Coach Rehab and Rescue Club

TPF may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, and others

Status
Not open for further replies.
#3,902
katev said:
Cute bag! I would give it a bath to clean and remove/reduce the water spots. When it is dry I would use blackrocks conditioner to help even out the color. Good luck!
Click to expand...

whateve said:
I love this bag! I have never had any problems bathing unlined bags. In fact, the early New York bags came with instructions to clean by "scrubbing with a mild soap, such as Ivory or purse Castile....work up a good, thick lather. Scrub one panel at a time, making sure to go over the entire bag uniformly. Rinse suds off thoroughly under running water." The handles will probably remain a little darker than the rest of the bag. I haven't been able to clean handles like this completely as they have absorbed oils from being carried.
Click to expand...

Thanks ladies! I was wondering if I should buy conditioner before I wash the bag? Do I need it right away after I wash and dry it?
 
#3,903
whateve said:
I've never used Obenauf's. It is a waterproofer recommended by docride, who has a lot of experience in rehabbing. I can't tell you if it is necessary.

I've gotten Leather CPR at Bed Bath and Beyond. You could try that first. Blackrocks is more difficult to use. I have only used it for the really old New York bags that have a great deal of color variation due to age. I have a New York bag that is orange and I didn't use Blackrocks because I didn't want to take a chance that I would lose the gorgeous color and I don't think it needed it.

You can be fairly vigorous in scrubbing, but you don't want to use anything that will add more scratches to your leather. Although, in one case, when I had a bag that was in terrible shape, I actually sanded off the spots and it came out fine. I did redye that bag. I'm thinking that the water stains won't require much scrubbing. Just getting wet should work those out. If there any grease spots, then extra soap will help on those. It is helpful to know what caused the spots. If you have any ink stains, those should be treated before you soak.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the phenomenal advice! I haven't spotted any ink stains, so I think I'm just going to go ahead and soak the purse later today, in cool/warm water with a generous amount of Dawn soap, probably for 40 minutes. I'll purchase a leather conditioner tonight/tomorrow and work on the purse when it's completely dry (or should I condition the purse while it's not completely dry?). I'm nervous, because the purse is beautiful, but I'm excited!
 
#3,905
JOODLZ said:
Welcome to Rehab! I recently rehabbed a bag like yours, but British Tan - bag twins! You've already received a lot of really good advice, just thought I'd add my two cents worth...
Check out this link:
http://forum.purseblog.com/coach/coach-rehab-and-rescue-club-624452-236.html#post22034621
(There is also a link in the post to the "before" pics on the Authenticate This...thread.)

You will probably discover that the dark area on the front flap may improve with a bath, but will likely remain a little a darker. I'm a big fan of Leather CPR (try Tuesday Morning if you have one...much cheaper than Bed Bath and Beyond, at least in Florida!) and I apply it generously when the bag is still a little damp. Depending on how the bag feels after the first application, I may repeat it the next day. Then after another "day of rest" I finish with Blackrocks (read the product labels for directions for use), and usually buff with a brush.

I wish you good luck with your first rehab...and hope you find it as rewarding (and addicting) as the rest of us here. Keep reading and asking questions... we're all here to help!
Click to expand...

Thank you for the kind welcome! I love how your bag turned out - absolutely gorgeous! I'm crossing my fingers for similarly wonderful results!

The dark area on the front flap isn't too bothersome to me; I assume it's there because of the magnetic snap, and since I'll be using the purse most days after the rehabilitation process, I know the dark mark will eventually return. I was literally about to give the purse a bath right now, but I don't have any leather conditioner handy, so I might see if I can pick some up today. I'm really anxious to start! Thank you for all of the luck! I will hopefully update soon with good results!
 
#3,907
Funeral said:
Save for the dreary lighting, the color of the purse is represented justly (though a bit darker than it is in person/in sunlight). Unfortunately, I don't have the best lighting in my living room right now, but at least you can see all of my concerns with the purse in the pictures. Let me know what you think! I'm absolutely wild about the color (which is strange, since I'm more into neutral colors for accessories), but I couldn't help myself.

CoachBefore1.jpg


CoachBefore2.jpg


CoachBefore3.jpg


CoachBefore4.jpg


CoachBefore5.jpg
Click to expand...

OK, so I posted my Green Anderson bag in the "Secondhand" thread because she's not really a rehab, though I did dunk her to plump her up. The pix in the sun actually wash her out a bit, she's a deep green. It could be the same color as yours, it's hard to tell with pictures.

CoachBefore5.jpg
[/QUOTE]

683707ae.jpg
 
#3,908
#3,909
#3,910
Hello! Just a quick update: I bathed/soaked my purse for 40 minutes, turning it every so often in the sink. I scrubbed the purse's trouble areas with a soft toothbrush and used a good amount of Dawn soap. After the bath/soak, I drained the water and rinsed the purse in warm water. I finished by shaping it with hand towels on the inside and laying it flat in a cool room on a towel. I will be turning it every 30/60 minutes.

I was talking to my dad about leather conditioner, and he had something here at home, called "Equi-Pro Leather Soap." The label reads "one step leather care with glycerine and lanolin." The back reads "Cleans and softens, conditions and preserves, buffs to a long-lasting shine." I'm wondering if this is safe to use. It comes in a spray bottle, and the soap is a liquid mixture. I'm only curious because this is what I currently have at home; I'm still probably going to play it safe and get something everyone here has used before. With that, what is everyone's favorite leather conditioner, for brighter/lighter colored Coach purses?
 
#3,911
Funeral said:
Hello! Just a quick update: I bathed/soaked my purse for 40 minutes, turning it every so often in the sink. I scrubbed the purse's trouble areas with a soft toothbrush and used a good amount of Dawn soap. After the bath/soak, I drained the water and rinsed the purse in warm water. I finished by shaping it with hand towels on the inside and laying it flat in a cool room on a towel. I will be turning it every 30/60 minutes.

I was talking to my dad about leather conditioner, and he had something here at home, called "Equi-Pro Leather Soap." The label reads "one step leather care with glycerine and lanolin." The back reads "Cleans and softens, conditions and preserves, buffs to a long-lasting shine." I'm wondering if this is safe to use. It comes in a spray bottle, and the soap is a liquid mixture. I'm only curious because this is what I currently have at home; I'm still probably going to play it safe and get something everyone here has used before. With that, what is everyone's favorite leather conditioner, for brighter/lighter colored Coach purses?
Click to expand...

I am not familar with that brand so I can't comment on it. However, if it is a "saddle soap" then I have read negative comments about the affect on the more delicate leather of a handbag. If you decide to try it you should spot-check in an obscure area first.

Leather CPR, Apple, and Lexol are all good conditioners. I usually apply a coat of one of these products while the bag is almost dry to prevent cracking. For a british tan bag with stains I highly recommend also using Black Rock Leather N Rich. It will make the color richer and help even out the color.
 
#3,912
katev said:
I am not familar with that brand so I can't comment on it. However, if it is a "saddle soap" then I have read negative comments about the affect on the more delicate leather of a handbag. If you decide to try it you should spot-check in an obscure area first.

Leather CPR, Apple, and Lexol are all good conditioners. I usually apply a coat of one of these products while the bag is almost dry to prevent cracking. For a british tan bag with stains I highly recommend also using Black Rock Leather N Rich. It will make the color richer and help even out the color.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the help! I think my local Walmart carries Lexol, so I'll make a trip down there later tonight.

My purse is drying (as much as anything can dry in a few hours), and I can see the "water" mark on the bag of the bag slowly returning. I'm hoping that with a little time, it'll fade/blend in with the rest of the leather, but I can't tell for sure yet. I just changed the towels on the inside of the purse, so I'll wait a few more hours to see if any changes occur. Thankfully the leather held up to the bath extremely well. When it's almost dry, but still a little damp, I'll apply a leather conditioner, but then what's the next step? How should I apply the conditioner (and with what should I apply it with), and how many layers of the conditioner should I use on the purse? I'm not quite sure, so any further help would be wonderful!
 
#3,913
Funeral said:
Thank you for the help! I think my local Walmart carries Lexol, so I'll make a trip down there later tonight.

My purse is drying (as much as anything can dry in a few hours), and I can see the "water" mark on the bag of the bag slowly returning. I'm hoping that with a little time, it'll fade/blend in with the rest of the leather, but I can't tell for sure yet. I just changed the towels on the inside of the purse, so I'll wait a few more hours to see if any changes occur. Thankfully the leather held up to the bath extremely well. When it's almost dry, but still a little damp, I'll apply a leather conditioner, but then what's the next step? How should I apply the conditioner (and with what should I apply it with), and how many layers of the conditioner should I use on the purse? I'm not quite sure, so any further help would be wonderful!
Click to expand...

A lot depends on the bag, some bags just drink up the conditioner and still feel dry to the touch. You will probably want to do a few applications, but use it sparingly and give the bag several hours (or a day) in between applications to let the leather rest.

I like lexol for pebbled and textured leathers (and it is fine for most leathers) but for an older, dried out glove-tanned bag I prefer a cream conditioner. If you have a Tuesday Morning store near you they usually have Leather CPR and I understand that some TPFers have found it at Walmart and at Bed, Bath and Beyond. But if you have already bought the Lexol I am sure it will be just fine. I'm not too crazy about the smell of Lexol but it fades with time.

I usually apply conditioner with my fingers but you can also use a soft rag or a cosmetic sponge.

Because of the spots and the uneven coloration of your bag, I really suggest that you look for Black Rocks conditioner for the final applications. I buy it at a local horseback riding tack shop and it is also available online. Follow the directions and don't use too much at a time.

Good luck!
 
#3,915
katev said:
A lot depends on the bag, some bags just drink up the conditioner and still feel dry to the touch. You will probably want to do a few applications, but use it sparingly and give the bag several hours (or a day) in between applications to let the leather rest.

I like lexol for pebbled and textured leathers (and it is fine for most leathers) but for an older, dried out glove-tanned bag I prefer a cream conditioner. If you have a Tuesday Morning store near you they usually have Leather CPR and I understand that some TPFers have found it at Walmart and at Bed, Bath and Beyond. But if you have already bought the Lexol I am sure it will be just fine. I'm not too crazy about the smell of Lexol but it fades with time.

I usually apply conditioner with my fingers but you can also use a soft rag or a cosmetic sponge.

Because of the spots and the uneven coloration of your bag, I really suggest that you look for Black Rocks conditioner for the final applications. I buy it at a local horseback riding tack shop and it is also available online. Follow the directions and don't use too much at a time.

Good luck!
Click to expand...

I just checked online, and my local Bed, Bath, and Beyond carries Leather CPR! Unfortunately the store is closing in 30 minutes, so I'll have to wait until tomorrow to purchase it and give my purse its first application, but at least a nearby store has it in stock.

I can't find Blackrock conditioner in any local stores, so I might have to order on eBay. My last question is whether or not I should also condition the hangtag and the leather strap; I'm assuming yes, but I'm just double checking. I appreciate all of your help so much!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top