A TPFer asked for vintage bag rehab advice on the authentication thread recently and I started to write out a few suggestions - before I knew it, I had written a whole chapter! I am copying the info in this thread for future reference and I encourage other rehabbers to comment and offer their tips and advice.
Rehabbing a classic bag:
Below are the steps that I use to clean up vintage, unlined bags. It sounds like a lot of work, but it is really pretty easy and I get a lot of satisfaction from fixing up a dirty, scuffed, beat-up classic bag and bringing it back to usefulness and beauty! This is just my approach and I cannot guarantee that it will work for every bag. You should search TPF and check out this Rescue and Rehab thread to read the advice of others; especially if the bag is made of delicate leather, like pebbled leather. Ive learned most of this stuff from many generous TPFers, especially BEBEPURSE who has been rightfully named the Heloise of Handbags by HappyBag!
Selecting a bag for rehab:
1) I suggest starting with a black vintage bag because they are usually pretty easy to rehab. But all of the older, unlined bags are nearly indestructible, so don't be afraid to go for it! You can pick one up cheap at a thrift store, garage sale, and flea market or on the eBay, bonz, and esty online sites.
2) Examine it carefully because the more popular vintage bags have been faked and you dont want to waste money, time, and effort on a fake. So far Ive only been fooled once and Ive done a lot of rehabs. I am embarrassed to say that the bag I bought actually had misspelled words in the creed! Now I check more carefully! Before you start the rehab process, take photos and post them on the authentication thread to verify authenticity. If you are buying the bag online, try to get the auction authenticated first.
3) I always give the bags a sniff test (or ask the online vendor about smells and odors.) Most vintage bags have a musty, dusty smell and thats fine, it will be eliminated by the rehab process. But if the bag smells like mold and mildew I usually leave it on the shelf. You know the smell, like damp towels that have been allowed to sit too long. I have successfully rehabbed one mildewed bag but I failed miserably with another one. I would only tackle one again if it was a very special bag or an extremely cheap price.
Rehabbing a vintage bag:
1) If there is a lot of lint and dust inside the bag then vacuum it out, otherwise just shake out the crud.
2) Give the bag a bath in the sink using warm water and a dye-free, perfume-free soap, like Ivory dish soap or Woolite. Let it soak for about 40 minutes. Turn the bag several times while soaking to make sure the entire bag gets submerged.
Note: I don't suggest giving a bath to a leather bag that has a fabric lining, although a few brave TPFers have done it successfully! And delicate, pebbled leathers and of course suede bags should not be washed.
Although I have never had a color-loss issue due to soaking any unlined black, brown, tan, gray, or navy bags; I would be more cautious with a brightly colored bag, like a red bag. Unless it was filthy I would try surface cleaning it first. Lexol cleaning solution (and Lexol cleaning wipes) are products often recommended for surface cleaning.
If the bag is very dirty, I have turned them inside out in the sink so that I can thoroughly clean the inside! If the bag has ink marks, try dabbing with rubbing alcohol to remove or minimize the marks. It is almost impossible to completely eradicate old ink marks.
3) Drain the soapy water, fill the sink with warm clean water and rinse well.
4) Let the bag drain in the sink for a few minutes and then stuff it with clean, dry, old towels or rags. Shape the bag while you are stuffing it so that it will dry with the proper form. I usually stuff old washcloths or paper towels into the pockets. Try not to distend the pockets too much because they may dry with a strange shape.
5) Set the bag on a towel to dry and remember to turn and move it every now and then.
6) After about a day, take the towels out and continue turning it periodically as it continues to air dry. Try to make sure that the pockets and compartments get some air exposure, too. Carefully hang the bag to dry if necessary.
7) When it is almost dry but still damp, apply leather conditioner (or leather oil) to the finished leather surfaces.
Apple leather conditioner is a popular brand. I buy it at the Burlington Coat Factory. It's usually by the shoes or with the leather coats and jackets. Youll have to hunt around for it; don't bother asking the staff for help. If you don't have a BCF near you, it is available online.
You can also try a horse riding (equestrian) store because they usually have lots of leather conditioners and oils. Read the labels carefully! Don't use products that contain dyes, perfumes, waxes, or silicone. Don't use anything that says "may darken leather!"
I often use a brand called Leather Therapy Oil and I have read recommendations from others for Blackrocks and for Doc Martin's Leather Tonic, but I havent tried them yet.
8) After the bag dries use a metal polish like Brasso and a soft, dry cloth to shine up the hardware. Try not to get the metal polish on the leather or the fabric around the zipper threads. Keep a damp rag nearby to clean the metal polish off quickly if you do get any on the leather or fabric. Don't forget to polish the zipper pulls and the chain that holds the hang tag! Giving the hardware a final rub with a jewelers cloth is also very helpful, especially on the zipper threads.
9) Apply more leather conditioner to the dry bag (you may need to apply a few coats.) Let the bag absorb each application and buff with a dry, soft cloth to make the leather shine.
10) Sometimes there are a few, tiny frayed threads sticking out in places and I just use a sharp nail scissors to trim them. If the bag has serious stitching/ripped thread problems (like the strap is partially ripped away from the body of the bag) I take it to a shoe repair (cobbler) shop for professional repair. I usually do that before I start the rehab process to find out how much it will cost and to decide if it is worth it to continue.
11) Vintage bags often lose sealant (color) along the edges of the straps and handles. I use small bottles of permanent acrylic paint to touch up the edges. You can find them at hobby stores and often at fabric stores like Joann's Fabrics. They are usually less than a dollar each. You will also need an artist's paint brush.
Cobbler shops sometime sell a product called EdgeKote (I think that is the name? It is also available online) and I have read that it also works well on the edging.
I usually take the bag's hangtag to the store with me to match the color but be careful not to lose the hangtag, I did that once! The black is an easy match, but you can also mix small amounts of the acrylic paints until you get the color you need. Like mixing a few drops of black with a small amount of a brighter blue to get a darker blue.
I have found that the colors on the labels are pretty accurate but you can usually unscrew the cap in the store to look at the actual paint color under the cap.
Before applying paint (or using any new products) its always a good idea to test first especially if you are mixing paint colors. Apply a small amount of your paint mixture to an area of the bag that doesn't show. Let it dry completely to see how well it matches before applying it in areas that do show. Always use good lighting when working with paints.
The paint is permanent after in dries, but it cleans up easily with soap and water while it is wet or damp. I wear rubber gloves when I am working with paint.
Use the brush to lightly dab the paint along the edges of the strap or handles, try not to get any on the finished surface of the strap, and wipe it off quickly if you do get some on it. Let the paint dry completely, it dries pretty fast.
Dont neglect the edging; it is amazing how much of a difference it can make to the overall appearance of the bag!
12) If the bag is missing its hangtag, call
Coach Customer Service in Jacksonville and they will send you a free replacement. If they can't match the color of the bag, they will send a silver or gold-tone metal hangtag and chain to match the hardware. It usually takes a few weeks for the new tag to arrive.
You can also buy hangtags on eBay and bonz, but free is better and you are sure they are authentic because they came from Coach. I would only buy online if the bag was missing an unusual, special hangtag that I wanted to replace. Most of the vintage bags just have a leather hangtag that is the same color as the bag.
Thats all there is to it! Enjoy carrying your lovely bag and be sure and post before and after pics in this Rescue and Rehab thread!
Saw it laying on the floor under the purse display. It just needed a good cleaning and conditioninig.
