How and what to clean a leather bag at home
An invariable attribute of every girl is a leather or faux leather handbag. Over time, any bag starts to look worse and gets covered in dirty stains. Therefore, you need to figure out how to clean a leather bag and what tools to use for this.
Features
It is necessary to understand the peculiarities of genuine leather cleaners in advance.
How to take care
Genuine leather is a material that needs to be properly cared for. If this is not done, its surface will become covered with dirty spots, which will be difficult to clean in the future. It is recommended to wipe the leather goods with a damp cloth 3-4 times a week.
How not to
There are several products that should not be used when caring for leather handbags.
hard brushes
Some people use stiff brushes to remove tough, stubborn stains. It is contraindicated to use them, as they can damage the surface.After wiping, traces, abrasions and scratches remain on the skin and cannot be removed.
Washing
Leather handbags should not be machine washed as this may damage the item. Instead, you can wipe it down with a damp cloth or a cloth soaked in an ammonia solution or liquid soap.
Use of solvents
When many dried spots appear on the surface of a leather product, some decide to get rid of them with solvents. This is a bad idea, as it will erode the finish and ruin your handbag. Therefore, experts do not recommend using:
- essence;
- acetone;
- solvent.
Drying
If the product has been wiped with a damp cloth, you will need to dry it. Dry leather handbags very carefully so as not to damage them. They should not be dried near heaters or radiators, as this will warp them.
Household cleaning rules
There are several rules to help restore the surface of the leather:
- it is contraindicated to completely wet the product;
- it is better to use a damp cloth for cleaning;
- the material with which the skin is rubbed should not be too hard;
- When cleaning a handbag, it is necessary to wipe not only its surface, but also belts with pockets.
Types of materials
Leather bags are made from several types of materials.
Smooth genuine leather
Most often, when making bags, they use smooth natural leather, which has a perfectly smooth texture. It is made from the skins of sheep, bulls, goats and calves. The advantages of such a material include its strength, reliability, durability and resistance to moisture.
Soft skin
Some girls buy themselves handbags made of soft leather. Such material undergoes special grinding, which gives it a unique look. After the treatment, the surface becomes very soft and elastic.
Velvet
Velvet is leather that has undergone preliminary chrome tanning. When creating velvet, double-sided grinding is performed to make the surface smoother. Many people confuse this material with suede, as they are very similar.
Polished leather
The main difference between this material and other types of leather is considered to be a glossy glossy finish, treated with varnish. The quality of patent leather depends on the manufacturing technology. When creating the material, the skins are first treated with a special primer, and then varnished.
artificial leather
Many handbags nowadays are not made from natural leather, but from artificial leather. These materials are very similar in appearance and therefore difficult to tell apart. The main differences are the quality of the products and their cost. Budget models of women's handbags are made of imitation leather.
Reptile or embossed leather
Embossed leather is leather that has a unique pattern on its surface. Most often, these skin coverings have the appearance of the original skin of snakes, crocodiles and other reptiles. Products made from this material are dense and expensive.
Folk remedies
There are nine products often used to clean leather handbags.
Glycerol
Glycerin is a popular treatment for bags. To clean the coating from contamination, you need to apply a little glycerin on a cotton swab, and then wipe the dirty surface with it. If the dirt has not been wiped off, the procedure is carried out again.
Vaseline
Vaseline is used to clean white leather bags. This product is applied to the dried place and left for three hours.After that, the treated skin area is washed with a damp cloth soaked in warm water.
castor oil
Many experts advise using castor oil when working with leather surfaces. It is a unique product that will help remove dry and old stains. Slowly rub in the liquid so that it is better absorbed by the dirt. After a castor oil treatment, the skin becomes clear and shiny.
laundry soap
Laundry soap is considered the most readily available tool for cleaning handbags. It can be used to make a soapy solution that will remove stains from upholstery. To do this, add 50 grams of soap to a liter of warm water. Then a cloth is moistened in a soapy solution and the skin is treated.
Ammonia
To remove stains that have soaked into the surface of the leather, you can use an ammonia cleaner. To prepare it, you need to add a spoonful of ammonia and 40 grams of grated solid soap to a hot liquid. Then the resulting mixture is wiped from the dirt on the bag.
liquid skin
Liquid skin is an aqueous solution of alcohol-based polymer. They can be used to treat surfaces to get rid of stain marks.
Freeze
The liquid used to wash dirty dishes will help remove stains from the bag. The gel is applied to a cotton swab, after which the dirt is wiped off.
After-shave
You can clean your leather handbags with aftershave lotion. A soft cloth is soaked in it and the dirty areas of the bag are treated.
10-15 minutes after treatment, the lotion is washed off with a damp cloth.
Talc
You can use talcum powder to remove greasy stains from the surface of your handbag.The powder is poured onto the stain, rubbed into the surface and washed off with water.
Out
When cleansing dark and light skin, there are a variety of products you should be familiar with.
white skin care
A light-colored handbag gets dirty more quickly and will therefore need to be cleaned more often.
Wet wipes
The easiest way is to wipe the bag down with regular wet wipes. They help get rid of newly formed dirt marks. Oily stains are best treated by other means.
Lemon juice
Freshly squeezed lemon juice is an effective remedy for greasy spots. They moisten a cotton ball with which they wipe the dirty surface for about 15-20 minutes. Then the remaining lemon juice is washed off with plain water.
Milk and egg white
A cocktail made from egg white and milk will help remove a greasy spot on fair skin. It is applied to the bag and left on it for 25-30 minutes until it dries. Then the product is wiped with a dry cotton ball.
Ampule
An onion cleaner will help freshen and clean your bag. The onion is rubbed on a grater, after which the dirty surface of the bag is wiped with porridge. So that after processing there is no smell of onions, the product is washed with a solution of vinegar.
Hydrogen peroxide
It is a whitening product that can be used to clean a light colored purse. Hydrogen peroxide is used to remove fingerprints, makeup and grease.
Beauty products
Cosmetic products are sometimes used to clean the bags.
face tonic
To clean leather bags, use alcohol-free toners. A cloth or cotton is moistened in the liquid, then the bag is completely wiped. After treatment, the surface becomes much softer.
Mousse or mousse for removing make-up
Liquids used to remove make-up are considered a good way to clean leather handbags. They cover the dirty areas of the bags for 1-2 hours. Then they are wiped with a dry sponge or a sponge soaked in water.
Cosmetic milk for the face
Facial cleansing milk will help remove dirt from your bag. It is rubbed over the entire surface and left for 15 minutes so that the liquid is better absorbed. Then wipe off the milk with a damp cloth.
Black
Other products are used to clean black bags.
coffee porridge
To create coffee grits, you will need to mix a spoonful of ground coffee with hot water until a thick, homogeneous mass is formed. The resulting gruel is rubbed into the skin with a napkin. Remains of the product are removed with a damp cloth.
shoe cleaner
Shoe polish can only be used after preliminary cleaning of the leather upholstery from dirt. This tool is used to make the bag more shiny.
Colored
There are three cleaning products for colored leather handbags.
Special water repellent
Brightly colored handbags should be regularly treated with water repellents. They not only remove dirt, but also prevent grease stains.
Soapy water
A soapy liquid soap solution will help remove stubborn grease stains. It is applied to a dirty surface and rubbed with a soft sponge.
Talc
Stained handbags can be periodically wiped down with talcum powder mixed with wax and essential oils.
Lined inside
The inner lining can be cleaned in different ways.
Washing powder
The washing powder will help remove stains from the interior lining. However, this does not mean that you have to wash your bag in an automatic machine. All dirt should be wiped off by hand.
Dishwashing liquid
Dishwashing liquids can help clean the inside of the bag. They are bred in water, after which the dirt is washed off.
Soap
The inside of the liner can be washed with laundry soap. To do this, a small bar of soap is moistened in warm water and thoroughly washed off dirty spots with it.
baking soda paste
An effective stain remover is a paste made from plain water and baking soda. This gruel is applied to a dirty surface and washed off after 25-45 minutes.
Useful tips
There are a few helpful tips that will help you clean and wash a stained leather bag:
- washing should be done by hand, not in a washing machine;
- it is forbidden to use concentrated solutions in which there is a lot of alcohol;
- leather products should be regularly treated with softeners to prevent cracking.
Conclusion
Owners of leather handbags should periodically clean them from dirt. Before that, you need to familiarize yourself with effective cleaning products and methods.