How To Clean Handmade Leather Bags Cheaply & Easily

There’s a reason why handmade leather bags are popular with consumers across the US and that’s because they look, feel and even smell amazing! As a durable and classy fashion item, it’s hard to stay away from any well-made leather bag you see for sale, such is their aesthetic and stylish appeal.

The fact is, bags are designed to be used. No matter how careful you might be, they’re going to become dirtier over time. And as time goes by, this accumulated grime will result in your bag losing its lustre.

Naturally, handmade bags manufactured from premium leather need to be cleaned and maintained to stay looking at their best. Want the good news? It can be done easily and cheaply, using just a few household items that most people have.

What You’ll Need to Clean Your Leather Bags At Home

So, to help you keep your leather bag collection looking great, we now look at how it can be cleaned, step by step. First, let’s see what household items are required for the job.

You’ll need:

• A bottle of baby shampoo - you’ll just need a few drops

• ¼ cup of distilled water - easily found at a pharmacy or supermarket

• A spray bottle to put your shampoo solution in

• A soft-bristled brush

• A clean, dry towel

• A lint-free cloth

Ideally, you’ll also have some leather cream to apply after cleaning to keep your bag soft and supple. Leather bags love leather creams, which typically contain ingredients like neatsfoot oil, mink oil and lanolin. It too can be easily found on Amazon or in your local hardware store.

How to Clean Your Leather Bag

We’ll start with a warning. Use water sparingly when cleaning leather, as it can seriously damage its integrity. When leather gets wet, the oils that keep the leather protected are attracted to the water molecules, which are lost totally when the leather dries.

Losing these natural oils can leave the leather dry and brittle. Also, we use distilled water for a reason, as it’s about as pure as water gets. Use tap water and the salts it contains will stain your bag.

So, without further delay, here are the steps you should follow:

• Step #1 - Empty Your Leather Bag

• Step #2 - Use your soft-bristled brush to thoroughly clean your bag. This will ensure that all dirt and dust is removed. Just remember to open a window before commencing if you have allergies!

• Step #3 - Create a cleaning solution with a couple of drops of baby shampoo and your distilled water and place it into your spray bottle.

• Step #4 - Spray some solution on your lint-free cloth and wipe the bag down, ensuring that all straps are covered, as well as the bag’s bottom.

• Step #5 - Now take your dry towel and mop up any excess moisture

• Step #6 - Air dry your bag, but do not attempt to use a hair dryer - leather bags don’t like it!

If you have been able to get some leather cream, you should apply it to your bag once dry. Use a soft cloth and apply it using circular motions and before too long, your bag will have gained back its shine and aesthetic appeal.

Keeping Leather bags Is Simple When You Know How!

When you have such a highly sought-after possession like a handmade leather bag, keeping it maintained will mean that you get to enjoy it for longer and as we’ve seen, it’s not expensive or time-consuming to do so.

If you’re lucky enough to own a leather handbag like the many that are available at the Little Istanbul Gifts shop, it’s only natural to want to protect it. We hope that our blog makes that task a simpler one.

That’s it from us this time. Check back with us again soon for more interesting content about the distinctive and inimitably authentic handmade products from Turkey.