Attn Tanya: Dye on white handbags

shiny

Did you ever get the dye off your new white handbag?

While in Hong Kong, I wore my ATL Ponte Knit sheath, and it was so hot and humid AND a little rainy, I discovered later that the black dye had rubbed off all over my white handbag! It was *everywhere.* I thought the bag was completely ruined.

But I ended up rescuing it with hairspray. Lots and lots of hairspray.... spray, let sit, rub it in, rinse off with a washcloth, repeat.

It still needs a good wipe-down with the leather cleaner, and possibly some more hairspray on a few stubborn spots, but it worked pretty good.

16 years ago

General

7 replies

Latest reply was from shiny

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Yes! Maya told Louise to do the same and hairspray was the savior of the day.

16 years ago

agrace

Active Member

Thanks for this tip - I have a 'chalk' white bag that I dearly love and it is very grey-grungy looking...I will give this a try. I've tried hairspray but maybe not enough.
Did you have any problems with the finish coming off at all?

16 years ago

shiny

Veteran

No, the finish did not come off. But the hairspray didn't restore it completely - it was A LOT of dye!! Everywhere the dress touched.

I tried cleaner on it tonight, but I think it needs more work with the hairspray or some other solvent. I will probably take it to the cobbler's and let them fix it up for me at this point. It has a braided handle, which is the most difficult part to clean.

16 years ago

Tanya

Veteran

No really Shiny. Thank you very much for this info. I have tried on some hairspray, which removed the stains somewhat,m but also made the color turn a bit yellowish, which made me scared. In the meantime the bag got even more stains. I should probably take it to a cobbler.

May I ask which type of hairspray were you using? Maybe I just tried the wrong one...

16 years ago

shiny

Veteran

Paul Mitchell. I used nearly the entire travel size container! No yellowing. Of course, it made the purse sticky, so I had to rinse it a lot, which made me worry. I do think the cobbler can restore it - it's about 90% there (except for the braided handles, which look grubby). I was going to get it professionally cleaned then put it away for the winter anyway (it's an optical white, not a cream - better for summer?).

Next question: I wonder if there's anyway to set the dye on this ATL dress, so it doesn't happen again?

I also had another question for you, Tanya: have you washed your INC ponte knit pants yet? It says they can be machined washed, but I'm nervous about that. Thoughts?

16 years ago

Tanya

Veteran

Thanks Shiny! I will give it another try on a small spot and see what happens. And sorry to ask this again, but you mentioned some kind of cleaner from Coach before, what was it's correct name?

Thanks again!

I have not washed my INC pants yet, I have only worn them once. I definitely plan to put them in the washer and maybe even dryer. But, they are a size too big on me so I am sort of hoping that they shrink so that i do not have to take them to the tailor...

16 years ago

shiny

Veteran

Tanya, it's called Coach Leather Moisturizer. It's not a cleaner. They told me to use this to clean my leather bags; I guess the Coach Cleaner is for their signature bags?

It did work to remove the dye before - which now I do know was from the same ATL dress. But that wasn't a lot of dye, more like a smudge, and not like this time. (It was lightly raining in HK that day - I was under an umbrella but I guess the dress got a little moist despite it). I have also used this product on my banana bag with success, and it does an excellent job removing normal every-day city dirt.

I'm planning to duplicate the Inc pants in black - I see that's back online now in my size. However, the fabric content sounds a little different. Crossing fingers it'll fit the same as the gray...

I don't want mine to shrink - they are perfect right now! I will probably line dry them.

16 years ago

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