The Handbag Spa: Goodbye, Dirtbags

If you love a bag and carry it all the time, it’s only inevitable that your favorite accessory will get dirty. You might as well prepare yourself now, and the best prep is carrying one of The Handbag Spa’s individually packaged, disposable wipes. I tested them out on different leathers – smooth calf and soft nappa. Some bags just can’t be helped, though. If you spill coffee (GASP!!), it’s best to get the stain off stat. And if you get it on a soft nappa bag like I did with my Bottega Veneta, the damage is pretty much permanent (sob). I refused to give up, but when I wiped the bag, the cleanser soaked into the leather, leaving it darker and altogether worse than it had looked to begin with. And the coffee? Still there! To be fair, the instructions clearly state that the wipes are for everyday dirt, not a full-on stain. Plus, liquid + nappa causes the grain of the leather to harden slightly after it dries. The Handbag Spa is a bag refurbisher, so send them your bag if you know a mere wipe won’t help – or worse, could hurt! They’ll get your bag looking new again.

I also tested the cloths on a Tiffany bag with a bad scuff in the corner. Unfortunately, the wipes can’t help with scratches or scuff marks, so the benefits were minimal. Interestingly enough, the results were best on a white bag! I was afraid to use the cleaner on my Valentino after seeing what it did to the Bottega, but since the bag is made from calf leather, it worked wonders! Strange yellow marks and dirt came right off. Though there was a yellow stain that just wouldn’t budge, I was happy to see such an improvement. Bottom line? These are great for simple maintenance – as long as they’re used on the right kind of leather. If you’re still unsure about whether yours will benefit, read more about The Handbag Spa and its products here!