How to care for a leather handbag
Someone in the office, not a million miles away from someone whose name begins with A, is a bag nut, lusting after them in magazines and is often found dragging her other half around bag shops (as payback for the bike and dive shops she gets dragged around). Now this person recently bought another bag (and no a woman cannot have to many despite what other halves might say).
While this nameless person has bags made of hemp, felt, plastic, ring pulls, feathers and rubber, most are leather. Unfortunately it is not always easy to clean and maintain leather bags so regular care should taken to make it last longer and maintain its original state.
Here are some top tips that She Who Shall Never Be Bagless has used to look after her bags.
- If your bag came with a protection slip, use it or if you’ve lost it then try old pillowcases as storing them carefully will help protect it from mould and any accidental damage.
- When storing bags don’t stuff them into a tight space or they’ll crease, if you have the space stuff them with paper or old towels, bubble wrap, anything which will help it keep its shape
- Many stains can be removed with a pencil eraser and I’ve even used toothpaste which worked a treat on ink on a white bag, I’ve not tried it on any other colour bag yet but let me know if it works.
- If your bag gets rained on (and frankly this summer every bag I’ve used has got wet) empty it out and leave it in an airy dry place for a few days or in an air-conditioned room, which would actually be the best way to dehumidify the bag. Never leave it near a heater or under direct sunlight as it will dry out the natural oils in the leather which in the long run could make the leather hard and develop cracks on the surface.
- Moisturise your bag a few times a year using natural oils as they seep into the leather and nourish it. Mink oil has been mentioned but I have never used it. Let me know if you have.
- Petroleum jelly on patent leather hen buffed up a soft cloth will make it nice and shiny.
- The finest of fine sand papers (yes, sandpaper) very very gently used on a suede bag can remove stains but sander beware – do not to be over enthusiastic or you’ll make a bald patch.
With all these tips you must follow them at your own discretion and very carefully. They have worked for me but I can’t guarantee that they will work on your bags and neither can take responsibility for any damage.
