How to Care for a Vintage Purse

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By JasneJ
User-Submitted Article

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Vintage Stamped Western Handbag

After many years of purchasing vintage purses for our business, I want to share a few tips for their care and storage. Purses more than 20 years old often need some TLC. Many a Charlie Brown handbag has been restored to beautiful shape with a few simple household items.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Soft cotton rags(old T shirts)
Greeen scruffy pad
Petroleum Jelly
Creme Polish
Pressurized Air Cleaner
Febreze spray

Step 1

Vintage Calfskin Clutch

Congratulations:
On your vintage purse purchase! Feel good about recycling a handbag as well as your impeccable sense of style.From the 1940's through the 1970's, there were hundreds of American handbag designers , with many manufacturing in New York City.They created purses of high fashion and originality, unlike the vinyl overseas clone stuff you see today.Even the great New York handbag manufacturer Coach makes their purses in Hong Kong now.
Step 2

Pretty Interior Fabric on this Clutch

Beautiful Linings:
Look at the beautiful inside of your vintage handbag . Handbag
designers believed the interior fabric or leather lining must beautifully complement the exterior. If the lining is fabric, pull it gently away from the purse so the inside is outside. At this point, clean inside the corners & remove any residual by spraying it with a can of compressed air. The spray tip should be 4-6" away from the surface. The compressed air is very cold & can damage leather if sprayed too close.If odors are present ,spray with Febreze - unscented. Allow the lining to air for 24 hours.With leather or vinyl linings, wipe with a damp cloth & leave your purse open to dry.
Step 3

Vintage Fourties Leather & Fake Snakeskin Purse

Luscious Leather:
Carefully check your vintage leather handbag for signs of wear and dirt.With a damp cotton rag, gently wipe the entire surface of the bag and allow to dry.Where the leather is worn, match the color with good shoe polish. Apply to the worn areas & leave for 24 hours, then buff with a soft cloth. A general conditioner for leather handbags is a neutral colored shoe polish. Any new product you try, first apply to an inconspicuous part of the purse.
Step 4

White Paten Evening Bag

Glamorous Patent:
Vintage patent purses are made of either vinyl or vinyl coated leather. Wipe down with a wet cotton cloth and use a mild detergent to remove spots & rub marks . After drying, rub a small amount of petroleum jelly over the entire surface with a cotton makeup pad. Buff the bag with a soft rag or more cotton cosmetic pads.
Step 5

Beaded Raffia Straw Bag

Summery Straw:
Straw bags are cleaned by removing dust & dirt with compressed air & spray misted with filtered water. Straw bags get dry with age, a light misting helps preserve them. Do not immerse in water, or they can lose their shape completely.Clean raffia straw purses with a dampened towel only.
Step 6

Kessler Antelope Suede Handbag

Soft Suede:
With a soft tooth brush clean vintage suede purses, stroking along crevices and seams. Always brush the suede in the same direction. Remove small marks with a pencil eraser. Ask your shoemaker to recommend a suede spray to protect the purse.Store suede purses in a dry area in tissue paper.
Step 7

Mohair Knit Fabric Bucket Purse

Funky Fabric:
Typically, vintage fabric handbags are made with natural cotton and linen fabrics.Avoid soaking the surface of the fabric as it may bleed. Again, use compressed air to remove dirt.Apply commercial spot removers sparingly, blot with a soft towel and air dry.Odorless air sprays are excellent to neutralize musty odors trapped in fabric.
Step 8

Vintage Sixties Margolin Leather Purse

Durable Hardware:
The metal hardware on vintage purses was built to last. Any rust spots are easy to remove . Rub gently with a small piece of a green scruffy pad. Buff with a jewelers rouge polishing cloth to restore the metal hardware's luster. Metal wear is a natural part of the aging process. We all have wrinkles in time as we age!