Help! Leather handbag ruined!

WolfSong2000

Okay...not sure if this is in the right place, so if not, please feel free to move it!.

Basically I just got back from shopping at Sainsbury's...had to walk a few miles in the rain, which meant I missed the fact that the milk I'd put in my shoulder bag had leaked *all* over it. I usually put the milk in a plastic carrier, but decided in my wisdom to put it in my shoulder bag as I find it easier to carry heavier items that way.

So yeah, milk went all over everything...there was a big puddle of it still in the bag which I only noticed when I got it home and set it down. Never mind the fact it got on an expensive coat, £400 phone and my purse on top of the bag...not very impressed.

Anyhow, I emptied the bag, tipped out the milk and washed it down with water...I know this is *really* bad for leather, but I figured unless I get the milk out it'll be ruined anyway. It's now sitting in the airing cupboard.

I rang sainsburys to complain and they said I have to go in store and complain to a manager...pointed out it's raining cats and dogs here (Aberdeen), so they said come in whenever... means an extra journey for me (I have no car so have to walk), but I guess I have no choice.

Other thing is, the bottle itself hasn't broken, which is what sometimes happens in the past (and I've put it down to bad luck). The top literally unscrewed and the seal has come away. How on earth could that have happened?

Will have to pop down to Spar later (closer, but smaller and more expensive) and get some more milk.

Any advice on how to salvage my much loved leather bag (it's a big, slouchy one) would be much appreciated!

Many thanks

poorly_scammo

Take it out of the airing cupboard! You don't want to dry it too quickly. The heat will make it worse.

Apart from that, once it is dry apply some form of leather conditioner.

I'd Scotchguard it too so that if it happens again, the leather will be more protected.

Hope this helps.

kerrydrobertson

i done exactly the same with a lovely soft leather bag from topshop. after a few months of having it i put a bottle of baby milk in it and could never get rid of the smell and eventually had to put it in the bin.
was devastated and have been since trawling ebay for the same bag but hve never found another.

sorry i couldnt have been more help but hope the bag is ok

glowgirl_2

Sorry about your bag:( I would agree with taking it out of the airing cupboard, natural is best and a good leather conditioner will help when its dry however you will have a real problem with the smell, milk leaked in an old car of mine years ago and despite scrubbing with bleach and using baking powder the smell never went, it was just vile and I had to sell the car in the end for a knockdown price and with a huge can of air freshener:o

WolfSong2000

okay, taken bag out...the smell is what's worrying me, plus the fact I had to drench it so thoroughly...it's done well in harsh rain, etc, but never been soaked like this. I have had this bag for years and love it to death...cost me almost £100 when I bought it, but has been *so* worth it.

Fingers crossed it'll survive!

Thanks for the suggestions, guys

glowgirl_2

Hi, I just had a little hunt around and found this http://www.fredshead.info/2008/07/ten-disgusting-smells-and-how-to-get.html check out number 7, it would seem this solution came up a few times as did coffee granules left for 24 hours and hovered up apparently train companies do this when cleaning the trains out, I would say anything is worth a try, can you tell I'm a bag lady;)oh and I just remembered all those years ago when this happened in my car (the interent was a baby then I might add) the milk was from sainsburys as well and the carton hadn't broken

Savvy_Sue

Stuff the bag with newspaper to help it dry out quicker - if it's a big bag you could pack newspaper around something keeping it in shape, IYSWIM.

Febreze works wonders when the boys throw up on the carpet.

If it has a fabric lining, can you pull that out of the bag and rinse it well? Still attached, but getting the bottom really clean, IYSWIM.

I do hope that makes sense ...

Bronnie

Well as a last resort, I'd try Neutradol powder. I swear by it for removing smells like this! Sometimes you can find it in the pound shops

http://www.neutradol.com/Carpets-Vacuuming/Neutradol-Original-Carpet-Deodorizer-350g.html

They make a range of products, but I think I'd go with this dry powder.

Make sure the bag is dry first though. If necessary, open the seam of the lining so you can work plenty of the powder into the inside of the leather.

Leave it overnight, then shake and vacum out the next day. Repeat if necessary.

This is a very effective product.

jenniewb

I have Uggs which are soft plush type leather on the outter part of the boot. I have gotten then wet in the rain countless times.

When I do, or when I wash them to clean them, I use a foam for leather (got it at Tescos or Sainsburys- can't remember which), it has a scrubber brush on the top, it sprays on as a foam, you then need to scrub it and leave it to settle, then I think rinse or dab it off with water. I then leave my boots to dry near to a warm (but not hot!) radiator and stuff them with newspaper. If the boots are really wet, I switch the newspaper every few hours.

I would really recommend this stuff- either that or take the bag to a dry cleaners and see if they can help- at a dry cleaners (as if they do leathers first) they will often have products which can treat the leather after cleaning, though the cleaning product I used on my boots seemed to work fine and not make my boots harder after using it.