Apple Guard leather cleaner/conditioner taking color off my precious MJs!!

[luvtospend]

Since so many TPFers were raving about Apple Guard products, I decided to buy some to protect my precious MJ babies. I first tried it on my metallic purple Elise (since i use this bag the most) and found that both the cleaner and conditioner takes off some of the coloring

I mean you can't tell the color is coming off the bag but i see the color stains on my cleaning cloth. Is this a bad sign? Should I not use any products to clean my handbags?

Should I just spray my handbags with the water/stain repellent? (btw the smell of the repellent is potent!!! After spraying my bags my room smelled so bad i had to move my handbags to my garage to dry)

Anyone else have good/bad experiences with Apple Guard?

[girl_chill]

I had used apple guard with my Linea Pelle bags and a Gryson bag-- and the spot I was trying to clean darkened all the more. I dare not try it on MJs! Try lovinmybags.com I've used those products and they work best for more delicate leathers. I've heard of some girls here who use apple guard on their MJs but I haven't tried it myself.

[iluvmybags]

I've never had that problem with Apple products, but I DID have a similar problem with Kiwi's Conditioning Lotion -- it lifted the color from my Faded Brick Stella (made me want to cry!! thankfully it's on the back near the bottom & is barely noticeable!) so I NEVER use Kiwi's lotion on any of my bags (altho I do use their water repellent) -- the only other time I've noticed color lift - with ANY product -- was my Black MJ Billfold. Every time I clean that, I notice that the cloth turns black -- I just summed it up to it being a heavy amount of dye on that item (I never had that problem with any other black bag)

Whenever I use any kind of product on my bags, I apply the product to the cloth, not the bag -- and I always start with just a small amount and add more as needed. Does the bag itself look faded and/or lighter in the spot you cleaned, or was it just noticeable on the cloth? I wonder if it has something to do with it being a metallic color and not a matte or glossy leather??

[iluvmybags]

Originally Posted by girl_chill

I had used apple guard with my Linea Pelle bags and a Gryson bag-- and the spot I was trying to clean darkened all the more. .......

anytime you apply a product to leather (bags, shoes, etc) it will darken the area immediately, but it should lighten up as it dries -- I've never had a problem with product darkening the leather (fading, yes - but never darkening)

[girl_chill]

Originally Posted by iluvmybags

anytime you apply a product to leather (bags, shoes, etc) it will darken the area immediately, but it should lighten up as it dries -- I've never had a problem with product darkening the leather (fading, yes - but never darkening)

Sad to say, the darkened spot stayed.

[thithi]

I've had it happen with my Maroon wallet once, so I haven't used it on MJs since. I have used Cole Haan's cleaner/conditioner and I had good results with that. I've heard Coach products can leave a film that turns yellow over time.

[girl_chill]

The light washes it out but the spots are there. There was some fading around the edges of the darkened spot on the Gryson bag but the LPs did not take it well. Ergo, I would not try with my MJs.

[iluvmybags]

Originally Posted by thithi

........ I've heard Coach products can leave a film that turns yellow over time.

I'd never use Coach products on my MJs -- I had some fading problems with the Coach cleaner and one of the SAs at Nordstroms once told me that Coach products are too harsh for MJ bags (and most other current leathers) -- she said they were originally created & designed to be used on the type of leather that Coach used a long time ago (some kind of cowhide or buffalo skin something like that) and she said that they've never redesigned it and/or come out with a more "delicate" product to be used on the types of leathers that are most commonly use -- she said that she wouldn't even recommend it for Coach bags any more!!

Nordstroms actually sells a product that's really good -- it's called Cadillac and it's pretty gentle. I've used it on several of my MJs as well as my Balenciagas and lambs leather bags & never had any problems

[luvtospend]

My bag doesn't look faded and I did put the cleaner & conditioner on a soft cloth first. I think any liquid on my metallic MJ will make the color run. One time my Elise was caught in a light sprinkle and when i used tissue to dry it off the water beads were bluish.

*sigh* I don't think i'm going to clean my Elise bag again....with anything It's just too risky!

Guess my apple guard will be reserved for my white multipocket

I think Marc Jacobs should come with his own line of leather protectant...this way we'll all have some peace of mind!

[Coach Superfan]

Originally Posted by luvtospend

Since so many TPFers were raving about Apple Guard products, I decided to buy some to protect my precious MJ babies. I first tried it on my metallic purple Elise (since i use this bag the most) and found that both the cleaner and conditioner takes off some of the coloring I mean you can't tell the color is coming off the bag but i see the color stains on my cleaning cloth. Is this a bad sign? Should I not use any products to clean my handbags? Should I just spray my handbags with the water/stain repellent? (btw the smell of the repellent is potent!!! After spraying my bags my room smelled so bad i had to move my handbags to my garage to dry) Anyone else have good/bad experiences with Apple Guard?

Yikes! Definitely dont use that stuff on the bags with metallic finish. For some reason, the metallic color is delicate and will Rub off with wear over time even untreated. Also, the patchwork bags seem to have a "coating" of their own. I dunno, jmo. I wouldnt use conditioner on my PW bag *non metallics* but I would consider spot cleaning it when necessary. Cant vouch for non-Appleguard products though...

[iluvmybags]

Originally Posted by luvtospend

I think Marc Jacobs should come with his own line of leather protectant...this way we'll all have some peace of mind!

actually, MJ doesn't recommend using ANY type of product on his bags -- they prefer that you leave the leather untreated & allow the bag to age on its own -- I remember an SA telling me this a long time ago when I asked about caring for the leather -- apparently this is why MJ uses this type of calf leather -- it's supposed to be part of the appeal of MJ bags -- they're meant to develop that "lived in, worn out" look that gives the bag some character!!

Honestly -- I've never treated my stams. They seem to have some kind of coating or finish already, but most of my other ones (esp the soft calf, i.e., my stellas & sophias), I regularly clean & condition them

[JAP4life]

I've had nice results with lovinmybags products, it didn't take color off at all!

[JAP4life]

Originally Posted by Coach Superfan

Yikes! Definitely dont use that stuff on the bags with metallic finish. For some reason, the metallic color is delicate and will Rub off with wear over time even untreated. Also, the patchwork bags seem to have a "coating" of their own. I dunno, jmo. I wouldnt use conditioner on my PW bag *non metallics* but I would consider spot cleaning it when necessary. Cant vouch for non-Appleguard products though...

ITA

[Joke]

Originally Posted by iluvmybags

actually, MJ doesn't recommend using ANY type of product on his bags -- they prefer that you leave the leather untreated & allow the bag to age on its own -- I remember an SA telling me this a long time ago when I asked about caring for the leather -- apparently this is why MJ uses this type of calf leather -- it's supposed to be part of the appeal of MJ bags -- they're meant to develop that "lived in, worn out" look that gives the bag some character!!

Good to know!

[shop2drop1]

Originally Posted by Coach Superfan

Yikes! Definitely dont use that stuff on the bags with metallic finish. For some reason, the metallic color is delicate and will Rub off with wear over time even untreated. Also, the patchwork bags seem to have a "coating" of their own. I dunno, jmo. I wouldnt use conditioner on my PW bag *non metallics* but I would consider spot cleaning it when necessary. Cant vouch for non-Appleguard products though...

ITA I have had good results with the soft calf bags (Stella, MP) & my stam though.