How to Clean & Restore a Luxury Coach Bag
- The Velvet Muzzle
- Jan 14
- 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 Luxury Coach Christie Carryall Bag in beautiful Gold Metallic Leather with Exotic Trim, a thrifted find that was in nice overall condition - one of our restored preloved vintage luxury bags..
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 classic Coach handbag a second chance as a reloved luxury bag.
Want to see the full transformation in action? Watch the video below to see the bag’s restoration process come to life!
Whether you're a Coach enthusiast, a lover of preloved fashion, or just interested in learning how to restore luxury bags, this post has you covered. We’ll walk you through the cleaning and restoration process that turned this thrifted Luxury Coach Christie Carryall Bag from preloved to reloved.
The Velvet Muzzle: Restored Preloved Vintage Luxury Bags
At The Velvet Muzzle, we specialize in restored preloved vintage luxury bags, giving them 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 an elegant Coach Christie Carryall Bag in Metallic Gold Leather with Exotic Trim, a classic piece that still has so much life left to offer. Here’s how we brought it back to life.
Step-by-Step Restoration: How to Clean & Restore a Luxury Coach Bag
Restoring a metallic leather bag requires patience, the right tools, and a gentle touch. We followed a detailed process to make sure this Luxury Coach Bag got the love it deserved. Here’s how we did it:
Step 1: Vacuum and Lint Roll the Interior
The interior of a any luxury handbag can often accumulate dust, lint, and debris over time, and this bag was no exception being a three-compartment bag. Using a handheld cordless vacuum, we carefully cleaned the three compartments, paying special attention to the seams and corners. We also carefully vacuumed the interior zipper pocket and slip pockets. After vacuuming, we used a lint roller to ensure any remaining dust or fabric particles were removed.
To learn more about the importance of using a handheld vacuum for your vintage and luxury bags, check out our article on Why Using a Handheld Cordless Vacuum is Essential for Cleaning Preloved Vintage and Luxury Bags.
Step 2: Wipe Down the Exterior
Next we used WaterWipes to gently wipe down the exterior of the bag, the handles, the interior leather pieces, the exotic trim and all of the hardware. This step helped remove any surface dirt and grime without being too harsh on the leathers or the hardware.
Thankfully, none of the hardware was tarnished, so application of the Waterwipes was enough to bring it back to its beautiful, reflective, state.
The goal was to clean the bag while preserving the original look and feel of the materials. We thoroughly cleaned the exotic leather crossbody strap and hardware after this step.
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.
Step 3: Clean and Condition the Leather
The entire bag needed both cleaning and reconditioning. We used Apple Leather Conditioner, applied with a microfiber towel to the entire exterior of the bag, the handles, and the interior leather pieces. We applied the same technique to all of the exotic trim and the exotic leather crossbody strap. This step was crucial in removing any additional debris, and nourishing the leather.
Leather conditioners are crucial for preventing cracking and maintaining the leather’s suppleness, especially on luxury leather bags. The Apple Leather Conditioner works as both a cleaner and a conditioner, which is why we only use this product on our luxury 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.
Step 4: 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 leather and hardware back to life.
Step 5: 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 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 Luxury Coach Christie Carryall Bag in Metallic Gold Leather with Exotic Trim:
Handheld Cordless Vacuum: https://amzn.to/4j3cDXW
Lint Roller: https://amzn.to/4h2pkjI
WaterWipes: https://amzn.to/4gLgCXt
Microfiber Towels: https://amzn.to/4a5dl2F
Apple Leather Conditioner: https://amzn.to/403bZ3T
White Tissue Paper: https://amzn.to/40mH83C
These are the same products and tools we use for our restored preloved vintage luxury bags, 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 Luxury Bag?
Restoring a luxury bag is about more than just cleaning; it’s about preserving a piece of fashion history. Handbags like the Coach Christie Carryall are crafted to last, and with just 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, 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 preloved bags a second chance, and we hope this restoration inspires you to start your own bag care journey!
Final Thoughts
We hope you enjoyed learning about the transformation of this Luxury Coach Christie Carryall Bag in Metallic Gold Leather with Exotic Trim. It was such a rewarding experience to bring this bag back to life, and we’re thrilled with how it turned out. If you want to learn more about luxury bag restorations, or if you're looking for other preloved luxury treasures, be sure to check out our website at thevelvetmuzzle.com.
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!
