How to Clean & Restore a Vintage Dooney & Bourke Bag
- The Velvet Muzzle
- Jan 6
- 6 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 Vintage Dooney & Bourke Carpet Bag, in Black All-Weather Leather with British tan trim, a rare thrifted find that’s over 30 years old - one of our restored preloved vintage luxury bags.
This bag is a true treasure for any vintage lover, and 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 handbag a second chance as a reloved luxury bag.
Watch the full restoration process as we bring this Vintage Dooney & Bourke Carpet 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 bags, this post has you covered. We’ll walk you through the cleaning and restoration process that turned this thrifted Vintage Dooney & Bourke Carpet 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 a Vintage Dooney & Bourke Carpet Bag, a piece that’s over three decades old but 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 Vintage Dooney & Bourke Bag
Restoring a vintage bag requires patience, the right tools, and a gentle touch. We followed a detailed process to make sure this Vintage Dooney & Bourke Carpet Bag got the love it deserved. Here’s how we did it:
1. Vacuumed and Lint Rolled the Interior
The interior of a vintage bag can often accumulate dust, lint, and debris over time. Using a handheld cordless vacuum, we carefully cleaned the inside of the bag, paying special attention to the seams and corners. We also carefully vacuumed the interior zipper pocket and card slots. After vacuuming, we trimmed off any loose threads then 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.
2. Brushed and Unmatted the Suede
One of the things we love most about Vintage Dooney & Bourke bags is their natural suede interiors. The suede interior of this Carpet Bag had developed some matting and slight wear. We used a specialized suede brush to gently lift and separate the fibers. This not only removed debris, but it restored the softness and texture of the suede, giving it a fresh look without damaging the material.
3. Wiped Down the Exterior
Because this Vintage Dooney & Bourke Carpet Bag is constructed using All Weather Leather (AWL) coupled with burnished bridle leather trim, we used WaterWipes to gently wipe down the exterior of the bag and the interior leather pieces. This step helped remove any surface dirt and grime without being too harsh on the leathers or the brass hardware. The goal was to clean the bag while preserving the original vintage look and feel of the material. We carefully removed the duck FOB 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.
A note about Dooney & Bourke's All Weather Leather (AWL): We did not use anything other than WaterWipes to gently clean the AWL portions of this vintage bag. Oils in leather cleaners and conditioners can actually interfere with the original shrinkage process that makes this leather resistant to the elements. The AWL on this Carpet Bag was in excellent condition, so there was no need to condition it further.
4. Cleaned & Conditioned the Bridle Leather
The bridle leather handles, trim, and detailing, along with the interior leather and the duck FOB leather strap, both needed cleaning and reconditioning. We used Apple Leather Conditioner, applied with a microfiber towel on the larger areas, and with cotton swabs on the smaller areas to clean and nourish this leather. Leather conditioners are crucial for preventing cracking and maintaining the leather’s suppleness, especially on vintage 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.
5. Polished the Brass Hardware
Over time, the brass hardware can lose its shine and begin to tarnish. We used Brasso Brass Cleaner with cotton swabs and a clean microfiber towel to remove the excessive tarnish built up on all of the brass of this bag, restoring its shine and bringing the bag back close to its original glory. It’s important to be gentle with the brass, as over-polishing can cause damage, but with the right product and technique, it looked almost new.
To learn more about the importance of choosing the right brass cleaner and polish for the hardware on your vintage and luxury bags, check out our article on How Brasso Metal Polish Helps Us Restore Brass Hardware on Preloved Vintage and Luxury Bags.
6. Buffed Out the Bag
Once everything was cleaned, conditioned, and polished, 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 brass back to life.
7. Reassembled and Reshaped the Bag
Once the cleaning and conditioning were done, we rehung the adorable duck FOB and stuffed the bag with white tissue paper. As we stuffed the bag, we reshaped it, returning it to the proper shape. Keeping your vintage 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 Vintage Dooney & Bourke Carpet Bag:
Handheld Cordless Vacuum: https://amzn.to/4j3cDXW
Lint Roller: https://amzn.to/4h2pkjI
Suede Brush: https://amzn.to/4fHj2Fd
WaterWipes: https://amzn.to/4gLgCXt
Microfiber Towels: https://amzn.to/4a5dl2F
Apple Leather Conditioner: https://amzn.to/403bZ3T
Brasso Brass Cleaner: https://amzn.to/4gKx7TS
Cotton Swabs: https://amzn.to/3BJg8lD
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 Vintage Bag?
Restoring a vintage bag like this Dooney & Bourke Carpet Bag is not just about cleaning—it’s about preserving a piece of history. 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, vintage 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 Vintage Dooney & Bourke Carpet Bag. It was such a rewarding experience to bring this bag back to life, and we’re thrilled with how it turned out. And, as you may have already guessed, we’re keeping this bag in our personal collection. If you want to learn more about vintage 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!
