Introduction
So you bit the bullet and purchased your dream Chanel handbag or you added a pair of Chanel leather pants to your collection, now you are probably wondering how to properly care for your items.
For most women, when you decide to purchase a Chanel handbag, it will be something that you will want to hold onto and to eventually pass down to your daughter, niece, cousin, or relative. The great thing about Chanel products is that a lot of their styles are timeless and retain their value even decades later.
I know from personal experience how much I treasure the fact that my mom was able to pass down to me her classic Chanel mini square flap bag and her Chanel camera bag, both from the 1990s.
From caviar and lambskin leather to silk or classic tweed, Chanel bags come in a lot of different materials and with each different material comes a different set of rules of how to take care of those items.
Therefore to help you take care of your treasured items in your collection, we have put together this guide for you to reference!
Keep Chanel leather in great condition
In a perfect world, you would have kept the original box or dust bag and the handbag would be perfectly preserved inside, but let's be honest ladies sh*t happens and keeping a box in our closets isn't always easy when space is at a premium. Another thing to keep in mind is that if you buy a pre-loved bag it doesn't always come with original boxes, dust bags or authentication cards.
Chanel leather handbags can come in the following leathers:
- Caviar leather
- Lambskin leather
- Calfskin leather
- Patent leather
With daily use, the different Chanel leathers will hold dirt/grime or even experience some sun fading if left out in direct sunlight. You should make sure when not using your handbag that you store it in a place that won't get direct sunlight, another tip when storing your bag would be to stuff the interior either with tissue paper or even an old sweater you no longer use so that it will help to maintain its shape over time.
When cleaning the exterior leather that has light dirt or residue you can use alcohol-free and fragrance-free baby wipes this way you can be sure the baby wipe won't dry out the leather. Be sure before using any type of cleaner on your items to test out the cleaner on a small discreet area before diving in! Make sure to test before using on Lambskin leather products as its the most luxurious and delicate of the Chanel leathers. When cleaning Patent leather be sure to use a clean cloth at the same time you clean with the baby wipes to be sure you have streak free results!
If you want to use a leather cleaner or conditioner to keep your leather supple we have had great success with Apple Brand for cleaning handbags and leather pants. Also, if you bought your bag brand new from a Chanel Boutique you can always take it in to see if they can repair the bag if you feel uncomfortable trying to clean it yourself.
When cleaning the interior of Chanel handbags, if it's a leather interior you can use use the same methods mentioned above. Depending on the size of the bag you can use a small handheld vacuum to clear away any debris found or lint roller is a great way to clean the interior as well.
Overall investing in a Chanel handbag you are sure to have a bag that will last you years with proper care and storage. Chanel bags are timeless and many styles still remain popular to this day.