It has been a few months since you bought “the love of your life” – that beautiful Chanel handbag, and a moment that you wish would never happen occurs: A spillage, stain, scuff, or mark appearing on the exterior or interior of the bag. OH NO!! Your heartbeat rises, and you feel an impending panic attack.
Believe me, this has definitely happened to every lady. Even the most careful lady will dread and go mad when a mark appears on their precious handbag. We love our bags, we pay a hefty sum for them, but most of the time, we may not be certain how we can take good care of them.
Therefore, this brings me to look at how we can clean and maintain luxury handbags. From storage, to prevention, to what to do if a spill or stain occurs, let’s aim to keep our handbags looking as stunning as the day we bought them!
- PREVENTION
Prevention is better than cure! Prevention is the best way to ensure your bag remains in perfect condition for years. Be aware of your surroundings and you place your bag is a good practice to prevent unnecessary damages or stains. Avoid placing sharp and pointy objects inside the bag. Do look around you before you place your bag on the table or chair to minimize the chance of staining your bag.
High quality leather bags like Hermes and Chanel may not be water resistant, therefore keeping your bag out of the rain is highly recommended. Honestly, I do that for bags with leathers that are water resistant too! It is also advised to keep your hands dry and clean when touching your bag. Remember to ensure that there are no traces of water or makeup on your fingers when you handle you bag.
Many ladies may also overlook the fact that constant rubbing of their bags against their jeans or rough material clothings may cause the bags to scratch or scuff. Whilst matching our bags with right clothing is important, let’s be aware of how our clothing’s material may damage our bags.
2. STORAGE
Storing your designer bags properly plays a vital role in their lifespan. Places with too much moisture, humidity or heat (totally Singapore’s weather) can cause suede, fabric and leather bags to fade. Do not be surprised if you see cracks on your bag due to excessive exposure to direct sunlight. Always keep your bags in its dustbag and safely store it in a place with low heat and humidity.
Apart from that, many ladies use their handbags only on special occasions, leaving the bag in storage for too long. Therefore, it is important to let it air for a couple of hours. You would not want the bag to turn mouldy. Once the bag has aired, fill it with loose balls of crumpled acid-free tissue paper. Don’t overfill the bag, but place enough paper in it so that it will hold its shape.
3. REGULAR CLEANING
Cleaning your bag regularly is the key to extending its life and catching any small scuffs or stains that may have accidentally happened. It is like going for a medical check up, regular hair treatments or facial therapies. It is worth inspecting your bag every few days for unsightly scuffs and sending your bags to the bags cleaning specialists, such as @Bagsforum, once in 6 months.
@Bagsforum has been a well-known brand for reviving the “souls” of vintage bags. They have a team of specialists that are equipped with the skills to clean and re-colour leather goods.
Firstly, the team would do an analysis of your bag and suggest the best treatments to restore to its best condition. Prices are then quoted after the inspection of your bag. All you have to do is to send videos or photos together with your bags’ measurements through Instagram, Facebook or Whatsapp.
@Bagsforum provides complimentary pick-up and delivery services, as well as real-time updates on your bag. A combo of hand-cleaning and specialist equipment is used to bring your dull old bag back to life!
Instead of bidding your beloved bag a tearful goodbye, you now have the solutions of how you can better maintain your luxury handbag!
Xoxo, @melissalondonmickey