How to Clean & Restore a Dooney & Bourke Pebble Grain Leather Crossbody Bag
- The Velvet Muzzle
- Mar 21
- 5 min read
Updated: Apr 17
Welcome to The Velvet Muzzle! In today's blog post, we’re sharing our step-by-step process for how to clean & restore a Dooney & Bourke Pebble Grain Leather Crossbody Bag in black pebble grain leather with red fabric interior - one of our restored preloved vintage luxury bags.
The restoration of this Dooney & Bourke Crossbody Bag was pretty straightforward. We’re excited to show you how we brought it back to life with a detailed restoration!
Keep reading to discover how we gave this crossbody bag a second chance as a reloved luxury bag.
Watch as we speed up the entire process, bringing this Dooney & Bourke Crossbody Bag back to life!
Whether you're a Dooney & Bourke enthusiast, a lover of preloved fashion, or just interested in learning how to restore vintage and luxury bags, this post has you covered. We’ll walk you through the cleaning and restoration process that turned this thrifted Dooney & Crossbody Bag from preloved to reloved.
The Velvet Muzzle: Restored Preloved Vintage Luxury Bags
At The Velvet Muzzle, we specialize in giving preloved vintage and luxury bags a second chance. Some of the bags we restore are kept in our personal collection, while others are offered for sale on our website at www.thevelvetmuzzle.com. Every bag we choose is treated with love and care, ensuring that it’s ready for its next chapter.
This restoration project features a Dooney & Bourke Crossbody Bag, made from black pebble grain leather with red fabric interior. Overall, it was just dirty and misshapen. Here’s how we gave it a second chance.
Step-by-Step Restoration: How to Clean & Restore a Dooney & Bourke Pebble Grain Leather Crossbody Bag
Restoring any thrifted bag requires patience, the right tools, and a gentle touch. We followed a detailed process to make sure this Dooney & Bourke Crossbody Bag got the love it deserved. Here’s how we did it:
1. Vacuumed and Cleaned the Interior
The interior of any thrifted bag can often accumulate dust, lint, and debris over time. Using a handheld cordless vacuum, we carefully cleaned the inside of the bag and the exterior zipper pocket, paying special attention to the seams and corners. We also carefully vacuumed the interior zipper and slip pockets.
To learn more about the importance of using a handheld vacuum for your thrifted, vintage and luxury bags, check out our article on Why Using a Handheld Cordless Vacuum is Essential for Cleaning Preloved Vintage and Luxury Bags.
We then turned the interior red fabric inside out, and used a lint roller to remove any remaining debris. While doing so we noticed a stain and some dirt marks on the red fabric. We used a WaterWipe to gently remove those marks from the red fabric interior.
2. Cleaned & Conditioned the Exterior
Since this Dooney & Bourke Crossbody Bag is made from pebble grain leather, we started by using WaterWipes to gently clean both the exterior and the interior leather pieces. This helped lift surface dirt and grime without being too harsh on the leather or the brass hardware. Our goal was to clean the bag while keeping its original look and feel intact.
To learn more about why we choose to use WaterWipes as a first step in cleaning our preloved vintage and luxury leather bags, check out our article on How WaterWipes Help Us Give Preloved Vintage Luxury Bags a Fresh Start.
The pebble grain leather also needed cleaning and reconditioning. We used Apple Leather Conditioner, applying it with a microfiber towel on all of the pebble grain leather on this bag. Leather conditioners are crucial for preventing cracking and maintaining the leather’s suppleness, especially on thrifted leather bags.
To learn more about the importance of choosing the right leather cleaner and conditioner for your vintage and luxury leather bags, check out our article on How Apple Leather Conditioner Helps Us Give Preloved Vintage Leather Luxury Bags a Second Chance.
3. Buffed Out the Bag
Once everything was cleaned and conditioned, we used a clean microfiber towel to buff out the entire bag. This final step really brought the look and feel of all the pebble grain leather back to life.
4. Reassembled and Reshaped the Bag
Once the cleaning and conditioning were done, we stuffed the bag with white tissue paper. As we stuffed the bag, we reshaped it, returning it to the proper shape. Keeping your thrifted luxury bags stuffed when not in use is crucial to ensuring the bag retains its original structure and functionality, especially after years of use.
If you'd like to see how we applied these steps, check out the video below for the full transformation!
Tools and Products Used in the Restoration
We want to make sure that you can easily follow the same process if you're restoring a bag of your own.
Here are the products and tools we used to restore this Dooney & Bourke Crossbody Bag:
Handheld Cordless Vacuum: https://amzn.to/4j3cDXW
Lint Roller: https://amzn.to/4h2pkjI
WaterWipes: https://amzn.to/4gLgCXt
Apple Leather Conditioner: https://amzn.to/403bZ3T
Microfiber Towels: https://amzn.to/4a5dl2F
White Tissue Paper: https://amzn.to/40mH83C
These are the same products and tools we use for every restoration project, and they’re all available on Amazon through the links above. We receive a small commission if you decide to purchase through these affiliate links, but it doesn’t cost you any extra. Thank you for your support!
Why Restore a Thrifted Luxury?
Restoring a thrifted luxury bag like this Dooney & Bourke Crossbody Bag is not just about cleaning—it’s about preserving a piece made from quality materials and craftsmanship. These bags were crafted to last, and with a little care, they can continue to be enjoyed for many years to come.
When you restore a bag, you’re giving it a second life and keeping it out of a landfill. It’s a more sustainable option than buying new, and you’re also able to own a unique, possibly one-of-a-kind item. Plus, many older luxury bags often have better craftsmanship than newer bags, making them a true treasure to own.
At The Velvet Muzzle, we believe in giving restored preloved vintage luxury bags a second chance, and we hope this restoration inspires you to start your own bag care journey!
Final Thoughts
We hope you enjoyed following along with the transformation of this Dooney & Bourke Crossbody Bag. It was so rewarding to bring her back to life. Now, she’s both beautiful and ready for everyday use again. We’re thrilled to say that this bag is now living its best reloved life with a new owner after selling in our shop.
If you're into vintage bag restorations or hunting for other preloved luxury treasures, be sure to check out our website for more!
Join The Velvet Muzzle Community
If you love restored preloved vintage luxury bags, designer bag restorations and thrifted fashion, don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on social media @thevelvetmuzzle for more vintage and luxury bag transformations and restoration tips. We post new content regularly, and you won’t want to miss any of our upcoming projects! If you're looking for preloved vintage and luxury bags, be sure to visit the Shop on our website. We're constantly updating our collection with unique finds!
