Coach Rehab and Rescue Club

[krtFL]

Have you tried cleaning the vachetta with Whateve's combo of vinegar and a magic eraser? It worked wonders on my pre- loved, not- Coach (French designer) bag.

I haven't tried that...yet In fact, I was just thinking about the vinegar / magic eraser combo earlier as I vaguely remember reading about it last night. I thought I'd give the vinegar a try on the handle/strap because all those links have been affected by oxidation and I feel like soaking them would let the goop float off in the water (vs. me making it worse by trying to get it out of all the nooks and crannies).

Thanks for the reminder! I'll take some pics of my bag before I have at her again this weekend and let ya'll know how she does!

 

[Alesa]

Have you tried cleaning the vachetta with Whateve's combo of vinegar and a magic eraser? It worked wonders on my pre- loved, not- Coach (French designer) bag.

I totally ruined the vachetta leather in the bath. Even dunked it two times for good measure. However, I do recall your post where you cleaned up a not- Coach bag very nicely. I bookmarked it for future reference. Although, my bag is not pretty, it's large. I keep it bag in the trunk of my car for hauling in whatevers (things that randomly end up there).

 

[Alesa]

Vachetta leather should never be "bathed" There are various ways to clean dirt off of it but when vachetta is new it's best to let it slowly patina on it's own. This helps to protect it down the road.

Of course if you're purchasing a pre-loved piece with vachetta on it that's another story. I've had great success cleaning pre-loved vachetta with nothing more than a slightly damp clean cotton cloth (damp with water that is).

It was a pre-loved bag and the stains were not so bad as to require a bath. I just thought I'd do it for good measure. Lesson learned.

 

[LouisieAnna]

I haven't tried that...yet In fact, I was just thinking about the vinegar / magic eraser combo earlier as I vaguely remember reading about it last night. I thought I'd give the vinegar a try on the handle/strap because all those links have been affected by oxidation and I feel like soaking them would let the goop float off in the water (vs. me making it worse by trying to get it out of all the nooks and crannies).

Thanks for the reminder! I'll take some pics of my bag before I have at her again this weekend and let ya'll know how she does!

I just have to say that it's nice to see someone else around here that knows the proper usage of "y'all".

Please let us know how this technique works out for you.

 

[krtFL]

Vachetta leather should never be "bathed" There are various ways to clean dirt off of it but when vachetta is new it's best to let it slowly patina on it's own. This helps to protect it down the road.

Of course if you're purchasing a pre-loved piece with vachetta on it that's another story. I've had great success cleaning pre-loved vachetta with nothing more than a slightly damp clean cotton cloth (damp with water that is).

I agree....but was secretly hoping I could dunk her, in part because the bag had a light mildewing on it after our move from Florida to Texas in April. As soon as I pulled it out of the dust bag, my heart sank. Then, I grabbed a cotton ball soaked in 70% rubbing alcohol and ever so lightly started wiping the mildewed areas (to kill it), starting with the bottom of the bag. Then I let the bag sit overnight, checked it the next morning (mildew gone from areas I wiped) and went over the whole thing again with alcohol (my supplies were still boxed up at that point). I washed the dust bag with a smidge of color safe bleach and it came out like new. That was 6 weeks ago. This past weekend I finally had the energy to take another stab at it...this time with the more tedius work such as picking away at the oxidation, polishing the hardware (and realizing it was plated brass...another mess!), and giving the bag another wipe down with diluted Simple Green. I really need to order some of the cleaning & conditioning products you ladies speak of so I'm properly armed to clean the rest of my collection. The bag looks much better, and I carried it today for the first time in a couple years. I'm making progress, albeit very slowly!

 

[krtFL]

I just have to say that it's nice to see someone else on here that knows the proper usage of "y'all".

Please let us know how this technique works out for you.

Absolutely! You spelled it correctly (I didn't)! Ha ha. I'd be honored to share my results with y'all when she's done!

 

[LouisieAnna]

Vachetta leather should never be "bathed" There are various ways to clean dirt off of it but when vachetta is new it's best to let it slowly patina on it's own. This helps to protect it down the road.

Of course if you're purchasing a pre-loved piece with vachetta on it that's another story. I've had great success cleaning pre-loved vachetta with nothing more than a slightly damp clean cotton cloth (damp with water that is).

You've no doubt more experience with vachetta than a lot of us here (or at least me lol). Do you find that a slightly damp clean cotton cloth improves the appearance of waterspots?

 

[alansgail]

You've no doubt more experience with vachetta than a lot of us here (or at least me lol). Do you find that a slightly damp clean cotton cloth improves the appearance of waterspots?

I've found it can make a difference but it depends on how long the spots have been there....it certainly won't make them worse. Sometimes it does make them blend in a bit better.

 

[Beccabaglady]

Hello ladies, not a frequent visitor as I would like but when I find the time I still rehab.

This time I want to ask your advice regarding this pretty color Carlyle, that I would like to improve if possible. As you see in the pictures the leather on the bottom front seems to have been stretched. In a regular (soft leather) bag I would dunk it with no second thought, but in this one I am not sure, specially because I do not want the brown lining to get red. Any input will be greatly appreciated.

I'm a little late to the party, but thought I'd chime in on this one. Most of the Madison's have a sandwich of thin foam and chipboard or paperboard/pressboard in them where they wanted them to be stiff. On the Carlyle it's in the flap. If you dunk them and the board gets wet, it will warp (think of what happens to a cereal box when it gets wet). There's no way to get it completely flat again. You can flatten the areas with something heavy while drying to get some of the warping out, but then you risk leaving impressions in the leather, and the "sandwich" sections will take much longer to dry, so you run the risk of mold/mildew.

As for the wrinkles, once the Madison leather is wrinkled like yours is, there's not a lot you can do to fix it. The fibers in the leather have been creased, so it's like a piece of paper that's been folded. You can smooth it out somewhat, but you'll never totally get rid of the crease marks, and the purse will tend to wrinkle there again. I had a Carlyle that I steamed, a while back. It helped get rid of some indentations in the flap, but the wrinkles on the side sections are still there. I just consider them added character - like my wrinkles, lol!

In conclusion, I don't recommend a dunk for most of the Madisons, but that's my opinion only, and you know what they say about opinions.....

,

 

[Sonoma]

Whoa, don't hurt my enabler cred!

In all seriousness, my natural grain Sonomas are workhorses. Even though they're vintage/ near- vintage, one in good condition is certainly suitable for an everyday bag. I lived in my red small full flap for months until I caved and got my red metallic Ranger (and I do not coddle my bags at all). I can't imagine what the original owner must have done to that bag for the piping to wear like that.

I am totally addicted to Sonomas, so worries about your enabler cred!

I also don't coddle my bags. I'm just starting to collect Sonomas so I appreciate you sharing your experience that these are tough bags.

I have two lighter colored ones that I love but are in such great condition that I just keep them on a shelf in my office and admire them. I was hesitant to use them but now I will (tho I will keep them away from ball point pens!!!).

Thanks again!

 

[whateve]

I don't think your bag is a true vachetta bag. What makes you think it is? Vachetta is a very light (almost white when new) leather that is totally untreated and has no color added. As it's exposed to sunlight it darkens naturally.
If you're familiar with Louis Vuitton bags that have vachetta on them then you'll know what I mean.
Your bag looks like it has some color treatment, not vachetta. I think your bag has been 'burnished' and somewhere there is a guide from Coach how to treat each of their types of leathers.......maybe someone more experienced can chime in here to help?

*Sorry, I meant to respond directly to krtFL*

I used to think that was true about vachetta too. Some of the 2006 Legacy bags are supposedly vachetta leather, even though they were dyed different colors. I believe the original ads claimed they were vachetta. I don't think any of the Legacy leathers were burnished; the Bleeckers were.

 

[whateve]

Any tips for smoothing wrinkles out of the ID windows on vintage wallets?

 

[alansgail]

I used to think that was true about vachetta too. Some of the 2006 Legacy bags are supposedly vachetta leather, even though they were dyed different colors. I believe the original ads claimed they were vachetta. I don't think any of the Legacy leathers were burnished; the Bleeckers were.

Thanks for that info whateve......I've always been told that vachetta is always an untreated and therefore raw leather with no dye added, hence it's proclivity to age over time.
I guess now I'm confused.......

 

[whateve]

Thanks for that info whateve......I've always been told that vachetta is always an untreated and therefore raw leather with no dye added, hence it's proclivity to age over time.
I guess now I'm confused.......

I've seen other brands advertised as vachetta when they have obviously been dyed too. It had me confused too. I guess the leather is still raw and still stains and darkens with age.

 

[alansgail]

I've seen other brands advertised as vachetta when they have obviously been dyed too. It had me confused too. I guess the leather is still raw and still stains and darkens with age.

I guess that could be true......or they've mis-used the term vachetta with their product. Hard to know.