How to clean a leather bag: the most effective ways

Almost every woman in the wardrobe has such an accessory as a handbag made of genuine leather. With proper care, a leather product can last for years without losing its original appearance. Leather is a specific material that needs special care. The most effective ways of how to clean a leather bag, we consider in this article.

Leather bag needs constant thorough care. Even if there are no serious dirt on the surface of the product, the bag should be regularly cleaned with a cloth or a sponge dipped in water. You can also buy special wet wipes to care for leather goods. After wiping the bag from dust and dirt The skin should be treated with a special protective agent or cosmetic cream.

Leather is a rather sensitive material. When caring for leather products, it is important to know which methods of cleaning should not be used:

• Use hard brushes. Hard bristles can cause irreparable damage to the skin.
• Wash products manually or in a typewriter. Only certain problem areas or the inner lining of the bag are allowed to get stuck.
• Use to remove stains of various solvents (gasoline, acetone, kerosene). Such tools are quite effective in dealing with serious pollution, but they should be used only as a last resort. Frequent use of solvents will ruin the skin.
• Drying products on or near heating devices. With such a drying skin can harden and crack.

The process of cleaning leather products also has some features. Here are a few simple rules to follow:

• Start cleaning the bag preferably with a lining.
• Before proceeding with the removal of stains, it is recommended to first wipe the product with a solution of soapy water and ammonia.
• Excess moisture after primary treatment with a mixture of soapy water and ammonia should be completely removed from the surface with a dry, clean cloth.
• Care should be taken to choose a cleaning agent, taking into account the color and type of skin.
• After the cleaning procedure, if necessary, the bag should be dried in a natural way.
• At the end of a dry clean product must be treated with a water-repellent cream for the skin of the corresponding color. There is also a universal colorless cream that is suitable for skin of any shade.

From the characteristics of a particular type of material from which the bag is made, the procedure for cleaning the product from contamination will depend. Incorrectly chosen cleaning agent can cause irreparable damage to the product. Therefore, it is important to take a responsible approach to the choice of the necessary means and method of cleaning:

• Smooth Genuine Leather cleaned in two steps. First you need to treat it with soapy water and wipe dry with a clean cloth. After which the product is treated with a solution of citric acid (one teaspoon) and warm water (one liter).
• A good tool for cleaning bags from soft skin there will be a solution of soapy water or dishwashing detergent and ammonia. One tablespoon of ammonia must be diluted in one glass of water with the addition of detergent or liquid soap. The resulting solution should be applied to the bag with quick movements, avoiding abundant wetting. Remnants of cleaning solution must be removed with a damp sponge or cloth.
• Velours It is a special kind of skin, which has a velvety structure. To care for such skin, it is recommended to purchase special brushes that will help remove minor dirt from the pile. A mixture of ammonia and soap solution will help to deal with heavy pollution. After the procedure of removing stains, the bag from velor should be treated with a solution of vinegar (one tablespoon), citric acid (one tablespoon) and water (one liter).

• Polished leather It needs special care, but at the same time it is easy to clean. Contamination can be removed with a dry, non-corrosive fabric. Products made of artificially aged leather are also easy to clean. Contamination from such skin can be removed with a sponge moistened with water. Eaten old stains can be removed with ammonia or gasoline.
• Products imitation leather It is recommended to clean with a special spray for this type of material. Leatherette is recommended to regularly wipe with a foam brush soaked in glycerin. This method will remove dust and minor contamination from artificial leather, and a protective film, which is formed due to glycerin impregnation, will protect the product from the adverse effects of moisture.

• Reptile skin or embossed leather can be cleaned of dirt and dust with wool. It is recommended to clean this skin daily in order to avoid the accumulation of dust on the relief surface. The cleaning procedure should be completed by processing the product with glycerin. From the grooves in the skin, dirt can be cleaned with a cotton swab dipped in ammonia.

For cleaning bags made of leather suitable both home and special chemical care products. Such spots as petroleum jelly, glycerin and castor oil do well with spots on light and dark skin. Weak impurities can be removed with a makeup remover or a face tonic that does not contain alcohol.

You can clean small dirt with ordinary household soap. Use a soap solution at room temperature to clean the surface of the bag, then remove the residue with a damp sponge and wipe dry with a soft cloth.

Ammonia is one of the popular tools that are used to clean leather goods. The ammonia is mixed with a soap solution and the resulting mixture removes impurities from the surface of the bag.

A popular special cleaning agent for the care of a product made from natural material is liquid skin. In structure, the liquid skin resembles gouache. This tool is necessary to process the bag, slightly pressing it with a sponge. Liquid skin perfectly masks the mechanical damage that has formed on the surface of the bag.

There are many tools among household chemicals that are suitable for cleaning the skin. When choosing such a tool, it is necessary to pay attention to the label, on which there should be a corresponding note about the possibility of processing leather goods.

There are also several universal means, not related to household chemicals, which help to cope with almost any type of pollution on natural leather:

• dishwashing gel;
• aftershave;
• talc.

Before you start cleaning leather products, you should pay attention to some of the nuances. When choosing a cleaning agent, you must consider the color and type of material. Before cleaning the bag with any chemical agent, It is recommended to pre-apply it on a small invisible area. If the skin on the treated area is not damaged by the cleaning agent, you can proceed to the treatment of the entire bag.

One of the most powerful and unpleasant types of dirt are stains from paint. It is possible to remove such pollution, but it is necessary to resort to aggressive means, such as kerosene or nail polish remover, which does not contain acetone. The paint on the skin should be gently rubbed with a cotton swab dipped in them. After removing the dirt, clean the treated area immediately with soapy water.

To remove greasy residue from a leather product, you can use dishwashing gel. A small amount of gel should be applied to the contaminated area for 30 minutes. To prevent the detergent from drying out, the treated area of ​​skin must be covered with a cling film. Keeping detergent in contaminated areas for thirty minutes, it is necessary to remove the gel residues from the surface of the product with a damp sponge.

Dirt on the skin can be washed with an aftershave lotion. This tool must be kept in the treated contaminated areas for twenty minutes. Then wipe the bag with a clean damp cloth. Colored leather products to clean in this way is undesirable.

Solvents can ruin the skin, but in certain cases aggressive cleaning agents may be used to remove serious impurities. Stubborn stains from engine oil or other petroleum products are difficult to remove by conventional means. In this case, you can resort to cleaning with a synthetic solvent or gasoline. It is necessary to remove stains with extreme care, not rubbing the cleaner into the skin and not touching the adjacent clean areas.. After cleaning the bag is recommended to handle vaseline.

In the fight against fatty stains will help talc or baby powder. Talc must be applied to contaminated areas and rub in gently. After the initial treatment, the product should be brushed off the surface of the bag and reapplied. After the second application, talc must be kept in the polluted areas for thirty minutes. The final stage of cleansing will be skin treatment with soap and water.

White skin needs more thorough care than dark material. The smallest contaminations are noticeable on white leather products much more than on dark ones. It is recommended to regularly clean the white bag of dust and fresh dirt to avoid the formation of stubborn stains. To do this, simply wipe the product regularly with wet antibacterial wipes.

With a little dirt on light skin, you can cope with lemon juice. Lemon juice is applied to contaminated areas, after which it is recommended to polish the treated areas with a lemon peel. Lemon juice also helps to remove yellow spots from white skin.

Clean the white bag will help folk remedy of milk and egg white. To prepare the mixture, you need to mix a glass of cow's milk with whipped protein. A soft sponge or cloth solution is applied to the light skin.

You can remove fatty stains with an ordinary bulb. Onions cut in half and rubbed the core of contaminated sites. The disadvantage of this method will be onion smell. You can get rid of it with a solution of a weak solution of acetic essence and water.

Lipstick stains, mascara or eyeliner can be removed with hydrogen peroxide. Weak dirt can try to erase with an eraser. The rubber should be exclusively white. A gray or colored eraser may stain the bag.

Products from dense white skin can be cleaned with a solution of one tablespoon of fine salt and one tablespoon of 9 percent vinegar. It must be remembered that thin skin can deteriorate from this remedy. Parts of the product such as seams and knobs are most susceptible to severe contamination. The handle darkened from dust and stubborn dirt can be effectively cleaned with the help of cosmetics, namely:

• face tonic;
• foam or mousse to remove makeup;
• cosmetic milk for the face.

Black or dark brown bag is quite simple to clean. An effective tool for cleaning dark material is coffee gruel. To make it, you need natural ground coffee (one teaspoon) to mix in a small amount of warm water to form a thick mass. Using a cotton swab, apply light coffee on the skin with light movements without pressure, then remove the gruel with a damp cloth.

After cleaning the coffee grounds, the leather bag should be allowed to dry. In the end, the skin can be treated with a water-repellent agent, which is used to care for shoes.

When buying a bag of bright color, it is recommended to immediately purchase a special water-repellent agent of the appropriate tone for the care of colored skin. The bag is recommended to regularly handle such a spray.

Often resort to thorough cleaning of the surface of the product from various contaminants should not be, as this may cause damage to the upper layer and discoloration. You can clean the product from dust with a damp soft cloth or sponge.

To get rid of more serious dirty stains at home, you can use soapy water. The colored bag can be cleaned of grease stains with dishwashing gel.

The red bag is effectively cleaned from talcum contamination. After treatment of contaminated areas, the surface of the bag must be rubbed with a special mixture. For the manufacture of such a mixture, it is necessary to mix the terpentine essential oil and beeswax in a ratio of 2 to 1. After treatment with such a composition, the product should dry well.

In case of unpleasant odors or heavy dirt inside the bag, you must resort to cleaning the lining. In order to clean the bag inside, the lining should be pulled out or turned out as far as possible. You can wash it with detergent, dishwashing detergent or soap.

If regular washing does not help get rid of dirt, it is worth resorting to other methods of cleaning. You can make a paste of baking soda and water. A slurry of soda should be applied to contaminated sites and leave for a quarter of an hour. After which the lining can be re-washed in warm water.

Wash leather goods in a typewriter or by hand is not recommended, as this material is sensitive to moisture. It is strictly impossible to wash bags made of artificial or patent leather. It is allowed to wash products only from natural material.

To resort to this method of cleaning you need only in special cases. In order to protect the leather bag as much as possible from damage during washing, you should follow some rules with this cleaning method.

Wash a leather bag in a typewriter as follows:

• The bag must be completely emptied, including internal and external pockets.
• If possible, remove all belts with metal parts and metal decorations from the bag. Iron can ruin the skin during the washing process or damage the washing machine drum.
• Before washing the bag must be placed in a special bag or at least wrap with a pillowcase.
• It is necessary to erase only on the delicate mode. Water temperature should not exceed thirty degrees.
• After washing the product must be completely dried naturally.

With proper care products made of genuine leather are durable. Here are a few helpful. Tips that will help preserve the original appearance of the leather bag for many years:

• As you know, the skin is quite sensitive to moisture. Such material needs periodic treatment with water repellents. For these purposes, you can purchase a colorless cream or spray for leather goods. Before the next surface treatment of the bag with a water-repellent agent, it is necessary to remove the previously applied protective cream coating from the skin.
• To prevent the skin from drying out and, as a result, cracking, it is recommended to periodically treat the product with emollients. Glycerin, vaseline or plain colorless moisturizer for hands can be used as such agents.
• If cracks, scratches or breaks appear on the skin, skin cream of the corresponding color will help to hide such defects.
• To facilitate the care of a white leather bag, immediately after purchasing such an accessory, it is recommended that the surface be treated with a hydrophobic impregnation. Impregnation forms a protective layer that will prevent dirt particles from entering the skin.

• In order not to have to often wash the inner lining in the bag, you need to take preventive measures that will prevent the formation of unpleasant odors and fungus. To do this, put bags with herbs or coffee beans inside the bag.
• If the bag is made of dyed leather, during storage and operation, it should be borne in mind that such material does not tolerate long-term exposure to bright sunlight.
• A bag of patent leather is undesirable to expose to temperatures below 15 and above 25 degrees.
• Storing leather goods should also be given special attention. The skin is sensitive to mechanical stress. To protect the product from cracks and scratches, it must be stored in a cardboard box or in a linen bag. For long-term storage, the bag must be filled with paper or a crumpled newspaper, and carefully processed outside with a colorless cream or gel for leather goods.

How to care for a leather bag, see the following video.