How I Clean My Leather Handbags at Home the Safe & Easy Way

My leather handbags always carry a special place in my wardrobe because usually, they are tied to a special travel story. See my previous post on purchasing my first luxury bag HERE. More recently, I splurged on a mid-luxury handbag from Fleuron during a trip to Paris. I’ve worn this bag more times than I can count, and accidentally splattered hot chili oil on it during dinner one day (oops!). After the incident, I finally decided to invest time and research into how to clean leather handbags at home. I loved the results, and wanted to share these steps with you!

Fleuron Handbag | Cropped Trench Coat (S) | Crop Flare Black Jeans (25) | Fitted Sweater (S) | Mules

What Kinds of Leather Can You Clean at Home?

My bag from Fleuron is made with grained calfskin leather, which can be gently surface-cleaned at home along with other kinds of smooth leathers. Patent leather, and any ‘fuzzy’ leathers (e.g. suede) should not be cleaned with detergent. If you are ever in doubt, always dilute the detergent with water and test it on a small, inconspicuous area first.

How to Clean Leather Handbags at Home

Step 1: Pour a small amount of delicate detergent into a bowl of water.

I love Dirty Labs Delicate Hand Wash Detergent (use code SBSCIENCE for 10% off your purchase). This detergent is fragrance and dye free, and compared to their regular detergents, is formulated without enzymes for a much gentler wash. You can read my reviews below:

• Delicate Hand Wash Detergent Review
• Bio Enzyme Laundry Detergent Review

Step 2: Dab a light-colored microfiber cloth into the detergent. Squeeze out extra moisture, and gently scrub the surface of your bag.

Make sure the cloth is not super wet. Remember that you are just trying to give your bag a gentle surface clean, as opposed to wetting it completely. Also pay attention to areas of frequent touch like the handles, or closure area.

I get my microfiber clothes from Grove, and they’ve lasted me a long time.

Step 3: Using the dry portion of your cloth, wipe everything clean.

Step 4: Dab your cloth in a bit of leather conditioner, and work it into the leather.

I never knew about leather conditioner until recently, and it is a game changer! The purpose of leather conditioner is to hydrate, and event protect the bag against stains by offering an extra barrier. Since my bag is made with soft grained leather, it has accumulated some scuffs along the way. The corners have also started to fade. Since applying leather conditioner, the bag looks so much more like new.

I used the Bickmore Bick 4 Leather Conditioner, and it worked like a charm! Hopefully I’ll upgrade to a bigger bottle if I ever need more in the future. This conditioner was originally designed for leather boots, but works like a charm on any leather good.

A Summary of Steps to Cleaning Leather Handbags at Home

Cleaning a leather handbag at home can feel daunting in case of irreparable damage. When in doubt, always test on a small area first. I had no issues when following these steps on my soft grained calfskin leather. You can follow these four simple steps for excellent results:

1. Pour a small amount of delicate detergent in a bowl of water.
2. Dab a moist microfiber towel on the surface of your bag for a gentle clean.
3. Wipe everything dry.
4. Hydrate your leather with leather conditioner as a final step.

All products I used are linked below for your easy reference. Let me know if you end up giving these steps a try!