PurseBlog Asks

What Is the Wildest Home Handbag Treatment You’ve Tried?

Warning: You should definitely NOT try these at home!

[Editors note: the below post is meant to be lighthearted and conversation provoking, please do not attempt any of the wild, wacky methods discussed!]

I am fiercely protective of my handbags and often take extreme measures to make sure the items in my collection don’t come into harm’s way. In fact, I dedicated an entire post to my handbag fears and I really enjoyed reading through your comments sharing your worries and experiences. Because I am so protective of my handbags, I was completely shocked when I saw this thread in the LV forum about a member, reneeluvscoach, putting her Louis Vuitton Speedy in the washing machine.

A quick search on the PurseForum led me down a rabbit hole of many tPF’s who have put their beloved handbags in the washing machine. Many do it to clean the leather and some do it as a method of breaking in a bag, and although I can’t imagine placing any of my bags in the washing machine, I must admit it’s an intriguing way to treat a handbag with strong odors or stains.

I’ve never put my handbags into the washing machine, but it did lead me to think about the wildest at-home treatment I’ve done to a bag. I purchased a pretty beat up Chanel Medallion Tote from Fashionphile a few years ago for a steal. When the handbag arrived, I was disappointed that the leather had white cracks all over it, making the bag look so worn in and sad. After wiping it down with a damp paper towel to no avail, I ended up up using a maple scented hand lotion to condition the bag.

Typically I would have used a leather conditioner, but I didn’t have any on hand and made a rash decision, which in hindsight was incredibly risky, to try the hand lotion. Luckily for me, my Medallion Tote was not damaged in the process. Though it was brought back to life after having a maple lotion bath, the lotion has potential to deteriorate the bag down the line. While my maple lotion technique may seem tame in comparison to throwing my luxury leather items in the washing machine, I would have to imagine that some people would be horrified by my nontraditional repair technique, and rightfully so!

In addition to unconventional cleaning treatments, I’m especially interested in people who do DIY changes to their bag. We posted Kim Kardashian’s Hermès Herbag that was painted by her daughter and it got me thinking, would you ever add paint to your bags? Personally I would never, but I would be tempted to get a small SLG painted by a professional for a unique touch. I suppose Kim Kardashian’s handbag budget is astronomically higher than my own.

What’s the wildest home treatment you’ve done on a bag? Have you put it in the washing machine, added embellishments, painted your bag, or added any at-home tassels? I want to hear it all!

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