Items Needed

• To clean a leather purse, you will need a variety of basic cleaning tools. A soft cloth can be used to clean the inside and outside of the purse, though you can also use a soft sponge on the outside if you prefer. You will need a mild liquid soap, such as dish detergent or body wash and distilled water. If you choose to use tap water instead of distilled, you can end up doing more harm than good, since tap water includes chemicals that can harm leather. You will need a small bowl for mixing the soap and water and a clean rag or towel to dry the purse once it is cleaned. If you would like to restore the purse to its original shine and prevent future accidents, you may want to use a leather protector/conditioner.
  
  

Basic Cleaning

• Start cleaning a leather purse from the inside. To clean out the interior, unzip all of the compartments of the purse and shake it upside down. This will remove all of the loose debris inside the bag. Use a soft dry cloth to wipe out the interior, wiping away any remaining bits of residue from the inside.
  
  Warm up a bowl of distilled water and add just a few drops of liquid soap. Ten parts water to one part soap will create a mild enough mixture that will not harm the leather. Mix the soap and water until suds form and wet a rag or sponge with the sudsy water. Wring the water out until the rag or sponge is barely wet, then wipe the leather exterior of the purse. The soap will gently remove any dirt and debris that has stuck to the leather.
  
  Use a towel or a dry rag to dry the leather, rubbing in small circles with your fingertips to buff the leather back to a shine. Once dry, treat the surface with leather protector/conditioner, which will protect the leather from accumulating dirt and make it look extra shiny.
  
  

Getting Stains Out

• If the problem with your leather purse is not just common dirt, but a stain, there are several methods of removing stains from leather. Ink can be removed with rubbing alcohol. To remove the stain, dip a cotton swab in the alcohol and rub over the stain until it vanishes. Dry the alcohol by using the low setting of a blow dryer. Dark stains may be able to be removed with a paste that is one part cream of tartar and one part lemon juice. To treat, rub the paste on the stain and let it sit for 10 minutes. Use a cloth dampened with water and mild soap to wipe away the paste. The leather can then be buffed with a dry cloth.