How To Clean Leather Bag At Home: An Easy Guide

Key Takeaways

• Some things that you can use to clean and remove stains from your treasured leather bag include soft cloths, warm water, and soap. Get these tips from JoyScore on how to clean leather bag at home and keep it shiny!
• Whether your leather bag has become too old or you feel the urge for renovation in your wardrobe, then browse our collection of handcrafted real leather bags-from office necessities to travel ones. Get yours now!

How To Clean Leather Bag Without Ruining It At Home

Vintage Leather Camera Bag by JoyScore

Here are steps on how to clean genuine leather bags that anyone can easily do at home:

Step 1: Prepare The Necessary Cleaning Tools

Gather the following items: a lint roller, a small bowl, warm water, leather soap, two soft white cloths, a cotton swab, metal polish, and leather conditioner. 

Step 2: Empty Your Bag

First things first, clear your bag of everything. Take out all the wallets, notebooks, keys, literally everything that is inside it. Feel every pocket for any small debris, like paper or even crumbs. You may even turn the bag inside out and shake the loose ones out.

Make sure your leather bag is empty before cleaning.

Step 3: Clean The Inside With A Lint Roller

It is, however, further compounded that even after shaking it out, small debris can still be left inside, like lint. Take out a lint roller to remove any loose debris that is still there.

Step 4: Wipe The Surface Of Your Bag

Fill half of a small bowl with warm water, then add a few drops of leather soap, stirring to create a cleaning solution. Dip one of these white cloths in this solution and lightly swipe across the surface of your bag in a very gentle manner.

Tips on how to clean leather bag using a damp cloth.

Clean the whole leather surface from edge to edge, but without actually using any rubbing action, so you do not leave tide marks. Avoid using a dyed cloth, as this could well transfer the dye to your bag.

Step 5: Treat Stubborn Stains

For how to remove stain from leather bag, such as ink and grease, apply a leather stain remover or use just a mixture of water with a little white vinegar on a soft, white cloth. Rub the stained area softly, but do not over-saturate. Do not rub hard, as this may destroy the leather.

Step 6: Polish Your Bag

Once the stains are treated, buff the leather with a clean, dry white cloth. The leather will shine as it dries.

Unisex Leather Messenger Bag by JoyScore

Step 7: Refresh Zippers And Hardware

Dip a cotton swab into some metal polish, then rub down the zippers and any other metal accents on your handbag. Using a soft white cloth, buff the tarnish off. Remember to be very careful not to touch any of the metal polish onto the leather because this may cause discoloration.

Step 8: Dry Your Bag And Apply Leather Conditioner

Allow your leather pouch to air dry- no heating element is to be applied, such as a hairdryer, for it can cause peeling or stains. Once the bag is totally dry, take a small amount of leather conditioner and rub it into the leather. Because it is washed in warm water, the leather can be quite dry. Conditioning adds some moisture and keeps leather supple and useful longer.

What To Use When Cleaning A Leather Bag

The most important thing about how to clean handbags at home, especially leather, is that one should never use hard chemicals because they will destroy the texture of the materials. Another crucial thing is the fact that water can stain leather, so just a damp cloth, not wet, can be used during the cleaning process.

Here are some effective substances that must be kept in mind for cleaning leather bags:

Baking Soda Or Cornstarch

If your leather bag has oil or grease stains, sprinkle baking soda or cornstarch onto the stain and rub it into the leather with a damp cloth. Allow the bag to dry overnight, and you will find that the baking soda or cornstarch has "absorbed" the oil or stain. Now, you can easily wipe off any remaining powdery residue.

Baking soda can help remove stains on leather bags. Source: tiki.vn

Lemon Juice And Cream Of Tartar

A thick concoction of lemon juice and tartar cream works wonders to remove stains, like wine. When mixed, they even offer a gentle bleaching effect, hence very productive in the case of light-colored leather bags. Dab the solution on the blemish and allow it to stay for about half an hour before wiping the residue off using a damp cloth.

The mixture of lemon juice and cream of tartar. Source: fptshop.com.vn

Specialized Leather Soap

You can directly buy these types of soaps from the market, as there are plenty of special soaps for leather. Just make sure you choose a neutral detergent. To be on the safer side, test it first on some minute and not-so-visible portions of leather before applying it to the whole bag.

Tips To Maintain Your Leather Bags Clean

The other way to make sure that your pricey leather bag stays clean is to do some routine maintenance on it and take good care of it so that damage or discoloration will not occur.

Clean And Condition Your Bag Regularly

Take some time, a few minutes a week, and wipe your bag clean with a dry cloth to remove dirt from the leather. If you spill something on your bag, immediately take a wet cloth with mild soap and wipe it down. Do not soak the leather; rather, wet it just enough to clean that dirty spot.

Once a month, take that extra step with your bag and give it a deep clean with a leather cleaner made for that specific type of leather. Place just a smidge on the cloth and gently rub it into the leather according to the product's instructions. As a final step, after cleaning, take a white, soft, dry cloth and remove any excess product; let it air-dry.

You can also condition your leather bag to keep it soft and avoid drying it. Apply the leather conditioner in small circular motions using a clean cloth.

Leather Briefcase by JoyScore

How To Store Leather Bags To Avoid Wear And Tear

You can then place your leather bag in a dust bag or even an old pillowcase, if you are not using it, for protection from dust. Plastic bags are undesirable because they tend to retain moisture, which molds love to grow on your leather.

Fill it with some bubble wrap or tissue paper so it's filled to give support and shape to the bag. The tendency of most bags is that they might sag or wrinkle after a certain time, and the dust will gather in that fold. Avoid your bag's being exposed directly to sunlight or heat for longer times as this may cause discoloration and drying of the leather.

If your leather bag gets wet, say from rain, let it dry in a room with a heater on, but do not place it near the heater.

Finally, though many people hang up leather bags after use, they tend to stretch or distort the bag; instead, you should stash your bag upright or flat it on a shelf and avoid loading items in it. This will help keep its shape and good appearance.

Keeping leather bags in a dry, clean place and out of direct sunlight is the best way to maintain their beauty over time.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Often Should I Clean A Leather Bag?

You can apply a dry cloth every week to remove dust, and you can use special leather soap to clean it once a month or so to keep the leather bag in good condition.

Can I Wash A Leather Bag?

No. Though the question of "how to wash leather bag" is bothering so many people, in fact, washing a leather bag in the washing machine or submerging it in water is just a huge no-no unless wrinkling and degrading of the bag are desired. Otherwise, clean the leather bag with a white cloth, warm water, and a few drops of leather soap.

How Do You Clean Genuine Leather?

First, clean the leather by removing loose dirt or other debris from its surface. Next, prepare a solution of warm water and add a small amount of leather soap to it. Take a white cloth and dip it in the solution, wring out extra, and then wipe down the bag. Next, take off the remaining moisture by using another clean, white cloth. Rubbing alcohol fixes ink stains and grease set with baking soda.