How to Remove Mold from Bags

Co-authored by Melanie Garcia

Last Updated: November 23, 2022 References

What happens when the inside of your bag becomes damp or wet? Mold or mildew. Mold and mildew are types of fungus's that will leave stains and nasty smells to the inside of your bag. However, you don't always have to throw your bag out when you discover it has mold. You can simply use one of these natural methods of removing them to get your bag back to looking its best.

Method 1

Method 1 of 7:

Washing Your Bag with White Vinegar

1
Unzip your bag and remove anything that was in it. Your bag needs to be totally empty.
2
Put the bag in your laundry machine on the normal cycle that you would normally use. The only difference is that you need to use hot water!

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3
Let it wash as it normally would, but during the spin cycle, add 1 cup of white vinegar.
4
Remove and take it outside once it's done. Lay it out in the sunlight to air-dry for 24 hours, inside out.

Method 2

Method 2 of 7:

Sponging Your Bag with White Vinegar

1
Unzip your bag and remove everything that was in it. Your bag can't have anything in it.
2
Put your bag inside out, and secure it firmly on something so it won't move.
3
Wearing plastic or latex gloves, take a sponge or washcloth and dampen it with white vinegar. It should not be dripping wet, nor should it be slightly wet.
4
Using the sponge or washcloth, rub the moldy or mildewed spot until you see it gone.
5
Rinse your bag out with water, and leave it to air-dry in the sun for at least 24 hours.

Method 3

Method 3 of 7:

Using Baking Soda

1
Unzip your bag, and remove everything from it. It needs to be absolutely empty.
2
Take your bag outside or to a sunny place, and turn it inside out. Leave your bag out to completely dry for 24 hours.
3
Once it has been 24 hours, take your bag back inside and return it to it's original shape.
4
Take 1/2 a cup of baking soda and pour it into the bag. If it does not completely cover the bottom of your bag, add another 1/2 cup of baking soda.
5
Zip your bag up, and take it to a dark dry place, and let it sit overnight.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Melanie Garcia
Professional House Cleaner
Expert Interview. 10 October 2019.}
6
In the morning, or the next day, open your bag and get a washcloth or sponge damp with water.
7
Using the washcloth or sponge, gently scrub the mold or mildew using the baking soda to help.
8
When the moldy or mildewed area is gone, take the bag and dump out the baking soda. Put your bag into the laundry machine, and wash it on the cycle you should use.
9
Let it dry, and it will be mold/mildew free!

Method 4

Method 4 of 7:

Using Denatured Alcohol for Leather Bags

1
Using 1 cup denatured alcohol and 1 cup water.^{[2]
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Research source} Mix them together until a cloudy solution is formed.
2
Dip a washcloth or sponge in the mixture and squeeze it out so the cloth or sponge is not soaked.^{[3]
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Research source}
3
Rub the mildewed or moldy spots gently until the stain has disappeared.
4
Put your bag in the dryer for 25 minutes to completely dry your bag. If your bag cannot be put in the dryer, leave it outside to air dry for 24 ours.

Method 5

Method 5 of 7:

Using Saddle Soap for Leather Bags

1
Using purchased or homemade saddle soap, dampen a cloth with water.^{[4]
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Research source}
2
Rub some saddle soap onto the cloth and rub together between your fingers to get a lather.
3
Apply the lather to the bags, while rubbing gently.
4
Wipe away the lather using a clean cloth and another damp cloth.
5
Let the bags dry completely outside for at least 1 hour.

Method 6

Method 6 of 7:

Using a Brush

This method does not work as well as some of the others, but it will still get the majority of the mold and mildew off.

1
Go outside to do this, as lots of mold and mildew will be coming off.
2
Once outside, brush off all the mold or mildew using a hand-held brush.
3
If you can't take your bag outside, use a stiff brush or broom and brush the item over a piece of newspaper or a large sheet.
4
Once you are finished, roll up the paper and throw it away. If you used a sheet, throw the mold and mildew away, then wash it and put it back.

Method 7

Method 7 of 7:

Removing the Smell

1
Put 10 new dryer sheets in your bag.^{[5]
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Research source} Close you bag, and leave it outside in the sun for 2 hours. Once it's been 2 hours, take the bag inside and toss the sheets away. The smell should now be gone!
2
Put 1 cup of baking soda in your bag and leave it there overnight. In the morning, dump the baking soda out.^{[6]
X
Expert Source

Melanie Garcia
Professional House Cleaner
Expert Interview. 10 October 2019.}
3
Simply leave your bag out to air dry in the sun. When a bag is completely dry, the smell will often away.

Expert Q&A

Question

How can I get rid of the musty mold smell after cleaning it out?

Melanie Garcia
Professional House Cleaner
Melanie Garcia is the Co-Owner of Oranges & Lemons, a small, family cleaning business based in Downtown Los Angeles, California (DTLA) in operation for over 40 years. Oranges & Lemons operates while partnering with the National Domestic Workers Alliance and Hand in Hand: Domestic Employers Network.

Melanie Garcia

Professional House Cleaner

Expert Answer

Pour some baking soda into your bag and let it sit overnight. It will help absorb all the bad leftover odors.
Question

How do I remove golden print on my trolley bag?

Community Answer

Try to wash it away using a very good detergent. If that doesn't work, then try to hide it by pasting a good design over it. If nothing works, then buy a new trolley bag!

Warnings

Always make sure to check washing instructions for your bag. If your bag can't be washed, you don't want to throw it in a washer and destroy it!

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