Do you think using woolite and surface washing it would be ok? I'm afraid of dunking it since it is lined. I'm not very familiar with this leather and am afraid I will make it worse.
Coach Rehab and Rescue Club
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Do you think using woolite and surface washing it would be ok? I'm afraid of dunking it since it is lined. I'm not very familiar with this leather and am afraid I will make it worse.
I have a question - I recently found two very old Coach bags in the back of my closet. TThey were both originally navy blue, but now some of the blue has turned sort of a reddish brown. I am thinking of trying several coats of a heavy duty moisturizer to see if that will help to bring the color back. Does anyone have any suggestions? The bags are in pretty good shape outside of the discoloration. Suggestions are welcome. Thank you for any help you can offer me.
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You could try the surface washing, but dunking it even with a liner is not really as scary as it sounds. Well, before I say that, what color is the lining? If it's dark, you may have more issue with the lining. But as long as you dunk it, wash with a gentle cloth, then dry it inside and out/shape it, I think you should be ok. You would dunk it then stuff it with old towels so it fills out it's shape, and keep an eye on it. Some of my drying projects took more than one rotation of stuffing.
The ONLY thing I hesitate on is the fact that Black Rock is mostly carnuba wax. I'm not sure what that would do to the leather. Past history with almost pure carnuba wax used on my car's washcloths meant some sticky washing later. I don't think it would hurt the bag, I just wonder if it would draw the wax out of the leather pores and just smear it around.
One other option: keep doing the BlackRock as directed on the label, concentrating on that spot. The BlackRock is SUPPOSED to clean it, and more than one iteration of proper cleaning may draw out whatever is darkening the spot.
KateV is probably your best bet to answer these, but she'd likely tell you to try Leather CPR to clean and moisturize the bag -- although an initial washing might help too. if that doesn't work, she seems to favor the permanent acrylic, but SHE definitely needs to advise you on how to use it properly.
It's rather odd than navy blue turned reddish brown: did you let them sit in the sun or something?
the discoloration sounds like it sat near a spot of sun at some point. I have a black binocular bag that has a similar issue and it looked like sun exposure to me. I planned on trying to re-dye it someday.
Hi, it sounds like they are dried out and/or maybe discolored from handling and body oils? Could you post pictures?
I would probably try giving them a bath and then moisturizing them. If that doesn't bring back the color and you think they are faded/worn I would try Black Rocks leather n rich because it tends to darken leathers.
I have only used acryllic paints for touch-ups, ususally on strap edging or occassionally on worn/faded spots on piping. I wouldn't try recoloring an entire bag with paints. I would suggest taking it to a cobbler or leather specialist for advice. Good luck!
I haven't gone through the whole thread yet but I did want to say I found a bleeker bucket style at goodwill yesterday. I verified her model number etc and she appears absolutely authentic but she's a bit dingy and she's yellow of all colors. I'm kind of at a loss of what to do with her to restore her if it's even possible. Might I be better off taking her to a professional cleaner or something?
Post some pictures if you can, showing areas of dirt, etc. You'd be amazed what you can do yourself, before resorting to a professional depending on what you're dealing with.
x UHOH X said:
This makes sense. FWIW, I've found blackrocks makes bags sticky mostly when it is cleaning (or when you overapply- but fix that by reapplying!) - the stickiness is seemingly from lifting out the old polishes and waxes, if that makes sense (like with refinishing furniture). Sometimes it will take a few good cleanings before it doesn't leave a sticky residue. That said, I've been amazed at what I can get clean doing multiple coats. I got an old Coach briefcase for a song on eBay that had changed from tan to almost black it was so dirty, but it all came off with a combination of washing and several sticky applications of blackrocks. Another black Coach briefcase I got had this whitest haze that wasn't touched by dunking in water, but the haze was evidently embedded in the finish as it came off with blackrocks.
Exactly. The appeal of the carnuba wax, in general, is threefold: first, it lifts dirt and things out of scars/holes/pores, then it moisturizes, and lastly lightly seals to prevent dirt going back into the scars/holes/pores. If you've ever used a "clay bar" to clean your car, it's almost the same thing only the clay bar is more appropriate for hard surfaces (and takes a LOT of elbow grease/muscle depending on how big your car is!) and it doesn't seal them much. Detail-oriented (aka obsessive) car people apply carnuba wax - with appropriate car-specific chemicals, NOT like BlackRock - after doing the clay bar thing to seal the scars/holes/pores, but really, one coat of carnuba wax will do both deep cleaning and protecting, JUST like BlackRock.
After doing the carnuba thing on a car, you're not supposed to do it again for at least a month to let it "cure"...which is why I just have to wonder if washing it so soon after BlackRock is not a good idea. The waxiness may be counterproductive.
Interesting....So, I've been treating Blackrock as a moisturizing conditioner, but using it as a last resort on tougher bags. Does this mean all the Leather CPR and apple that I'm using is getting pulled back out if I use Blackrock at the end?
Logic says yes. BUT...the good moisturizing things that Leather CPR and Apple do for the leather material make me think all is not lost. Again, I haven't worked with the leather and BlackRock combo, but I've done a lot with the car thing. With the cars and the wax, you can rinse your car off in between "deeper" cleaning with the wax with no harm no foul, but the car doesn't need moisture. With the leather, I think you're ending up giving the material moisture and conditioning (not a bad thing) when you use the Leather CPR and Apple, but that moisturizing/conditioning at the surface (or on top) will be "lifted" by the BlackRock. Those other products are supposed to clean as well, but I personally haven't seen any significant visible results, so I suspect they don't clean quite as deeply into the pores as the BlackRock for certain types of leather. If you use two or all three, you're creating redundant cleaning/conditioning, just at different levels of "clean." Does that make sense?
If that logic tracks, it might also make sense to use a tiered-approach to cleaning an abused bag: start with basic washing, move to either Apple or Leather CPR, and if neither of those gets you where you want to be, move to BlackRock. That's the stage I'm at now with some of these bags.
HIA KateV! Hope you had a great vacation. Did you ever get that bag back from the cobbler?
Thanks Ladies for all the suggestions. I think I might try a light surface washing with woolite and if that doesnt make any difference I will try the Blackrock again concentrating on that spot. I will keep you posted on my progress. Thanks again!
I just saw this quote about letting it "cure" and washing so soon after BlackRock. If that's the case I will be better off trying multiple applications of BlackRock and seeing what happens before trying to wash it. I can always wash it later. Will try this approach. Wish me luck!
Catia625 said:
Good luck! My experience has been this approach does work, even if frustrating and time consuming - hope it does for you. What an interesting conversation you started
You may know this, but if you can put the bag in the sun for a few hours, the blackrock sinks in and cures faster.
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