How to Clean a Leather Bag?

Original leather bags are quite expensive to buy and must keep them neat and clean. The investment is worth it when it comes to design and quality. If you have invested a lot in the designer bag, then you will be using it for a long time, which includes taking proper care of the leather bag.

Be it your leather briefcases or laptop bags preventing the bag from any stains or scratches with regular maintenance is necessary. When it comes to the contact of dust and water, it might lose its shine and looks.

There are many different ways that you can clean a leather bag with proper care. Starting from a quick wipe-down to how you can remove a stain from the bag, we will be covering all of it in this article.

Let’s get to the process

First of all, before you proceed towards the cleaning part, there are some things you may want to keep in mind. Always make sure to empty the whole bag before you start the cleaning process because if there is something left inside, it may get wet or damaged.

Secondly, always clean a leather bag gently because they are costly and delicate.

Thirdly, never use any random cleaner to clean them, because there are particular products for that.

Lastly, never dip the whole bag into any soapy water or any liquid solution. Always use a piece of cloth to do that.

Brush off the dust

Normally everyone carries their bag to work or while traveling. From time to time, the bag can be dusty. This is when it needs brushing off the dust from the bag using a soft brush. Make sure you gently brush over the leather surface as it is very delicate.

Cleaning solutions

This is an essential part of cleaning leather bags. You can prepare the cleaning solution by yourself, or you can use a readymade cleaning agent too. Now the main question is, what is the type of cleaning you are aiming for?

Is it a casual dusting, or are there any stains on the bag that needs to be removed or anything else? Different kind of cleaning process requires different solutions that are mentioned down below –

Soap water –

You should treat leather like any other clothing item. Washing the leather bag using soapy water is one of the best and effective way to keep it clean.

Take a bowl of warm water and mix some liquid soap in it, then take a piece of cloth and dip it in the mixture and use it to wipe the bag thoroughly. Once its done, then take another fresh piece of cloth and dip it into regular water and wipe the bag again and leave it to dry.

Suitable cleaning agent

Leather is a delicate item, and you should try to avoid some of the basic cleaning processes such as vinegar, baking soda, etc. This may contain chemicals that could damage the leather up to an extent.

Always try to find a suitable leather cleaner for stain removal that is appropriate for leathers, so it does not dry the leather out.

A quick wipe down

If you feel like your bag is not much dirty and just needs a quick cleaning because of the dust, then this is the cleaning process you should opt for. Just take a little warm water and dip a cloth and then wipe the whole bag upside down. Try not to use any wipes because the chemicals in the wipes may cause a reaction to the leather so.

Dry the bag

Whenever you are done washing the bag or done with wiping the bag upside down, always make sure to dry it properly before you start using it. Whether you choose to dry it by blowdrying or keeping the bag under a fan, that’s your choice, but never keep it on under direct sunlight as it will cause the leather to fade.

Deodorize the bag

Deodorizing a leather bag is also necessary, along with everything else. Start by using a vinegar solution, spray it on the bag and wipe it properly with a clean cloth. The chemicals in vinegar absorb the bad odor of the bag.

Another process of deodorizing a leather bag is to sprinkle some baking soda on it and place it on an air-sealed bag. Leave it there for a whole day. Take it out the next day and dust off all the baking soda using a cloth or vacuum cleaner, you will see the bad odor is gone (If there was any).

Store the bag

This is one of the important aspects that how you should store the leather bag into your cupboard. First of all, clear out all the items from the bag and wipe it gently. Use a pillow cover and place the bag inside of it so the leather can breathe, putting it in a plastic bag is not recommended. Last but not least, do not hang the bag, the leather will stretch out.

Some do’s and don’ts

There are some things that you should keep in mind, so it would ease your cleaning process.

Never leave your bag under direct sunlight

Do not apply any random cream to clean it

Try to cover the bag when you are not using it, so the dust doesn’t stick with the bag

Always make sure to know the material of your leather bag and then choose an appropriate cleaning agent.

If there are any ink stains or something that is very strong and you cannot get rid of it, then take it to the professionals rather than trying anything on your own.

A leather bag is usually quite expensive and needs proper care to last longer and keep on shining like its brand new. We have discussed the proper ways to clean your bag along with some dos and don’ts for you to be more careful with the leather bag. Make sure to check this article from top to bottom to know about it in detail.