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Handbag Cleaning and Storage

The first step to maintain your bag is to know the material of your clutch or purse.

Genuine Leather
One should avoid treating this type of handbags with water and scratches on the surface should also be avoided as it exposes the material to further damage.
Suede Leather
Suede leather is very sensitive to water and dampness and thus water should not be used to clean this type of handbags.
Cloth Material
There are many types of materials used to make this type of handbags. Recent materials include canvas, denim, crepe, silk, lace, flax and cotton. These types of handbags should not be washed directly in water.
Nylon Series
The specially treated nylon repels water and is more durable than the other materials since it is light and tough.
The rare precious leather bags should be carefully handled as they are rare to find.

How to clean your bags:

Precaution should be taken to use any detergent to clean the handbags. The detergent has to be tried out on some inconspicuous place of the bag to prove that the detergent won't damage the handbag. The following should be observed when cleaning the handbags.
1. Use a cleaning brush or cotton cloth depending on the texture of the leather to wipe off accumulated dust.
2. Leather handbags should be cleaned using a specialized leather detergent with a soft cloth to avoid scratching the material. The detergent is spread evenly on the bag and the bag is wiped clean.
3. Suede bags can be cleaned using the ordinary erasers for pen and pencil. To clean off the dust, a soft bristle brush can be employed. Accumulated debris should be brushed off lightly by applying an appropriate force that may not damage the suede.
4. Nylon or cloth bags should be cleaned using a damp cloth by dabbing gently at the surface. To clean part of the handbags (except handbags made from silk and satin), you may use a toothbrush combined with mild soap.
5. The washed bags should be dried in a shady place with good ventilation. This is because handbags are highly sensitive to extreme temperatures, which make the bags to fade. Leather is particularly vulnerable since overexposure to sunlight makes the leather brittle and stiff.
6. Decoration covered handbags should be swiped clean separately with a dry cloth after washing.

More Tips of Getting Stains Out of Your Leather Handbag

Different substances can stain the leather handbag and result in permanent damage. This gives advice on how to do away with the stain before it is set permanently. The stain should be treated immediately to obtain the best result. In case the stain does not come out, the handbag should be taken to a leather cleaning professional for:
1. In case of water stains, the bag should be left to dry naturally but away from artificial heat sources. The bag may also be conditioned with a leather conditioner if necessary.
2. For gum, one should put a little ice cubes in a plastic material and use this to rub the gum. The logic is to make the gum hard so that it can't then be removed with ease. If the gum does not come out after this, the gum should be heated using a hairdryer on low setting and rubbed off by a cloth.
3. Salt stains are removed by preparing a solution of vinegar and water (vinegar to water ratio: 3:1)and rubbing the solution on the stain with a cloth.
4. Ink stains are hard to remove and are done away by spraying the ink stain with a small hair spray and wiping it off with a cloth.
5. For the case of discoloration, one should purchase a leather spray which matches with the color of the handbag.

How to store your bags:

1. Hanging on a hook or hanger is not advisable since it can distort the shape of the bag. The handbag should instead be stored in an open basket. The basket should have a clean fabric on the bottom of it.
2. When the bag is not in use, a tissue paper should be stuffed into it so as to maintain its shape and prevent influx of dust.
3. The basket should have a few very small fiber cloths that make the normal maintenance smooth and brighten up the components on the purse without damaging it while wiping off the outside dust.
4. The basket should be kept off the floor to avoid pets like dogs and cats from sleeping in them.
5. They should be kept out of direct sunlight, which may de-shape the bags. Thus, they should be kept in one's closet to make it easy for one to reach them and away from any danger.
6. Any purses that are not often used should be kept in your luggage, which ensures that they are in clean condition and thus no need for dusting them off. To save space, they should be kept in an empty luggage.