How to clean a leather handbag

Leather handbags can last more than 30 years if they are made from full-grain leather, oiled regularly and stored carefully. You also need to make sure that you clean your leather handbag properly without using harsh chemicals. Express.co.uk reveals how to clean a leather handbag, according to Dri-Pak.

Leather is most people’s go-to when choosing a handbag because it is such a durable material.

Leather handbags go with almost any outfit and can be worn to the supermarket or to a posh event.

The one problem with leather handbags is that they are prone to picking up dirt and stains.

People assume that leather handbags don’t need to be cleaned because you can wipe most spillages off the material, but they’re wrong.

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If it’s safe to do so, pull the fabric lining of the leather bag out and wipe with a damp sponge rinsed in a solution of Dri-Pak’s Liquid Soap and hot water.

Make sure you don’t drench the lining at this stage because you want the lining to dry quickly. Drape the lining over a radiator or dry it with a hairdryer.

If you can’t pull the lining away from the leather or the bag is unlined, use an upholstery cleaning spray.

Put an open cup of baking soda inside a pillowcase and place it in the bag for 24 hours to absorb and neutralise any bad smells inside the bag.

To wash the outside of the bag, you should use Dri-Pak’s Liquid Soap and hot water.

Liquid Soap (formerly called Liquid Soap Flakes) contains only pure soap derived from vegetable oils, with no added perfumes or ingredients, making them a great choice for leather.

Dri-Pak’s Paul Brook explained: “Liquid Soap does not contain palm oil – the soap comes from sunflower and coconut oil, so it is suitable for washing leather handbags as it doesn’t dry out the leather.”

Place the bag in a sink and wash the bag with Liquid Soap and a tiny bit of water.

Wash the bag as you would a delicate fabric, like silk or wool, gently rubbing the soiled areas to remove dirt stains.

Once you’ve washed it, rinse the bag by dipping it in clean water to remove all traces of the Liquid Soap.

Leave the bag to air-dry overnight or for as long as required and reshape the bag with tissue paper or t-shirts when you do so.

source: express.co.uk