Cleaning leather bag

wendym

I own one expensive (Radley) lightish tan leather handbag, which I treated with the cream that comes with it. I kept it 'for best' for ages, and decided this year to use it. It now has distinctly grubby patches, and I assumed that I could clean it with their cream. It hasn't worked; if anything, I've drawn attention to the grubby bits by polishing them.

What do you think would be safe to try next? I'd sooner use it as it is than risk damaging it. There's no way I'll ever replace it.

Sarahsaver

Have you tried saddle soap?
Go to a proper shoe repairer, not a 'chain' one if you have a proper one near you (a dying breed I'm afraid) they would know. Dad was one
Or else have you tried vaseline on the offending patches, leave it overnight then wipe it off.

wendym

Thanks Sarahsaver. Sadly, we no longer have a proper shoe repairer.

I'll have to try a small test patch. Do the makers of expensive bags assume their owners never handle them?

Sarahsaver

Also try baby wipes!

Quackers

Was the cream that they supplied a neutral leather cream?

If so, then its probably more to nourish the leather than actually clean it.
We sell this and it is really good for keeping leather soft and supple but doesn't really clean as such. It just stops it from cracking.

You could buy a coloured cream polish to match the bag but you have the risk of the cream coming off onto your clothes. If you sprayed the bag with protector spray once you've cleaned it with a cream colour polish it would 'set' the colour in.

You could purchase a foam shoe cleaner (comes in a tin like protector spray & sprays out foam). This is pretty good at getting out some marks on any coloured leather. You spray it on, let it soak for a minute or 2 and then use a soft cloth to rub it off.

Try the inside of the strap as a small test if you do use a colour - no-one will see that bit.

If you do manage to get it clean then do spray it with a protector spray that you buy for shoes. its really good for keeping your bag water and stain resistant and will make cleaning easier in the future.

As a last resort you could always dye it a slightly darker shade.

Churchmouse

Oh wendym I'm sorry you've had this problem. I'm afraid I'm no help whatsoever, I've been posting about my one and only Radley on the daily thread. Would it be possible to contact Radley and ask their advice? Afterall at the prices they charge aftercare should be included! I did polish mine before use with the stuff they give you, but it is black which I imagine will make it easier to care for. Sorry you didn't need to know that, hope you can get yours sorted.

ivyleaf

I have a similar bag and I polished it with some stuff called "Renapur Leather Balsam" which I got at a "country show" (in a SE London suburb?!). It seemed to come up fine. I haven't seen it in shops but I should think they've got a website, though I haven't looked. It comes in a tub and you apply it sparingly with a sponge. It's quite greasy, almost like dubbin, and it's clear so you can use it on any colour of leather. We use it for all our leather shoes. When I bought it I was a bit shocked at the price but 6 years later we've still used less than 1/3 of the tub!

Other than that, I was going to suggest saddle soap too.

Good luck with cleaning your Radley, they are lovely aren't they!:D

wendym

Thank you everyone.

I have just spoken to a Radley specialist. Apparently the light tan is the only one that's natural leather; you shouldn't use their cream on it, and can't clean it! You have to regard the grubbiness as character. Or, and I think she was being serious, wear gloves. One should really have thought of that.

I had a look on Ebay, where, bizarrely, the bags go for more than the price charged in shops! There are a couple of on-line shops that deliver free, and the prices aren't bad, but I can't start thinking about that.

So I shall have to re-think 'character' rather than 'grubby'.

ivyleaf

Ah, so we're soon going to have really characterful tan bags then!:D

I wonder what the specialist meant about the light tan being the only colour that's "natural" leather. Maybe it's the only one that's not dyed? Or all the others are "coated" leather? (Sounds a bit unlikely in an expensive bag.)

I don't know anything about the tanning process but perhaps that's where the name "tan" for that particular colour comes from.

Mine didn't come with any shoe cream, but if yours did, that's a bit odd if you're not meant to use it!

wendym

Mine came from John Lewis (everyone clubbed together for a present for a Big Birthday). I could contact them and ask why I was given the 'Do Not Use On This Bag' cream.

Or stop touching it except when wearing gloves, like the proper ladies the bag is clearly designed for.

ivyleaf

Mine was from John Lewis too. I would think the shoe cream is put into the bag at the packing stage, before the bag gets to the shop.

Oh well, gloves it is then....not!:p I'm obviously no lady!:D