How To Clean Your Leather Handbag + Bagnet

March 15, 2023

We’ve seen it all. Food stains, water stains, ink stains, etc. All these things can happen to a leather handbag or Bagnet. For aggressive stains or stains of an unknown substance, it might be best to bring your handbag to a professional cleaner, but for everyday stains, we’ve got some easy DIY cleaning tips that will keep your handbags and Bagnet looking good as new. Shop Leather Bagnets here!

Leather Bagnets

TIP #1

WARM SOAPY WATER

This at-home solution can do wonders on water stains and scuffs. Simply mix a little bit of dish soap with warm (not hot) water, dampen a clean soft cloth with the solution, and gently dab at the stain until it’s gone. Make sure not to rub the stain or you may upset the leather. Next, dampen a clean soft cloth with water only and dab the stain again to rinse off the soapy water. Finally, dry gently with a towel.

TIP #2

NAIL POLISH REMOVER OR RUBBING ALCOHOL

To get rid of ink stains, you’ll probably need something tougher than water. We recommend nail polish remover or rubbing alcohol. You’ll want to be very careful when using either of these products as they can cause discoloration on some fabrics. Use a Q-tip to test a little bit of the product on a small inconspicuous spot first. Once you’ve confirmed the nail polish remover or rubbing alcohol is safe to use on your handbag or Bagnet, dampen a cotton swab in the nail polish remover or rubbing alcohol and lightly dab the stain until it’s gone. Then remove the product by dabbing with a clean damp cloth and then gently dry with a towel.

TIP #3

BAKING SODA OR CORNSTRACH

Oil and grease stains just got a lot less scary with this DIY Tip. Sprinkle enough baking soda or cornstarch to cover the stain on your bag. Gently rub the baking soda or cornstarch in with a damp cloth then let it sit for a few hours or even overnight. Once the baking soda or cornstarch has absorbed the oil from the stain, simply brush it off with a soft cloth.

TIP #4

LEMON JUICE AND CREAM OF TARTAR

If none of the above DIY stain removal tips are working for you, try using a paste made of equal parts lemon juice and cream of tartar. This solution should only be used on light-colored leathers as it can have a bleaching effect. We always recommend testing the solution on a small inconspicuous area first. Once you’ve confirmed the paste is safe for your bag or Bagnet, apply it to the stain and let it sit for 30 minutes. Gently remove with a clean damp cloth.