Cleaning a white bag

Jessikams

I recently bought a cheap cream-colored bag to see whether the concept of a light bag worked for me. It does! I use it all the time.

Sadly it’s already showing scuffs and wear around the bottom corners. The paint color seems to have rubbed off. Any tips for resolving this problem and “refreshing” the bag? There’s crazy stuff on the internet about vinegar and white toothpaste but I’m not convinced. Haven’t managed to find white shoe polish yet.

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7 years ago

General

10 replies

Latest reply was from featherwitch

Anonymous

I’d carry it into a craft store and get acrylic paint matching as closely as possible and gently cover where the material/coloring has come off. After I was sure it had set would use matching or neutral polish on it. It’s worked for me before in inconspicuous spots.

7 years ago

Jessikams

(website)

Veteran

Paint sounds like a sensible solution. This bag was so dirt cheap I am not too worried about ruining it. I tried that trick of swapping the original strap for a nicer chain strap, and I guess it worked because somebody stopped me in a coffee shop to ask “is that Gucci?” I had to laugh.

7 years ago

Chris987

Veteran

I removed a black stain from a cognac bag by using nail polish remover. I was really skeptical but tried it on a hidden area and then did it very carefully using a q tip with a very small amount of the polish remover and it worked really well. I know your issue is a little different where finish has worn off but it might be a good first attempt and if it doesn’t help then try other ideas like the acrylic paint one by opaline.

7 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Wipes.

VERY careful nail polish remover.

But if the leather is balding - you need white or cream polish.

7 years ago

Jules

Veteran

Possible alternative to paint - nail polish, especially if you have the right colour already hanging around. Come to think about it if you get your nails done at a salon I doubt they’d object to letting you test one of theirs? I think someone here mentioned this trick years ago and I’ve used it to successfully spruce up rose gold leather sneakers and sandals. Not quite good as new but not bad.
For darker leathers that scuff to a light colour, I’ve also successfully used my kids’ markers to mask small scuffs.

Continuing on this theme, Sharpies help cover salt stains on some black fabrics, liquid paper can help with chipped white paint, and they sell special brown markers for wood furniture - but I coincidentally just realized today my kids’ markers would probably work just as well!

7 years ago

Katerina

Veteran

I have had a similar issue with a red bag, the colour slightly rubbed of in the bottom corners. I used a red permanent marker and it worked quite well. Lasted some time (several wears) and then the colour rubbed off and I reapplied it again. I use permanent markers on scuffed black, navy and dark brown leathers, but have not tried it on white. Don’t know if they sell white permanent markers. I have also heard about the nail polish trick on white leather, but have not tried myself yet.

7 years ago

Carla

Veteran

I keep a box of baby wipes in the closet to wipe down purses and shoes and I do the Sharpie marker trick for scuffs on dark items. I've used one of those Magic Erase sponges to get scuff marks off light shoes and bags, but use a dab of polish on white shoes with wear spots. DH has white polish for his golf shoes! I can't tell if the mark on your bag is a soil mark or wear....

FWIW, I've used white nail polish to cover a chip in a porcelain tub and it was brilliant!

7 years ago

Jules

Veteran

OMG RunCarla I’m off to apply nail polish to my tub right now! How did this never occur to me before

7 years ago

Jessikams

(website)

Veteran

I live those brown wood markers. We use them a lot on our ancient scratched floor.

7 years ago

featherwitch

Active Member

It depends how much you like the bag! If you really like it, I'd attempt a repair cream for shoes with a resin in it. (I'd pick a Saphir renovating cream on my own stuff).

At the very least, a cream shoe polish, but it looks to me like the hole needs to be filled. The problem with whites and creams is the number of shades, and lack of variation in color on the bag itself. It's on the bottom of the bag, so you can probably get away with a less than perfect match.

7 years ago

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