How do I clean a handbag?

[QueenOfTheAndals]

I got a lovely second-hand Prada leather bag but its suffering a little from eau du charity shop. Is there a cleaning product I can buy to sort it out or am I better off sending it to a handbag clinic for a professional clean?

I machine wash suede and leather and it's fine .. recently did a suede jacket from eBay which stunk but it's lovely now 🤗

Gosh not sure I'd put a handbag in the wash!!

NEVER put a handbag in the wash. I use water wipes and give it a rub out after hoovering it out.

Honestly it's fine , I've washed loads of stuff .. I'm an ex dry cleaner and we use to wash loads of things that you wouldn't think you could ( wedding dresses / wax jackets / etc etc ) .. it's the only thing that will get the smell out . Customers would always freak out until they saw the results 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️( it was obvs with their permission and our guidance )

Could it be dry cleaned?
If it isn't dirty but just smelly, why don't you put loads of bicarb in a poly bag, and put the handbag in - put bicarb in the handbag too. Seal and shake the full poly bag and leave for a few days.

There's a dry cleaner near me who says they do bags so I will check them out. The bag is actually fairly clean and in good condition but just has that musty charity shop smell.

@MikeUniformMike Bicarb won't damage it?

I think I'd put the bicarb in an open container suitable for the size of the bag and leave the bag closed for a few days. I'd be wary of getting actual bicarb inside the bag - it shouldn't damage it but might be a bugger to get it all out.

I don't know if it would damage it. Maybe it would dry the leather. Unless the bicarb is damp, it shouldn't be abrasive.

Tell me more about putting suede & leather in the washing machine hendricksy - this could be life changing!

Go on LoveLolo website, they sell collonil leather care products and offer advice for free, I've used them for years to sort out all my designer bags

I’ve used Argan Oil soap on a damp flannel to clean up and moisturize an old The Bridge handbag.
Worked a treat.
I imagine it’s what saddle soap would be like.

Freezer is recommended for clothes, also pegging outdoors, preferably in sunlight. Basically you need to kill the bacteria producing the smell.

@TheMarbleFaun .. literally just bung it on its own with softener and liquid detergent inside out , get it out and hang it up ... not too much agitation and spin , get it out straight away and dry away from direct heat but as promptly as possible .. same goes for uggs and handbags .. skin doesn't like being dry cleaned and doesn't get it clean ... I've only done it on items I knew I could live without but it's been successful so far . 🤷‍♀️

So leather is fine in the washer, hendricksy?

Yep ! ... as I said up thread lots of things that most people wouldn't wash are actually fine .. most things are ruined in a wash by overloading , overspinning ans using strong detergents . I pretty much wash everything . Despite being a dry cleaner for a long time I actually hate it and rarely dry cleaned anything ... skin ( leather and suede ) was always speciialst clean and it was sent away . Despite trying various avenues it was always a disaster . If you think about it cows never shrink when it rains but when would they go near potent chemicals . !

Thanks for that hendricksy I work in a charity shop so this information will come in very handy!

Saddle soap from amazon?

No probs , as a rule I only wash things that are beyond repair and use so charity items are a great idea . Practice on the worst ones first . I've never washed anything with too much structure but suede and leather jackets have always been fine . Always inside out though .. good luck .. it's fun making things useable again.

I've actually washed leather bridles - not in a washing machine but lots of hand hot water and saddle soap to the extent the leather has been soaking wet. Either leave to dry naturally or rub dry with towels and treat immediately with leather balsam - probably similar would work for leather handbag.