How to clean a Coach vintage "wallet"?

#2
I have cleaned Coach leather by just using a mild spray all purpose cleaner like Oxyclean. The only type of leather that you can't clean is vachetta. This wallet would probably look a lot better if you used leather moisturizer/conditioner.
 
#4
Charmeh said:
How do I know whether it's vachetta or not?
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Sorry, I should have been clearer. Yours isn't vachetta. Vachetta is that light colored leather that you commonly see on Louis Vuitton handles. Coach has used it for the interior of some wallets. It is untreated so it absorbs anything you put on it. Yours has been treated so you can clean it without worry.
 
#5
Hi ~
I haven't tried this but I know others have given their bags a bath in soap and water then air dry for a few days. They then moisturize with either Coach moisturizer or Apple Conditioner. (I would use Ivory dishwashing soap - clear It is real gentle) I would think that procedure would work for a wallet. If not dirty, then just moisturize a few times.
Good Luck!!

Lynne :biggrin:
 
#6
I regularly have to clean my husband's almost 10 year old Coach wallet as it starts to look just like those pics, and he refuses to get a new one.... Damp cloth and/or Lexol PH wipe for surface clean, followed by coach cleaner/moisturiser and/or blackrock gets it back to like new.

Check out the rehab thread for more detailed discussions.
 
#7
irr_actor said:
I regularly have to clean my husband's almost 10 year old Coach wallet as it starts to look just like those pics, and he refuses to get a new one.... Damp cloth and/or Lexol PH wipe for surface clean, followed by coach cleaner/moisturiser and/or blackrock gets it back to like new.

Check out the rehab thread for more detailed discussions.
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How often do you have to clean it?
 
#9
whateve said:
Sorry, I should have been clearer. Yours isn't vachetta. Vachetta is that light colored leather that you commonly see on Louis Vuitton handles. Coach has used it for the interior of some wallets. It is untreated so it absorbs anything you put on it. Yours has been treated so you can clean it without worry.
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How do you know the leather has been treated?

[Excuse me for my many questions.]
 
#10
Charmeh said:
How do you know the leather has been treated?

[Excuse me for my many questions.]
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Most leather is treated during the tanning process. Nearly every leather item you can buy has been tanned. In addition, your wallet has been dyed. Vachetta leather, which is the only leather that isn't treated, is rarely used because it absorbs oils from your hands that makes it change color. When vachetta leather is used, it wouldn't be for the entire item - it will only be the trim. On a wallet, Coach sometimes will use vachetta for the inside of the wallet. If yours had any untreated leather on it, it would be a light beige color. The only reason I mentioned it was because I had a wallet like that and when I tried to clean it, I just made it worse. The vachetta leather has kind of a dull, not shiny, look and isn't as slick as normal leather.
There should be no problems cleaning your wallet.
This picture shows the vachetta leather that I tried to clean.
 

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#11
whateve said:
Most leather is treated during the tanning process. Nearly every leather item you can buy has been tanned. In addition, your wallet has been dyed. Vachetta leather, which is the only leather that isn't treated, is rarely used because it absorbs oils from your hands that makes it change color. When vachetta leather is used, it wouldn't be for the entire item - it will only be the trim. On a wallet, Coach sometimes will use vachetta for the inside of the wallet. If yours had any untreated leather on it, it would be a light beige color. The only reason I mentioned it was because I had a wallet like that and when I tried to clean it, I just made it worse. The vachetta leather has kind of a dull, not shiny, look and isn't as slick as normal leather.
There should be no problems cleaning your wallet.
This picture shows the vachetta leather that I tried to clean.
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Thank you for clarifying! I realize vachetta leather should be left alone.

I would assume that my "glove tanned cowhide" bag isn't vachetta since it has been treated?
 
#13
I haven't rehabbed many but the few that I have worked on I treated just a like a vintage bag. I gave them baths in warm water and Ivory dish soap and conditioned them after they dried and then used metal polish on the hardware.
 
#15
Charmeh said:
I think this is my last question: What will happen to my bag if it gets wet/rained on/ink marked since it's glove tanned cowhide?
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Here is a link that tells you how to care for this type of leather:
http://reviews.ebay.com/Care-amp-Ma...ssic-Glove-Tan-Leather?ugid=10000000000891364
I have never used Coach cleaner. I find that most kinds of cleaner work just as well. A lot of people on this forum prefer Apple products over the Coach moisturizer. It is supposed to help waterproof your bag.
It is very difficult to get ink marks out of any kind of leather. The leather moisturizer will make it more resistant to stains. I have never had a problem with rain spotting on any of my bags but I have seen bags with water damage. I think that you only get water spots if the water has a chance to soak in. I usually put my bag inside my coat if it is raining.
Katev is the expert on restoring classic Coach bags. She has been successful running them through the washer. I would only do this if the bag is extremely dirty. If all else fails, you can have the bag died black.
 
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