"basement" mildewy smell on my "new" bag...

bondie · Jan 28th, 2008, 12:04 PM

Hello, I hope you can help me. I just purchased a 2005 City from an e-bay'er who purchased the City from another e-bay'er last spring...(and my bag has been authenticated on this site

). It's a gorgeous, soft bag and I love it, the only problem is that at some point it has been stored in someone's basement, and it has that slight mildew smell. It's not overpowering, but it is there. I wonder if anyone has had any luck removing this smell from leather? Thanks for any help.

powderpuff100 · Jan 28th, 2008, 12:29 PM

Try spraying some paper towels with leather scented car air freshener spray. Put the inside the bag, put it in a plastic garbage bag, try to get most of the air out and seal tightly. Leave it for a couple of days. You can also use dryer sheets but then it will smell like perfume or dryer sheet and not like leather.
Also letting it sit outside in the daytime does wonders. Mildew and mold like dark and damp. Put it outside on a sunny, dry day. You don't have to put it in direct sunlight.
I've had a couple of used bags arrive with that musty smell. I think it's when people don't have air conditioning maybe? I've been in people's homes here in the Keys that don't really run their A/C that often and sometimes it has that smell if it's on or very close to the ocean.
I put them in the sun, direct sun for a few hours and that usually takes most of it away but I can't suggest that to you because lots of girls on here think sun fades bbags. I personally don't think that. The sun is incredibly intense here and I've never had a bag fade and neither have my friends. One of them used to take her '05 BG Day to the beach all the time. It wasn't faded considering how often she did it and how long she had it, however she did get quite a few suntan lotion oil spots on it.

bondie · Jan 28th, 2008, 01:28 PM

Thank you for the excellent advice! I will try the paper towel/plastic bag trick today, and the rest as well! I really want to get this smell out and if I could return to a leather-like smell that would be wonderful.

Jan 28th, 2008, 12:04 PM	#1
bondie Member Joined: Apr 2006 Posts: 26	"basement" mildewy smell on my "new" bag... Hello, I hope you can help me. I just purchased a 2005 City from an e-bay'er who purchased the City from another e-bay'er last spring...(and my bag has been authenticated on this site ). It's a gorgeous, soft bag and I love it, the only problem is that at some point it has been stored in someone's basement, and it has that slight mildew smell. It's not overpowering, but it is there. I wonder if anyone has had any luck removing this smell from leather? Thanks for any help.

Jan 28th, 2008, 12:29 PM	#2
powderpuff100 Life is a beach Joined: Aug 2006 Location: Florida Keys Posts: 4,767	Re: "basement" mildewy smell on my "new" bag... Try spraying some paper towels with leather scented car air freshener spray. Put the inside the bag, put it in a plastic garbage bag, try to get most of the air out and seal tightly. Leave it for a couple of days. You can also use dryer sheets but then it will smell like perfume or dryer sheet and not like leather. Also letting it sit outside in the daytime does wonders. Mildew and mold like dark and damp. Put it outside on a sunny, dry day. You don't have to put it in direct sunlight. I've had a couple of used bags arrive with that musty smell. I think it's when people don't have air conditioning maybe? I've been in people's homes here in the Keys that don't really run their A/C that often and sometimes it has that smell if it's on or very close to the ocean. I put them in the sun, direct sun for a few hours and that usually takes most of it away but I can't suggest that to you because lots of girls on here think sun fades bbags. I personally don't think that. The sun is incredibly intense here and I've never had a bag fade and neither have my friends. One of them used to take her '05 BG Day to the beach all the time. It wasn't faded considering how often she did it and how long she had it, however she did get quite a few suntan lotion oil spots on it. __________________ NEW AKC CHAMPION- JAZZ, see her pics here: http://forum.purseblog.com/animalici...zz-360535.html

Jan 28th, 2008, 01:28 PM	#3
bondie Member Joined: Apr 2006 Posts: 26	Re: "basement" mildewy smell on my "new" bag... Thank you for the excellent advice! I will try the paper towel/plastic bag trick today, and the rest as well! I really want to get this smell out and if I could return to a leather-like smell that would be wonderful.