A little break away from my KL postings to bring you yet another bag care tutorial! I’ve covered How to Clean your Leather Bags and How to Condition your Leather Bags in my last two video bag spa tutorials.
In this latest video segment, I will show you how to protect your leather bags.
Watch the video to see how I use Apple Garde to protect my bags from rain and stain.
Remember that leather is a natural material and should never be stored in plastic because it encourages the growth of mildew and bacteria and will ruin the leather. Always store leather in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. Since I live in a very humid country like Singapore, I even go the extra mile and put moisture absorbers such as “Thirsty Hippos” or silica gels in my bag storage areas to discourage molding.
Moisture barriers are extremely crucial in preventing rain or other liquid hazards from damaging leather. It also helps prevent stains from perspiration, body oil, wine and grease.
You’ll need a piece of mahjong paper/towels or any kind of surface coverings and a leather protector.
I’ll be using Apple Guard rain and stain repellant as it allows the bags to breath and it’s also usable on non-leather surfaces such as fabric, canvas and metal. Perfect for those LV monogrammed canvas bags.
You may get Apple products from http://www.lovingyourbags.com and as a special treat for my readers, just use the discount code LYBRENZZE to get a 5% off plus free local mail! ( They are the sole official distributer of Apple Leather products in Asia Pacific!)
First, lay your working area. I’m using a piece of mahjong paper as it’ll be much easier to dispose off later on. You may use towels or rags or any sort of surface covering to protect your working area.
It’s best to do this indoors, away from direct sunlight in a well ventilated area.
Shake well then hold the can at least 6 inches away from your bag and lightly mist your bag in an up down motion. Make sure you get the leather trimmings as well. Your bag seems darker but that’s normal. It will revert back to its original color once it’s completely dry.
Spray one side and let it dry overnight or longer till almost all the liquid has dried off. Wipe off the residue and flip it over to spray the other side. Again allow 24 hours or more to dry before wiping the bag down.
If you are in a hurry, instead of waiting overnight, you can let the bag dry for 20-30 minutes before wiping off the remaining residue.
It’s that easy! And you don’t have to worry about soiling your thousands of dollars investment anytime soon! The best thing to do is to spray a bag protector like Apple Garde every time you have a brand new purchase so it will always be as perfect as the day you bought it.
Don’t forget to check out Loving Your Bags festive offerings in December for even more specials!
hi
i just bought a Louis Vuitton Damier Berkeley … can advise how to take care of it & which care item to purchase from the 3 bottles that u posted.
thanks alot ..
iryn,
If it’s a brand new buy then there’s no need to clean and condition it yet… just use the Apple Garde rain and stain repellent to protect it as this works on all surfaces. The Damier is actually canvas not leather but the handles and finishings are leather. It’s much easier to take care of the LV canvas compared to leather… just gently wipe the surface down with a mild cloth and then wipe dry with a dry cloth. Just make sure you don’t get the leather trimmings and handles wet. For those you can use the leather cleaner followed by leather conditioner every once in a while to maintain.
hi
i just bought a Louis Vuitton Damier Berkeley … can advise how to take care of it & which care item to purchase from the 3 bottles that u posted.
thanks alot ..
iryn,
If it’s a brand new buy then there’s no need to clean and condition it yet… just use the Apple Garde rain and stain repellent to protect it as this works on all surfaces. The Damier is actually canvas not leather but the handles and finishings are leather. It’s much easier to take care of the LV canvas compared to leather… just gently wipe the surface down with a mild cloth and then wipe dry with a dry cloth. Just make sure you don’t get the leather trimmings and handles wet. For those you can use the leather cleaner followed by leather conditioner every once in a while to maintain.
thanks for the info ..
mild cloth means wet cloth ?
Leather cleaner is colorless ?
what about internal of the bag ?
which LV collections are leather ?
iryn,
Mild cloth is one where the surface and texture of the cloth is not abrasive. If you are using to wipe the remaining residue off then it’s supposed to be dry. The leather cleaner is colorless and I’ve only used the apple garde is for the external area of the bag as I don’t expect rain or water to spill inside my bag. If you want to clean LV Vachetta Leather bags or Chanel lambskin bags, I’ll advise you to get Meltonian Cleaner and Conditioner from Lovingyourbags.com but if you want to clean treated leather bags you can use the Apple leather cleaner. As for which ranges of LV bags are leather, it’s best to ask you LV SA as I’m not well verse with the whole range of LV bags. I do know that Monogram Canvas, Damier Azur and Damier Ebene are not made of leather except for their handles and trimmings. So leather cleaner should only be used on the leather surfaces while you gently wipe the rest of the bag with a damp cloth. You can still use Apple garde to protect all the different bag materials… leather or not.
thanks for the info ..
mild cloth means wet cloth ?
Leather cleaner is colorless ?
what about internal of the bag ?
which LV collections are leather ?
iryn,
Mild cloth is one where the surface and texture of the cloth is not abrasive. If you are using to wipe the remaining residue off then it’s supposed to be dry. The leather cleaner is colorless and I’ve only used the apple garde is for the external area of the bag as I don’t expect rain or water to spill inside my bag. If you want to clean LV Vachetta Leather bags or Chanel lambskin bags, I’ll advise you to get Meltonian Cleaner and Conditioner from Lovingyourbags.com but if you want to clean treated leather bags you can use the Apple leather cleaner. As for which ranges of LV bags are leather, it’s best to ask you LV SA as I’m not well verse with the whole range of LV bags. I do know that Monogram Canvas, Damier Azur and Damier Ebene are not made of leather except for their handles and trimmings. So leather cleaner should only be used on the leather surfaces while you gently wipe the rest of the bag with a damp cloth. You can still use Apple garde to protect all the different bag materials… leather or not.
Hi Renzze,
Can i ask u.. What material is Chanel Caviar bag made of? Is it treated or untreated leather? And can i use the Apple Rain and Stain Repellent on Chanel Caviar bag?
Also,where do I buy Thirsty Hippo in Singapore? And where do I place the Thirsty Hippo in the cupboard to protect my bags?
Thanks for your help!
Alicia,
Chanel Caviar is calf leather and it’s already been treated. You can use the Apple Rain and Stain Repellent on the bag. Thirsty hippos can be found in any of the supermarkets.
Hope that helps!
Hi Renzze,
Can i ask u.. What material is Chanel Caviar bag made of? Is it treated or untreated leather? And can i use the Apple Rain and Stain Repellent on Chanel Caviar bag?
Also,where do I buy Thirsty Hippo in Singapore? And where do I place the Thirsty Hippo in the cupboard to protect my bags?
Thanks for your help!
Alicia,
Chanel Caviar is calf leather and it’s already been treated. You can use the Apple Rain and Stain Repellent on the bag. Thirsty hippos can be found in any of the supermarkets.
Hope that helps!
leather bags look really nice specially those natural leather bags, ~~:
leather bags look really nice specially those natural leather bags, ~~:
hi! i have wine stains on the handle of my LV damier azur purse. could you tell me what product could i use to remove them?
Emma,
I’m not sure how your wine stains are like and how sever it is. You can send a picture to info@lovingyourbags.com and they will be able to best advise you on the products.
hi! i have wine stains on the handle of my LV damier azur purse. could you tell me what product could i use to remove them?
Emma,
I’m not sure how your wine stains are like and how sever it is. You can send a picture to info@lovingyourbags.com and they will be able to best advise you on the products.
Good website! I really love how it is simple on my eyes and the data are well written. I’m wondering how I could be notified when a new post has been made. I have subscribed to your RSS which must do the trick! Have a nice day!
Elisha,
Thanks 🙂 You should receive notification if you signed up for my mailing list.
Good website! I really love how it is simple on my eyes and the data are well written. I’m wondering how I could be notified when a new post has been made. I have subscribed to your RSS which must do the trick! Have a nice day!
Elisha,
Thanks 🙂 You should receive notification if you signed up for my mailing list.
Hi reeze, i found tjis thread while searching for tips on how to use apple garde products on LV mono. I just bought a 2nd hand ellipse gm shopping bag & it’s still in great condition, no watermarks & dirts and the color is light tan & the patina is even. My questions are:
1.) Since it looks clean should wipe it wih clean flannel cloth & then spray it with the AG rain & stain repellant? Or should i use it with other AG cleaning product? Which AG products would u reccommend?
2.) Is it safe to spray it on the canvas or it’s only for the leather trims? My friend said she sprays on the lv canvas too but i’m kinda scared to try it.
3.) Lastly, does the leather conditioner advances the darkening of the vachetta leather. I want to use it to as it prevents the leather from cracking but i’ve read & was advised that it makes the leather turn darker after application.
Thanks a lot!
Hi Annbun,
I’ll try to reply to your questions the best I can.
1. If it’s clean with no stains then just just the SG rain and stain repellant on it. If your handbags is dirty, wipe the surface with a soft sponge, dipped in mild soapy water. Do not scrub it as this will cause the prints on the canvas to fade over time. Always avoid the leather finishings when cleaning the monogram canvas with water. Use AG leather cleaner and conditioner for the leather trims.
2. You can spray it all over the canvas as well.
3. By keeping to the Clean, Condition and Protect process, your vachetta should be able to achieve an even color deep honey brown patina in years to come, it shouldn’t speed the leather color process. I’ve not tried it on LV leather but it did not change the color of the other leather bags that i’ve tried on at all.
HTHs.
Hi reeze, i found tjis thread while searching for tips on how to use apple garde products on LV mono. I just bought a 2nd hand ellipse gm shopping bag & it’s still in great condition, no watermarks & dirts and the color is light tan & the patina is even. My questions are:
1.) Since it looks clean should wipe it wih clean flannel cloth & then spray it with the AG rain & stain repellant? Or should i use it with other AG cleaning product? Which AG products would u reccommend?
2.) Is it safe to spray it on the canvas or it’s only for the leather trims? My friend said she sprays on the lv canvas too but i’m kinda scared to try it.
3.) Lastly, does the leather conditioner advances the darkening of the vachetta leather. I want to use it to as it prevents the leather from cracking but i’ve read & was advised that it makes the leather turn darker after application.
Thanks a lot!
Hi Annbun,
I’ll try to reply to your questions the best I can.
1. If it’s clean with no stains then just just the SG rain and stain repellant on it. If your handbags is dirty, wipe the surface with a soft sponge, dipped in mild soapy water. Do not scrub it as this will cause the prints on the canvas to fade over time. Always avoid the leather finishings when cleaning the monogram canvas with water. Use AG leather cleaner and conditioner for the leather trims.
2. You can spray it all over the canvas as well.
3. By keeping to the Clean, Condition and Protect process, your vachetta should be able to achieve an even color deep honey brown patina in years to come, it shouldn’t speed the leather color process. I’ve not tried it on LV leather but it did not change the color of the other leather bags that i’ve tried on at all.
HTHs.
Hi Renzee, thanks a lot for your reply. I already used the Esquire Patent & Patina Cleaner and also the Apple Garde Rain & Stain Repellent but I had a disaster. It’s not because of the products, I followed the instruction during cleaning na dprotecting. Everything went well and I was drying it with a fan but after a few hours when I tried to lean & take a closer look my nose accidentally touched the handle (can u imagine that?!) and there was stain due to the sweat. At first it looked like a brown spot, probably because it got wet. Then in my panic i tried to clean it with the Esquire cleaner again, the brown spot was gone but it looks like an oil stain now.. I tried to put esquire cleaner & wipe with damp water alternately every couple of hours but still the same. I wish i could send u a photo to show how it looks like. I don’t know what to do next, it’s so hard to remove it. Is it because i already coated it with the Apple Garde repellent? Would u know if there’s a way to remove it? Thanks so much in advance!
Hi Annbun,
I’m sorry to hear about what happen to your bag! You can try to bring it down to colorwash for some professional care. They did a pretty good job with one of my stained bags.
Hi Renzee, thanks a lot for your reply. I already used the Esquire Patent & Patina Cleaner and also the Apple Garde Rain & Stain Repellent but I had a disaster. It’s not because of the products, I followed the instruction during cleaning na dprotecting. Everything went well and I was drying it with a fan but after a few hours when I tried to lean & take a closer look my nose accidentally touched the handle (can u imagine that?!) and there was stain due to the sweat. At first it looked like a brown spot, probably because it got wet. Then in my panic i tried to clean it with the Esquire cleaner again, the brown spot was gone but it looks like an oil stain now.. I tried to put esquire cleaner & wipe with damp water alternately every couple of hours but still the same. I wish i could send u a photo to show how it looks like. I don’t know what to do next, it’s so hard to remove it. Is it because i already coated it with the Apple Garde repellent? Would u know if there’s a way to remove it? Thanks so much in advance!
Hi Annbun,
I’m sorry to hear about what happen to your bag! You can try to bring it down to colorwash for some professional care. They did a pretty good job with one of my stained bags.
Hi Renzee, thank you again for the reply. May I know the name and location of the shop? I really intend to do bring it there, if all else fails but I’m not familiar with the shops. I plan to bring it for restoration in my home country but i don’t want to wait for my nxt vacation so i prefer to do it here. Thanks again and best regards! 🙂
Hi Annbun,
There is one at Mandarin Gallery. Here’s their website : http://www.colorwash.com.sg
Hi Renzee, thank you again for the reply. May I know the name and location of the shop? I really intend to do bring it there, if all else fails but I’m not familiar with the shops. I plan to bring it for restoration in my home country but i don’t want to wait for my nxt vacation so i prefer to do it here. Thanks again and best regards! 🙂
Hi Annbun,
There is one at Mandarin Gallery. Here’s their website : http://www.colorwash.com.sg
Thanks a lot Reeze for patiently answering my queries, really appreciate it 🙂 I’ve come across this website too, i’m planning to drop by there within the week. Best regards! 🙂
Hi Annbun,
All the best for your bag!
Thanks a lot Reeze for patiently answering my queries, really appreciate it 🙂 I’ve come across this website too, i’m planning to drop by there within the week. Best regards! 🙂
Hi Annbun,
All the best for your bag!
Hi, i just got a new prada calf skin leather bag and it had bout 2-3 tiny rain drop stain because i was totally clueless bout how to take care of an expensive bag. apparently the stain didnt come off after i tried to wipe it with a soft cloth. Will the apple conditioner help and is it safe on my prada?
Hi Grace,
The conditioner is safe though I’m not sure if it will help to remove the rain stains. You can email order@lovingyourbags.com as they would be better at advising you what solutions you can consider.
Hi, i just got a new prada calf skin leather bag and it had bout 2-3 tiny rain drop stain because i was totally clueless bout how to take care of an expensive bag. apparently the stain didnt come off after i tried to wipe it with a soft cloth. Will the apple conditioner help and is it safe on my prada?
Hi Grace,
The conditioner is safe though I’m not sure if it will help to remove the rain stains. You can email order@lovingyourbags.com as they would be better at advising you what solutions you can consider.
Hello!
I came across to your blog when I was google in how to protect vachetta leather. Where do you buy your apple guard spray now? Thank you