hi everyone!

i have just purchased my first mulberry, an oversized alexa in cream colour, rose gold hardware. i absolutely love it, it's my dream bag, but i've never had a mulberry before and i'm at a bit of a loss as to how to look after it! all of the bags i've had before (mainly chloe's) have been much more hard wearing and easy to look after... i'm not exactly careful with my bags and none of the bags i've had before have had or needed any kind of waterproofing or specialist cleaning.

here is the bag....



with it being so light it already has a few scuff marks, and i did buy it as a work bag- i'm a make-up artist so it is constantly in grubby studios, on trains, on the tube etc- so it is inevitable that it is going to get a little grubby. i also appear to have gotten some kind of pen rub off on it already (!!! you're all cringing )- can anybody give me any advice as to the best way to clean the grubby marks/pen off without wrecking it? and also any advice as to the collonil spray and whether this would be safe for such a light colour...

thanks in advance, this forum has been so helpful so far!!! x

also excuse the upside down photo... i'm not the best on a computer and not sure how i managed that!

Congrats and welcome to Mulberry. What a stunning first bag to have!

As it is light coloured you do need to be careful. You need to avoid denim as the dye will transfer. I would advise you spray with Collonil which is a waterstop spray.

There are some ladies on here who can offer more handy tips and in the reference library.

I have the same coloured bag in the hobo style. I've been quite careful with mine and have still had some incidents so it'll be interesting to see how you fare! I'd definitely recommend spraying it with Collonil spray, it really does help it resist water - mine got a little wet today in an unexpected shower. I also managed to clumsily get pen on mine (only a small amount mind) and managed to remove it with a wet tissue. I don't know whether this would be possible on a bag that hadn't been protected and I am by no means an expert but that's my experience so far. Hope it helps!

Hi Ceestar, congratulations on your petticoat white Alexa in smooth buffalo. If you use something such as Furniture Clinic leather cleaner you should be able to remove the colour transfer you've already sustained. Once you've cleaned it, treat it with the FC conditioner which will enable any future colour transfer be cleaned off more easily. Finish off your bag's spa treatment with some Collonil waterstop spray.

FC products can be bought directly from FC (they ship worldwide)

http://furnitureclinic.co.uk/?gclid=...FTMhtAodPDMAJQ

Or....fleabay......

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FURNITURE-...item25732a1224

Totally go with what everyone says - but obvious "no no's" - don't wear with dark jeans/heavily dyed cotton/twill fabrics - and keep your biros/makeup in a secure pouch when not in use!!!!....

Excellent advice from lovely Moo, what a boootiful bag, congrats

Thanks so so much everyone! Hugely appreciated. Thanks Moo, I will certainly be investing in some Collonil and some FC cleaner, I'm just going to have to retire the bag to the shelf until it arrives as I can't really risk anymore marks ha ha! Hopefully I can get the little bit of pen out. Never had a bag that is so delicate before!