I have a beautiful tobacco-coloured Marc Jacobs satchel which has been rubbing against my jeans whenever I carry it. The denim colour has rubbed off on my bag and now my bag has these ugly stains on both sides. Are there any leather cleaning products that will remove the stain without ruining the soft leather (or light colour)?
Sarena K. emailed us at expert@sweetspot.ca, and Danier leather expert Melissa Bishop answered:
This is a tough one. Any dye transfer stain can be extremely challenging to remove from leather as the pores of the skin trap & lock in the colour.
Unfortunately, there is really no clear-cut solution. You could try having the purse dry cleaned, re-dyed & re-sealed with a reputable leather cleaner but be warned that once you dry clean, the skin may not feel the same.
If the purse is cowhide, you could try using acetone (like the kind used to remove nail polish from nails) to remove the stain; however, it may compromise the colour and skin. IF trying this recommendation, be sure to TEST the effect of the acetone in an inconspicuous location of the bag beforehand to make sure any reaction on the leather won’t ruin the bag completely.
Melissa Bishop, is Director of Customer Service & Field Training for Danier. Her vast experience, in depth knowledge and training of Danier’s skincare products, and passion for all things leather, allow her to continually raise the bar in customer service.