How to Clean a Leather Purse

Co-authored by Mallika Sharma

Last Updated: February 12, 2023 References Approved

Cleaning a leather purse isn't as hard as it may seem. Basic cleaning methods are easy, can be done at home, and can prevent challenging stains. Read the following tips to learn how to give a leather purse a basic cleaning.

Method 1

Method 1 of 5:

Cleaning Leather

1
Wipe the stain off with a clean, damp cloth. Keep rubbing the area until it is damp, but not soaked through.
2
Apply some cleaning solution to the soft cloth. You can use a store-bought leather bag cleaner, which often comes in a kit. You can also make your own by mixing a few drops of a mild soap (such as unscented dishwashing soap or baby soap) with distilled water.

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3
Wipe the stained area again with the soft cloth until the stain is gone. Try to keep your stroking motions in line with the leather's grain.^{[1]
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4
Use a clean, dry cloth to wipe off any soap residue or excess moisture. Don't worry about drying the bag just yet.
5
Let the bag dry for about 30 minutes. Avoid speeding the process up with a hairdryer. If you are in a hurry, consider setting the bag down in front of a fan. Cool air will be less damaging to the bag than hot.
6
Apply some leather moisturizer to the bag once it is dry. Use a soft cloth to apply the moisturizer. Rub the moisturizer on using circular motions. The moisturizer will help keep the leather soft and supple. Do not substitute regular hand lotion, which can stain and degrade leather.
7
Consider buffing the leather with a dry cloth. This will help restore the texture and shine to the bag.^{[2]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 5:

Cleaning Patent Leather

1
Start with water. Sometimes, a little bit of water is all that is needed to wipe off light stains, such as scuffs and fingerprints. Simple dampen a paper towel, cotton ball, or Q-tip with a little bit of water, and wipe the stain off.
2
Use window cleaner on more persistent stains. If water did not remove the stain, you can try a window cleaner that comes in a spray bottle instead. Simply spray some of the cleaner onto the stain, then wipe it off with a paper towel or a soft cloth.^{[3]
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3
Try petroleum jelly on stains and discoloration. Dip a Q-tip or a paper towel into some petroleum jelly, and go over the stain using small, circular motions. This is effective on stains caused by color transfers.^{[4]
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4
Use rubbing alcohol on more stubborn stains and discoloration. Soak a cotton ball or Q-tip with rubbing alcohol and gently buff the ink stain using circular motions. If the stain persists, you may try some nail polish remover instead. Be sure to wipe the nail polish remover away after you are done. Keep in mind that nail polish remover is much harsher, and may damage the finish.^{[5]
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5
Try tape on surface stains. If the stain is just on the surface, they simply need to be lifted away. Take a piece of tape, press it down onto the stain, then quickly pull it away. This works great on scuff marks, lipstick, and mascara stains.^{[6]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 5:

Cleaning Suede

1
Find a soft, bristled brush. The best type of brush for suede would be a suede brush, which you can find in a suede cleaning kit. You can also use a clean toothbrush or a manicure brush.
- If you are going to use a toothbrush or a manicure brush, plan on using them only for suede cleaning purposes. Do not use them for anything else.
2
Lightly go over the affected area with the brush. Gently brush the area using short, gentle strokes. Always go in the same direction. Do not go back and forth just yet. This will help loosen the fibers and dirt.
3
Go back over the stain with the brush. This time, you can buff the stain using a back-and-forth motion. Do not be alarmed if your purse starts to "shed." This is simply the dirty fibers coming off.
- Consider working over a towel to keep your lap or work surface clean.
4
Buff the affected area with a white, "magic" eraser sponge. You can find these sponges in the cleaning and detergent section of a grocery store. Gently go back and forth over the affected area with the sponge until the dirt goes away.
5
Consider steam cleaning your purse. If your purse is a little bit dirty, you can try steam cleaning it. The easiest way to do this is to hang your purse up in the bathroom just after you take a hot shower. The damp air will be enough to loosen stains, but it won't be damp enough to stain your purse. After the steam cleaning, let your purse dry, then buff the affected area with a soft bristled brush.^{[7]
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6
Treat stubborn stains with vinegar or rubbing alcohol. Dampen a washcloth with some white vinegar or rubbing alcohol first, then gently buff the stain with it. Let the affected area dry, then buff it again with the soft bristled brush. Unlike water, white vinegar and rubbing alcohol will not stain suede.
- Don't worry about the vinegar smell; it will eventually go away.
- Extra-stubborn stains may require a dedicated suede cleaning solution.
7
Shave or snip off any thready bits. As you continue to buff your purse, you may notice that some fibers are a lot longer than others. You can trim these down using a pair of scissors, or go over them with an electric razor^{[8]
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Method 4

Method 4 of 5:

Cleaning the Inside

1
Empty your purse of everything. Pull everything out and set it aside. At this time, it might also be a good idea to sort out any opened pens, and toss them.
2
Turn your bag upside down and shake it. This will help get rid of most of the dust and debris. You might want to do this over a dust bin.
3
Consider cleaning the inside of your bag with a lint roller. Lay the bag on its side first, then pull the lining out. Roll the lint roller across the lining, turn your bag over, and do the other side. If your bag is large enough, you might be able to fit the entire roller inside it, without pulling the lining out.^{[9]
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- If you don't have a lint roller, use a piece of tape to pick up any dust and debris.
4
Consider vacuuming the inside of your bag. Set your bag down on the floor. Fit the end of your vacuum cleaner nozzle with the upholstery or fabric brush attachment. Stick the nozzle inside your bag, and vacuum up any debris. Use a lower power setting so that you do not damage the lining.^{[10]
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5
Wipe a dirty lining down with a mixture of vinegar and water. Combine 1 part white vinegar and 1 part hot water in a bowl. Dip a clean cloth into this mixture, squeeze out the excess water, and wipe down the inside of your bag.^{[11]
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6
Deodorize your bag with baking soda. Open up a box of baking soda and stick it upright inside your bag. Leave it there overnight, and take it out the next morning. The baking soda will have absorbed most of the bad smells.
- The top of the box should sit below the opening of your bag. If your bag is too small, pour some baking soda into a small dish or tea cup.

Method 5

Method 5 of 5:

Cleaning Specific Stains

1
Try a cream of tartar and lemon juice paste on dark stains. Use one part cream of tartar and one part lemon juice to make a paste. Apply the paste to the stain and wait 10 minutes, then wipe the stain off using a damp cloth. Dry the damp area off using a clean cloth.^{[12]
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- If there is any residue, mix a few drops of mild soap into some warm water, and dampen a towel with that. Use this towel to clean off the residue.
- This is effective on food and blood stains.
2
Fight water stains on suede with more water. Dampen a soft-bristled brush, then lightly go over the stain. Pat the area dry with a paper towel, and wait overnight. The stain should be gone the next morning.
- Do not get impatient and try to use a fan, hairdryer, or sunlight to speed up the drying process.
- Water stains can be permanent, especially on unfinished leather, but a professional leather worker might be able to fix it.
3
Use cornstarch on oil or grease stains. If the stain is fresh, try to soak up as much of it as you can with a paper towel, but try hard not to press the stain into the material. Once you have soaked up the oil, sprinkle a generous amount of cornstarch onto the stain, and pat it in. Leave it there overnight so that the cornstarch can soak up the oil. Gently brush the cornstarch off the following morning using a soft-bristled brush.
- If you can't find cornstarch where you live, use corn flour instead.
- Some people find that placing their purse under a light bulb helps the cornstarch absorb the oil better.
- If you are working with suede, you may need to dampen the area with steam afterward, then brush the rest of the cornstarch off.^{[13]
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4
Tackle mud with care. If you got mud on a leather or patent leather purse, wipe it off immediately. If you got mud on a suede purse, wait for the mud to dry first, then use a soft- bristled brush to buff it out.
5
Freeze wax or gum. If you got wax or gum on your purse, stick your purse in the freezer for a few hours. This will cause the wax/gum to harden. Once the wax/gum hardens, pull your purse out of the freezer, and peel the wax/gum off. You may need to scratch off the excess wax/gum with your fingernail.
6
Use hydrogen peroxide on blood stains. Simply dampen a paper towel or cotton ball with hydrogen peroxide, and gently dab the affected area. Eventually, the stain will come out. This is most effective on suede.
7
Get to ink stains as soon as possible. The longer they sit, the more difficult they will be to remove. Try to soak up the ink stain using a Q-tip dampened with rubbing alcohol. If you are working with suede, you may need to buff the area with a nail file.^{[14]
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- If your bag is made out of finished leather, do not use rubbing alcohol. Instead, use a white "magic" eraser sponge. Finished leather handbags do not darken with water.

Community Q&A

Question

How do you make a leather purse shiny?

Community Answer

This depends on the material it is originally made out of. If it is patent leather, you can try wiping it down with a window cleaner, such as Windex, or "polishing" it with Vaseline. If it is regular leather, you can try applying some sort of leather polish or wax. Make sure that the polish/wax is intended for purses or shoes, and avoid anything intended for saddles; it will be too harsh. If it is suede... it is not possible (although some types of suede may develop a patina/shine in areas of wear over time). As always, be sure to do a patch test in an inconspicuous area first.
Question

How do you get rid of moldy smells in wallets?

Community Answer

This is likely coming from the inside. Take everything out first, then wipe down the inside with a paper towel that's been dampened with rubbing alcohol (or an odor eliminator). Some people have also found success with slipping newspaper into leather bags, garments, and wallets. Lastly, you could also try supporting the wallet with something so that it stays open, and leave it in a sunlit area for a few hours. Both sunlight and rubbing alcohol are effective at odor-causing bacteria.
Question

What is the best cleaning agent for a leather purse?

Community Answer

Water with a bit of Dawn dish soap, laundry detergent such as Woolite, or Lexol leather cleaner. Lexol is non-harmful to finished leather. Non-alcohol baby wipes work well also.

Warnings

Not all leather cleaners are created equal. What works on one type of leather may not work on another. When choosing a leather cleaner, read the label, and make sure that it is intended for the type of leather your bag is made out of, such as nubuck, suede, patent, and so forth.

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Do not use window cleaners, petroleum jelly, rubbing alcohol, or nail polish remover to clean regular leather and suede. They are meant for patent leather only. The one exception is rubbing alcohol and suede, which is a safer combination.

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Avoid any of the above methods if your bag's manufacturer has a specific set of cleaning instructions for you to follow. The manufacturer of your bag will always know the best way to clean and maintain your bag. Follow their advice to guard against unnecessary damage.

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Try not to rub too hard. Excessive rubbing can damage leather and result in stains traveling inward, making them even harder to remove.

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Do not use saddle soap on leather purses. It is usually much too harsh for the type of leather used to make purses.

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Do not use water on grease stains.^{[17]
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Do not use baby wipes, hand creams, or lanoline-based creams/conditioners on unfinished leather. Both can permanently damage/stain the surface. Unfinished leather darkens when wet.

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