How do you get a stain out of a handbag?
Even with the best care and prevention, accidents happen. If you manage to stain your designer bag, here’s a guide on how to get a stain out of a handbag without causing damage.
A step-by-step guide to removing stains from a designer handbag
- The first and most important thing to remember is to avoid applying water or any cleaning products you may have to hand as you will at this point only make the staining worse. Instead, start by blotting the stained area as soon as possible with a clean, dry cloth or tissue. Try to absorb as much of the liquid as possible.
- Once you have removed the excess liquid, you should then blot the stained area with a damp cloth or tissue using warm water only. Start at the outside of the stain and work inwards – this will stop the stain from spreading outwards.
- Using our care kits, you should clean the stained area with the cleaning solution provided. As before, you should then proceed to dab the stained area with a dry cloth or tissue to absorb any leftover water or cleaner.
Other tips you should bear in mind include blotting the stained area rather than rubbing as this can cause the stain to spread. You should also never apply heat directly to the stained area as this can set the stain. Your bag is best left to fully dry in a warm room.
If any staining remains after you’ve followed these steps and once it’s fully dried, contact an expert for professional cleaning. You can get a free cleaning quote from us here at the Handbag Clinic.
How to remove ink stain from a leather handbag
Inks stains are a common issue we treat, most famously in this Chanel Classic below. We were able to achieve the seemingly impossible after a toddler added his unique style statement to his mother’s white Chanel GST handbag, gifted to her by her husband.
To remove these stains, we used a wide variety of stain removal products along with applying the right amount of pressure – making an error at this stage either can cause the stain to spread or further damage the leather.
Our expert artisans then apply a specialist metallic colourant which helps to prevent any dying of the leather fibres from showing through over time – they then carry out a colour match to the surrounding area and seamlessly blend this into the rest of the bag. If a bag is too discoloured throughout it may require full restoration work.
Keep calm, The Handbag Clinic is here
Whether your handbag has been splashed on, sketched on, or simply has had too much sun, our master artisans are here to help. As the UK’s original handbag restorers, we have years of experience and expertise in making bags look new again.
To find out more about common stains and how we address them, read our blog on how to make do and mend.
