How To Care For Your Handbag
Published October 11, 2008 at 5:41 pm 6 Comments
After posting on how to Win a Free Handbag from Handbag Planet, I decided that it would be a good idea for myself and all of the readers to learn How To Care For Your Handbag. Right now, my closet is full of affordable priced bags from stores like Target, Forever 21, Urban Outfitters, etc. Hopefully I’ll soon be adding the bag pictured left from Handbag Planet! 
Eventually, I would like to invest in a really great handbag. Investing in a handbag is something that I think every woman should do at least once in her life. A handbag is not only something to carry your items in, but it’s also a representation of you. While my first investment bag will bag will be either a L.A.M.B. or Marc Jacobs creation, I think that it would be wise for me to start practicing handbag care now. That way, when I bring home a great bag that really needs to be well cared for, I’ll know what to do. Read on to learn How To Care For Your Handbag.
1. Clean out the interior of the bag frequently. Use this as a chance to remove all the random trash, like gum wrappers or receipts, and to organize the contents of your purse. Then run a lint roller through the inside of the bag to pick up any fibers or hairs that remain. If you are like me and carry a hair brush and make up brushes in your bag, take this chance to wash them as well.
2. For the exterior of the bag, it all depends on the material that you have chosen. If your handbag is leather, use a smoothing cream to condition it. If it’s a canvas, cloth, or nylon bag, keep a Tide To Go pen or Shout Wipe on hand for quick fixes. To clean this bags, mix mild laundry detergent (make sure it’s bleach free!) with water. Apply with a clean, dry, white cloth and blot any dirty areas. Do not rub. Juicy Couture suggests 1 part detergent to 30 parts water to clean their terry cloth bags. If your purse is made of velvet or silk, you are better off taking it in to a dry cleaners than attempting to clean it yourself.
3. Are you worried about zippers? Try rubbing a bit of pure beeswax onto an open zipper to keep it running smoothly.
4. To help a bag keep it’s shape, store it filled with tissue paper, bubble wrap, or cloth. If you use tissue paper, make sure that it is acid free tissue paper. Regular kinds can pull color out of your handbag or cause stains.
5. If you plan on storing your bag, make sure that you take the right steps to properly care for it before and during storage. Not only should you fill them with acid free tissue paper or cloth to help them keep their shape, but also put the bags in a drawstring cloth bag to keep dust and pollutants out. If you’d really like to care for your bag, also store it in a box. Worried about bugs? Include a small amount of lavender wrapped in loose cloth in the box. The smell will deter them but leave your bag smelling lovely.
What are your tips for taking care of your handbags?
Tashina. 26. SF Bay Area. Fashion obessed. Works and lives clothing. Aspires to be a fashion journalist & stylist. Reads Vogue, Marie Claire, Lucky, Nylon & Glamour. Loves vintage & retro fashions. Glamour magazine Glambassador for 2009.
That’s definitely a bunch of great tips and even if (maybe even more so if) you have a less expensive bag, these tips will keep it in good condition. I just bought a new lint roller today because I couldn’t find my old one! I never thought of using one in my bag to be honest – I usually juts shake out the inside lining over the sink! I do go through my bag contents and organize pretty frequently though, especially when I’m about to go out.
My knockoff bag came with a linen draw-string bag, so I’ll have to remember those tips (especially adding a sweet-smelling sachet!) when I finally stop using it for a bit.
These are excellent tips! Thank you for sharing! =)
This post was meant for me ha ha! JUST KIDDING. However, I’m terrible when it comes to cleaning my purses. Great tips
Once I get a nicer purse, I’m going to take good care of it and live by these tips!
Now… if only someone would be kind enought to buy he a Louis Vuitton purse he he
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I actually need to get some stains out of my coach bag. I’m scared though because it’s one of the patchwork styles and I think it has fur on it? It’s zebra printed and feels like hair so I dunno. I really don’t want to ruin it!
Crystal – Definitely take it in to a dry cleaners if you are at all hesitant. A nice handbag is not worth risking! There should be cleaning and care instructions that were included with the bag that will tell you what your options are.
Good luck!