them looking fresh for longer.

"Having the right cleaning and protective products on hand at abode is essential for optimum maintenance," Charlotte says. "Our care kits come with everything y'all need including sponges, cloths, and a brush in the suede kit so y'all have all the tools required to keep your bags looking great."

The Handbag Dispensary

Leather Care Kit, £19.95

The Handbag Clinic handbagclinic.co.uk

How to remove liquid stains from a leather purse

"The most common issue we meet at The Handbag Dispensary is a liquid stain on a bag," explains Charlotte. "Most items in luxury fashion are made from lightly treated leathers for their luxurious butter-soft feel. However, this means they are very absorptive. As bags are used outside and inside, they are prone to coming into contact with mutual liquids such equally rainwater, beverages, perfume leaks and, believe it or non, hair dyes."

"Always protect your handbag when taking it to the salon equally dye splashes are one of the most common liquid stains we treat. Equally always, prevention is better than a cure, and upfront protection is the best way to avoid a spillage/accidental marker becoming an actual stain."

Charlotte continues: "Patently, accidents practice happen though, so if you accidentally stain your handbag in that location are some steps you can follow to reduce the staining and ensure this causes as lilliputian impairment as possible."

Note: Do non use h2o or any cleaning products yous may accept to hand - you will just make the staining worse.

Start by blotting the stained area as before long as possible with a clean, dry out fabric or tissue. You want to absorb as much of the liquid every bit possible.
In one case you lot accept removed the excess liquid, yous should then blot the stained area with a damp fabric or tissue using warm water only.
Starting time at the outside of the stain and work inward. This will stop the stain from spreading outwards. If you have one of our Handbag Care Kits, y'all should make clean the stained surface area with the cleaner in the kit.
As earlier, y'all should then proceed to dab the stained expanse with a dry cloth or tissue to blot any left-over water or cleaner. Never rub the stained area as this can cause the stain to spread.
Your bag is best left to dry in a warm room. Do not apply oestrus directly to the stained expanse as this can set the stain.

If whatsoever staining remains once dried, y'all tin contact The Pocketbook Clinic for a quote. Their stain removal services beginning at merely £50.

Things to retrieve when cleaning your leather handbag

Elevation tips from the pros:

Stick to a proper cleaner

Never use baby wipes, vinegar, or any other 'home remedy' for cleaning or stain removal. Many of these products have chemicals and substances in them that tin can cause damage to the colour, dry out the leather out, create a build-upwardly of grease, and any number of other problems.

Always spot-test a cleaning method before using it

Preferably somewhere on the within of the bag that can't be seen by prying eyes.

The primal to removing ink marks is to treat them direct away

Your first and all-time bet is to have your bag to run into a professional as soon as possible. If you lot're unable to, effort a special ink removing product for leather and follow the care instructions, making sure to condition the area afterwards and leave it to dry properly.

If the ink stains are old...

Don't try to remove these yourself. They will likely be likewise stubborn and volition demand professional intendance.

How to remove odours from a leather bag

"Removing bacteria is the first step to removing stubborn odours, so the handbag needs to be cleaned within and outside," says Charlotte. "Many people call back that they only need to expect at the within of their bag, but both demand to be thoroughly cleaned to remove odour." She explains how you tin can do this yourself:

Check the materials used on your lining and exterior and ensure you have the right products for all materials used on your item.
If you accept a lining that easily pulls out of the purse, accept it out and give information technology a really thorough make clean.
Get into all pockets to clear out the bacteria that will be causing the smell.
Focus on the handles and places oils may have been absorbed - these can be a cause of odours.
Once cleaned, finish with protection cream on the pocketbook (our version is actually scented with a rich leather smell to help reduce any unwanted odours). On fabrics, a material freshening spray will help. Nevertheless, practise non saturate the cloth or you may risk warping the bag or damaging whatsoever leather or metalwork.

What not to practise when cleaning a leather bag

Acme tips from the pros:

Never use water on grease stains

These should only wipe off leather surfaces.

Practice not use saddle lather

Information technology'll nearly likely be too strong for the leather on your bag and could cause discolouring.

Don't exit your bag in direct sunlight

Information technology can crusade the colour to fade and impairment the leather.

Avoid holding your handbag if you've just applied handcream

Or you're just Request for grease stains.

Do you need to protect your leather handbag?

"Prevention is the place to starting time when thinking about a bag's condition", says Charlotte. In fact, she says this step is the about important thing y'all can practise for your handbag.

"Make clean and protect it regularly. Leather is a skin and needs its ain kind of skincare regime too! We recommend that you protect your bag from day one."

She continues: "Y'all will then need to go on on superlative of information technology - keeping a bag looking smashing is near regular maintenance rather than a quick set up."

"Using helpful tools and tricks to avoid signs of wearable will besides keep your bag looking new for equally long as possible. Handbag pillows are also a great fashion to keep your bags structured while being stored, and a handbag hook will permit you to avoid placing your pocketbook on floors - the hook folds out to fit on nigh tables and bar areas."

What you demand to protect your leather bag

"At its most basic level, the must-have for every handbag is a make-upward purse and a pen hat. Throwing makeup brushes, a smashed pulverisation, lipstick that loses its lid, or an open pen causes the purse to become heavily stained on the interior. Makeup and ink are some of the hardest stains to remove from fabric due to the high oil content. This ways the interior of your handbag needs protecting just equally much as the outside."

Charlotte advises ownership Stain Cover just in case your bag gets messy: "At the Pocketbook Clinic you can insure up to 15 handbags against stains for a pocket-sized fee per month."

How ofttimes you should make clean your leather bag?

Perchance not surprisingly, the regularity with which you need to clean your bag depends on how often you use it.

"If you utilize the purse every day you lot should do this every 2 to iii months. If it is more of a weekend pocketbook or when you are heading out for special occasions, every six to nine months will be enough to keep your item protected."

Can yous prevent or fix any scratches on the hardware?

We might audio like your Grandma, simply information technology'south true - prevention is much improve than a cure. Hardware damage on a bag can be due to as well much stress on the strap/s or details (e.g. overfilling your bag, or using it to carry heavy items).

"Whilst we all feel we need to carry a lot effectually with us in our handbags, we need to retrieve that they are a style accessory and not designed to carry a huge load," explains Charlotte.

"If you lot have a turn-lock or whatever closure that requires some form of press or turning activeness and you struggle to close information technology considering you lot have besides much in your handbag, it's probable that you will be putting as well much pressure on it. This causes friction, scratching and potentially risks the metalwork breaking. The aforementioned applies if you lot overload a bag with a chain handle or strap. The more force per unit area on the concatenation, the quicker it will get worn or broken."

"You tin can keep metalwork looking fresh with a simple metal smooth but y'all need to avert this coming into contact with the rest of the bag.

It's particularly important to expect after whatever designer logo hardware because once these custom plates and details are damaged, they're a lot harder to supervene upon.

We can source or supplant a vast range of broken metalwork but... we are unable to source branded pieces, so you need to be extra careful with any branded metalwork elements," adds Charlotte.

"For worn or scuffed metalwork, re-plating is a great option equally it comprises the required composition of metals. Some branded metalwork is merely thinly plated, which ways it can be difficult to get loftier plenty levels of conduction to re-plate information technology."