Coach Rehab and Rescue Club

[klb4556]

Here is a good post, as well.

ETA: @klb4556

Cheers!! Appreciate it!

 

[whateve]

wow!! thank you so much!! what do you recommend using to scrub the inside suede part? ( I mean in terms of the tool) and also do you add more soap of any kind of just use the water you have been soaking it in?

And I do have dawn but is it better than a gentle laundry detergent? I also have an organic less harsh laundry detergent.

Lastly, how sudsy does the water need to be? how many drops of dawn?

thanks, I just don't want to mess this up. Didn't get it for real cheap, around 30, but still worried about just plunging it till I know all the ends and outs.

I use a bottle brush for scrubbing. It isn't really rough. You can use a wash cloth or any kind of brush. A nail brush works good on suede. Sometimes I add more soap if it is necessary. I add probably as much soap as I do when I'm washing dishes. I don't think you can mess it up. Just remember that the more soap you use, the more rinsing will be required. If you don't get all the soap out, your leather won't be soft.

A gentle laundry detergent may not be safer. The ph level is important. A lower ph level is safer for leather, and most detergents are very alkaline. I think that usually a gentle laundry detergent is harsher than Dawn.

 

[whateve]

And even if the bags exterior looks really good and you could probably just condition it to make it better, but the inside is really dirty, there's nothing wrong with wanting to give a true vintage bag a bath anyways right?

Yes, even Coach recommended it when they sold those bags all those years ago. At the time, they recommended using a mild soap like Ivory.

 

[Lake Effect]

Cheers!! Appreciate it!

I am looking through the posts quickly, as I am on lunch break in the middle of a semi-crisis, but I will add that I generally vacuum the inside of my bags, even if they look good. I have a dedicated "Coach" scrubbing toothbrush! @whateve gave a great overview.

 

[Lake Effect]

Cheers!! Appreciate it!

After a 20 minute warm water wash in Lexol with a toothbrush scrub, 20 minute rinse, about 3 applications of Leather Therapy Restorer & Conditioner while drying and an application of Blackrock and brushing and buffing. My girl!View attachment 3684140View attachment 3684141View attachment 3684142

This is not as detailed as whateve's response, obviously, but I am starting to give a little overview when I post before and after pics, as I know it can be helpful just to see what other people are doing and what products they use. Happy Coaching!
(let's see if I get the reply and quote insert to work!!)

 

[klb4556]

I use a bottle brush for scrubbing. It isn't really rough. You can use a wash cloth or any kind of brush. A nail brush works good on suede. Sometimes I add more soap if it is necessary. I add probably as much soap as I do when I'm washing dishes. I don't think you can mess it up. Just remember that the more soap you use, the more rinsing will be required. If you don't get all the soap out, your leather won't be soft.

A gentle laundry detergent may not be safer. The ph level is important. A lower ph level is safer for leather, and most detergents are very alkaline. I think that usually a gentle laundry detergent is harsher than Dawn.

thank you! but could still opt for ivory or woolite( or is woolite along the same lines as the one I mentioned already)?

I'm going to spend today reading through this whole thread, even though time consuming, to be as best informed as I can.

 

[whateve]

thank you! but could still opt for ivory or woolite( or is woolite along the same lines as the one I mentioned already)?

I'm going to spend today reading through this whole thread, even though time consuming, to be as best informed as I can.

There was a thread before this one: https://forum.purseblog.com/threads/coach-rehab-and-rescue-club.624452/
but I think that most of the good information comes later as we have all learned as we've gone along.

 

[Catbird9]

thank you! but could still opt for ivory or woolite( or is woolite along the same lines as the one I mentioned already)?

I'm going to spend today reading through this whole thread, even though time consuming, to be as best informed as I can.

Apparently Woolite is more alkaline too. I would avoid it.

https://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/auto-detailing-101/19452-question-about-woolite.html

"...followed the Woolite question up with highly regarded leather expert Roger Koh. When shown the MSDS sheet on Woolite, Roger was shocked that anybody would use this product on leather surfaces, stating that..
"pH Value: The pH value indicated is 8.
The pH neutral of average leathers is 3 - 5.
Assuming the pH neutral of leather is 4, then this product at pH 8 is 10,000 times more alkaline than the average pH of leather. The continued use of this product will cause the leather constituents like tanning agent, fatliquor to break bond (hydrogen bonding with the protein fibers), thus denaturing the leather."

Dishwashing liquid is said to be a more neutral pH:
https://www.thespruce.com/ph-levels-for-common-cleaning-supplies-1900473

I always add vinegar (acidic) to my rinse water and it seems to have positive effects on the leather as well as the metal parts.

 

[klb4556]

Need opinions before I get this authenticated, and try to buy. I wanted to do one for me and one for my sister, as she would love it too.

This is another I am interested in, but would washing take these spots out? Also, what does that white stuff on the inside front lining look like?
Thanks in advance!

 

[klb4556]

Apparently Woolite is more alkaline too. I would avoid it.

https://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/auto-detailing-101/19452-question-about-woolite.html

"...followed the Woolite question up with highly regarded leather expert Roger Koh. When shown the MSDS sheet on Woolite, Roger was shocked that anybody would use this product on leather surfaces, stating that..
"pH Value: The pH value indicated is 8.
The pH neutral of average leathers is 3 - 5.
Assuming the pH neutral of leather is 4, then this product at pH 8 is 10,000 times more alkaline than the average pH of leather. The continued use of this product will cause the leather constituents like tanning agent, fatliquor to break bond (hydrogen bonding with the protein fibers), thus denaturing the leather."

Dishwashing liquid is said to be a more neutral pH:
https://www.thespruce.com/ph-levels-for-common-cleaning-supplies-1900473

I always add vinegar (acidic) to my rinse water and it seems to have positive effects on the leather as well as the metal parts.

thank you! I'll steer clear of that!
I had picked up the vinegar suggestion in a few other posts too, and thought I'd add it for sure! since I'd be soaking the HW in it separately, why not give it an extra boost while it's soaking.

 

[Belicious]

Need opinions before I get this authenticated, and try to buy. I wanted to do one for me and one for my sister, as she would love it too.

This is another I am interested in, but would washing take these spots out? Also, what does that white stuff on the inside front lining look like?
Thanks in advance! View attachment 3694710 View attachment 3694711 View attachment 3694713

The second picture looks like pen lines. I wouldn't expect to be able to get those out easily, if at all. The other spots sure look pretty dark so if you can't live with them being there I would steer clear. They might or might not come out. It's always a risk.

 

[Catbird9]

Need opinions before I get this authenticated, and try to buy. I wanted to do one for me and one for my sister, as she would love it too.

This is another I am interested in, but would washing take these spots out? Also, what does that white stuff on the inside front lining look like?
Thanks in advance! View attachment 3694710 View attachment 3694711 View attachment 3694713

The white stuff...do you mean the white lines along the seams inside? That's where they shaved down the leather edges before sewing them together, to make them easier to sew.

 

[klb4556]

The white stuff...do you mean the white lines along the seams inside? That's where they shaved down the leather edges before sewing them together, to make them easier to sew.

yes, I have just never seen that inside any other of the vintage bags I have seen IRL or in listings, maybe just not as apparent or maybe her flash made it stand out, thanks

 

[Ravvie99]

Here is a good post, as well.

ETA: @klb4556

Thank for reposting this - been meaning to try the Montana Leather oil and just ordered some!

 

[runcocorun3]

I love that color combination too!

In my experience, faint ink strikes like the ones on the underside of the flap don't bleed in a water and Dawn bath. Bigger ink stains (round, with lots of ink) are more likely to bleed.

What is that small red spot on the bottom edge next to the piping? Does it show on the inside? Do you think it's ink? I'd be a little concerned about that one.

Is that some kind of sticky substance (gum?) on the suede, near the end of the zipper? That should probably be worked on before dunking.

The superficial marks on the tan leather will probably improve a lot with bath and conditioner. I'd go ahead and dunk and see what needs work after the bath.

For the color loss on the ivory piping, you'll probably need to cover with paint + conditioner.

I agree with Catbird9 that pen marks do not bleed when the bags are dunked. Totally scary to me are the round (big and small) ink marks, even on liners of newer bags, I had a very small ink mark the size of a lentil, that when I tried to clean it started to bleed and bleed all over the liner, it turned out to be a huge mess! With patience I was able to clean it all, but on suede or leather... um not! Afraid for life, LOL
Paint and conditioner will work for the edges. I also have used with great results Wood-N-Stuff Leather Refinish Color Restorer. Good luck! It's a great color bag to restore.

I agree with the advice you have already gotten. Make sure not to scrub too much, especially on the ivory trim. At least some of what looks like stains is just that the color has worn off. I've rehabbed one of these, and it was difficult. Very difficult for me to paint the trim without touching the leather. Check out the acrylic paint color called linen. That might be a close match. Mine is the FolkArt brand.

The spot by the zipper is a piece of plastic stuck to the leather-- thankfully it's not gum! Thanks everyone for the guidance. Looks like this will be one of my more challenging rehabs. We'll see how it goes!