As it is often said, “the devil is in the detail”, that’s why your accessories are one of the most important things in your look. Obviously, this means, that you need to be very careful while choosing them and, what’s more important, to take a good care of them. This few tips and tricks will help you to keep your most eye-catching fashion unit – your handbag – clean and fresh. Find more style-defining accessories on Jiji!
- Never use baby wipes (especially the ones, that contain alcohol), vinegar, saddle soap or some other kind of ‘home remedies’ to clean your bag. These products might contain some chemicals, that can damage the material of your accessory.
- Use specific products for a specific material your bag made out of. Leather cleaner won’t do much for the suede bag (in some occasions, it can even make the matter worse).
- Don’t forget to fully empty your bag before cleaning. It would be better, if you’d brush away all loose dirt – inside and outside the handbag.
- Start with a soft wet cloth (for all materials, except for suede). For a better cleansing, use warm water mixed with some soap.
- Pay special attention to purse’s handles and straps, they often collect more dirt and mud.
- For a suede bag, use a soft brush (preferably a special suede brush, but some toothbrushes and make-up brushes are also suitable). Firstly, brush a dirty area lightly in one direction to loosen the fibers, then go over the stain back and forth.
- Another solution for a suede bag – steam cleaning. Try using a steam iron, one of which you can find here.
- Clean leather bags with cream leather cream and special conditioner not to dry the leather.
- Don’t try to remove old ink marks from you leather bag. They can be cleaned only by a professional, so always check if your pan has a cap before putting it inside.
- If you’ve spotted an ink mark right away, use a white eraser on it.
- Don’t touch your bag, while you have hand creams or lotions applied. They often contain mineral oils, that are not compatible with leather.
- Be very gentle with patent leather – it can be easily scratched. If you know, that your bag is made out of imitation patent leather, you can use vinyl and plastic cleaner, available in automotive stores.
- Vinyl and plastic cleaners will also help for hard plastic handbags. Try using silicone wax to restore bag’s shine.
- After cleaning straw bag with soapy water, rinse it with a clean wet cloth. Don’t get it too wet, though, as it can shrink.
- After cleaning a fabric bag, cover it with the fabric protector to keep it clean longer.
- If your pouch came with a dust bag – use it. These are made to keep your handbag clean, while you are not using it.
- Keep your purse staffed, while you’re not using it for it to keep its shape.
- To clean the inside of your pouch, you can simply vacuum it. Just use the lowest power setting not to damage it.
- You can hang your handbag on the hook, but don’t keep it there for too long, as it can damage the straps.
- If your leather bag doesn’t have supports on the bottom, consider adding them by an expert. They protect the bottom of your bag from abrasion and dirt.
