How I Clean My Handbags

When I bought my pre-loved Neverfull one of the first things I wanted to do was get it professionally cleaned. It was in really great condition but I just wanted to make it feel as new as I possibly could.

I’d recently moved to Newcastle and had walked by a place in town called the Handbag Clinic – which of course caught my eye! I looked them up online and found that they offered professional cleaning and restoration, on top of selling handbags.

I went in to enquire about having my bag cleaned and was unfortunately told it would have to be sent away for a few weeks. I’d just purchased my first ever designer bag, I wasn’t about to let it out of my sight!

They saw I was disappointed and instead showed me their Essential Care Kit that I could purchase to clean the bag myself. It’s exactly the same products their professional cleaners use, so I thought I’d give it a go.

The kit was £49.99 and includes:

100ml Leather Cleaner

100ml Leather Protection Cream

100ml Liquid Leather Protector

100ml Fabric Cleaner

100ml Fabric Protector

Handbook Hook

2 x Cleaning Sponges

Step 1: Spray the Fabric Cleaner onto the fabric and leave for 5 minutes, then wipe the surface with a clean cloth to remove dirt and grime.

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Step 2: Spray on the Fabric Protector so the surface becomes wet. Allow to dry. This step helps maintain and prevent staining to the fabric.

Step 3: Shake the Leather Cleaner bottle well and spray onto a sponge or cloth. Work the cleaner into the leather in a circular motion.

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Step 4: Wipe any residue away and apply the Liquid Leather Protector, again in a circular motion with a clean sponge. Treat one entire panel at a time and leave to dry.

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Step 5: Rub the Leather Protection Cream into the leather in a circular motion with a clean cloth. Leave for 10 minutes and then buff over with a clean cloth to restore lustre!

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And that’s it, you’re left with beautiful, protected fabric and leather! I try and do this every few months, but the results do last quite a long time. I find that this routine of cleaning really brings the canvas on my Neverfull to life.

By the looks of it, the full Essentials Care Kit seems to be out of stock on the website, but you might have more luck in store. They do however have the separate Fabric Care Kit and Leather Care Kit, which are £19.95 each.

All in all, it’s a really great little kit and would make a fantastic present for any handbag addict. The handbag hook is especially useful! I’d definitely purchase again once these bottles are empty.

I’m intrigued by what everyone else uses, are there certain products you swear by? Or any that you would avoid? All recommendations and tips are welcome!