Contemplating washing my beloved Bbag in woolite...advice???

[betnyp]

After long consideration and inspiration from the "Bbags are tougher than we think" thread (specifically the bravery of Quilter, powderpuff100, and Kirsten) I am *this* close to soaking my '05 Bordeaux city in a woolite-suds filled sink.
I purchased this beauty a year 1/2 ago from eBay after having it authenticated here first and have loved everything about it. Except it has smelled from the beginning :(
I have scoured through every thread about removing odors and done everything possible. Things work for a while, but there is just this lingering icky scent- makes me not feel as close to my true love
I have debated sending it to LMB, but feel it needs to be deep down cleaned, as it had a few stains as well...
I own some great bags, but don't have funds to just buy another if this doesn't work out and it is my favorite (one & only Balenciaga). It is already broken in, though not badly... I just know I could give this bag all the love it deserves if I the odor was not between us. To wash or not to wash... that is my question.
If the answer is "wash", are there any tips you can give? Maybe things like...roll up in a towel to remove excess? Wash but don't soak so the color doesn't fade as much? Don't use woolite, but baby wash or something else? Thoughts? Encouragement??? I'm so scared (but pretty excited)

[Shasta]

I say go for it. Use woolite as it is the most gentle. Baby soap and shampoo is actually incredibly irritating b/c of the ingredients in them not to irritate babies eyes.

I would dip then pat dry very gently, so that you don't remove any color. THen I woud put it on a hanger to air dry. Maybe even while it is moist I would put leather moisturizer or lubriderm on it before it dries, so that it helps to retain the moisture and color. Good luck. What's the worst that could happen? You have to live with a bag that stinks? THat is the worst IMHO, that Is why I think that you should go for it!

[Alaska]

sorry, couldn't resist the smiley below... b/c I want to see this happen...woolite and bbags...how daring!!!!!!!!!!!

how bout spot treating first??

[hmwe46]

You are brave and hearty to even contemplate this!!

I would suggest perhaps using an LMB Gentler Cleaner first: try the least invasive option then go to Woolite if you don't get the desired results?

Alternately, LMB themselves should be able to deep clean and odor remove.

Best of luck to you!!!

[ohuprettything]

I'm with Alaska - spot treat first. If something happens you'll really regret it!

[LoriB]

I would do it ONLY if I was willing to accept the risk that it might mess it up to some degree. The smell might go away, but the leather might never be the same. Then again, you may love it more than ever afterward. Just make sure you are willing to to accept the outcome, good or bad.

Be sure to keep us updated!

[RealDealCollection]

What is the smell problem exactly? I have successfully removed really bad mothball stink with a few weeks long enclosure surrounded by plain clay kitty litter. If that doesn't suck the smell out of the leather then go right ahead with a high-diluted mixture of Woolite & Water. It's pH balanced similar to water and it shouldn't hurt your leather. I spoke with a couple leather professionals about this and it's not that scary, but a dry solution of the clay litter is really easy...just fill a box with a layer, add the bag...pour more on top and then seal it for about a month...all foreign smells will be in the clay and out of your bag! Then if you have cats you can recycle the stinky litter and they don't really care ;o)

[karenab]

^^^ wow. Let us know what happens but Realdeal, thanks for posting this fumigating tip!!

I'll keep this in mind in case I ever need to clean out a smelly bag.

[bgyoshi]

hehe due to my inexperience with caring and treating bbags...when reading the title, i thought you meant throw in the washer with some woolite i almost freaked out

[pinkboudoir]

I think it would be good to use say LMB Gentle cleanser first since I hear LMB products are scented so maybe it would overpower the smell from your bag in a nice way. Soaking in woolite sounds a little too daring. What if the leather cracks as it dries up? What if the leather disintegrate? Then again, that is paranoid me thinking.

Good Luck with whatever choice you made & do update back here again.

[betnyp]

Thanks SO much for the great responses!!! I really appreciate your advice and opinions and now I don't feel like I'm alone taking on this project (DH is sweet, but not really fixated on this dilemma like I am :).
I am going to think on it this week and put the plan into action next weekend...I feel like I am more prepared with a lot of your tips (Shasta- great idea about drying on a hanger and moisturizing it while still damp to prevent cracking...RealDeal- feel better about using woolite now). All of you that responded- I appreciate your input and will definitely update you on the results! Thanks

[Shasta]

Okay girl, we've got your back. I cannot wait to hear how this turns out. Best Wishes!

[Alaska]

betnyp: pleeease post current pictures ASAP just so we have documentation....and good luck whatever you do...

[powderpuff100]

If you wash it in Woolite, be sure to rinse well and I would use some Apple conditioner before it was totally dry. I wouldn't suggest using Lubriderm. It's for skin not bags and LMB says it can rot the leather. It made one of my friend's bags smelly, like rancid oil after a few weeks. Water isn't a huge enemy of leather, but dryness is.
If odor is the only issue, I would try other things first. But if you do decide to give her a bath, please take before and after pics. If we were betting on this, I would bet the bag is better after a Woolite bath. My bags have gotten soaking wet in the rain and it never hurt them a bit. I also plunged a LV that fell in the ocean into the bathtub and it was as good as new and I still have it and use it 3-4 years later.
After seeing the transformation of the blue bag that was washed, I'm a believer. One of my friends put her Olive in a front loader washer on hand wash, cold water with Tocca. It looked fine but it did take 2 days to completely dry. Then she moisturized it. It worked for her and some others on here, but each bag and color may react differently.

[Bizaar]

Does the smell come from the lining or the leather (or both)?

If it is mostly the lining you can simply invert it and wash that part. Then wipe the leather with a soapy cloth and finish whith a cloth wrung with clean luke warm water.

I have tried this on (a non-Bal!) bag my cat PEED on and it worked like a charm. Smell be gone!