Okay this is not going to be a normal post for me. But, I think it will be one that many can use and learn from, just as I learned. So here's the story....
I recently purchased a Coach bag second hand. It is beautiful and will be the perfect not-so-diaper bag for me. I picked it up, got in my car, opened the plastic bag it was in.....and I about choked. It REEKED of cigarette smoke. And that's putting it mildly. My father and most of my extended family has smoked my entire life, so I'm accustomed to the smell, and it reeked even to me. It was awful. My heart sank as I realized I would never be able to put my daughter's belongings in this bag since it smelled so horribly.
I brought it home and thought about it (and got extremely angry with myself for not asking if it was from a smoke-free home, and angry at the person for not disclosing she was a 5 pack a day smoker.) This bag is the typical Coach fabric with a nylon lining in all the pockets, so the smell permeated every inch of the bag. I tried sealing it in a large Ziploc bag with a couple containers of baking soda, but that didn't do much for this monster odor. After much thought and internet research (God bless google) I decided I was going to try washing my bag. And of course, I documented the process. So here's what I did:
First off, here is a picture of the purse before I did anything to it
Here are the materials I used:
- Fels Naptha soap (found at Walmart in the laundry aisle $1 per bar)
- Soft, clean cloth or rag
- Warm water
- Large tub filled with warm water for rinsing
I soaked the rag in warm water and scrubbed soap onto it. I used the rag to gently clean every inch of the bag, making sure I pulled out all the pockets and inner lining and scrubbed those too. I scrubbed all the leather and hardware and the bottom of the bag. I paid special attention to any visibly soiled areas. Every mark or stain came out, except for a few ink marks on the inner lining.
Then I used the tub of hot water to dunk and rinse the soap off the bag. Then I laid a towel on the floor, placed the bag on it and patted it dry. Here are a few pictures of the bag after it's bath:
Then I laid a towel on my kitchen table, placed the bag on top as open as I could and turned the ceiling fan above the table to high. I left the bag there for a few hours to dry, checking every so often to adjust so certain areas could dry.
The bag was visibly cleaner and smelled TONS better!! I could still smell some of the smokey smell, so I decided to re-wash, using a soap that had a fresh scent to it. (I used Bath & Body Works white citrus soap). Then repeated all the steps listed above. This worked wonders and the bag is like brand new! The washing did not hurt the integrity of the bag at all. I am so glad I took the risk and washed the bag. And I hope it give you the guts to do the same. Happy washing. :)
Finished product:
