I bought a Coach bag off eBay. It showed up sticky, grimy, and gross — sticky like someone poured syrup on it. So I did what any reasonable person would do. I put it in the washing machine.
And honestly? It worked.
The short version:
Clorox wipes did nothing for the stickiness.
Delicate cycle, warm water, one Tide Pod, no spin, lining turned right-side out.
The lining came out shockingly clean. No cracking, no damage.
Miss Mouth's Messy Eater stain treater took the makeup stain right out.
A couple days later, it looks almost brand new — still just a little sticky.
How bad was it?
Right out of the box it was a red flag. It came in a dust bag that isn't even for Coach bags, and the bag itself was so sticky it left my hands sticky just from touching it. The lining was gross, too — which is probably why it was so cheap.
My sneaking suspicion is that the stickiness is some kind of protective coating breaking down, or maybe nicotine residue from the previous owner. It doesn't smell like smoke, but if you grew up in the 80s and 90s, you know exactly what that sticky feeling is.
First, I tried Clorox wipes
I know. You're not supposed to use bleach wipes on a Coach bag, on leather. I know. But they get rid of grease and griminess and stickiness, so I figured it was worth a try.
It made no difference at all. Still very, very sticky.
Into the washing machine
So I did the thing I said I wasn't going to do. Delicate cycle, warm water, a Tide Pod with a lot of enzyme cleaning in it. I put the bag in with its dust bag for a little cushioning, turned the lining right-side out so it would get a good washing, one rinse, no spin.
Wish me luck, I said.
The moment of truth
When the washer finished, there was still water sitting in the bag since it didn't spin, and it still felt kind of sticky. My heart sank a little. But once I dumped the water out and squeezed the lining, the lining had come really, really clean. There's still a little discoloration on the pocket, but it looks nice and clean. The bag itself looks good — nothing cracked, nothing damaged.
So I let it air dry and came back to it.
The makeup stain
There was a stain on the inside that looked like makeup, so I tried Miss Mouth's Messy Eater stain treater. People say it's supposed to make stains disappear. I'd tried it on a few things before and it didn't work, but I figured, what the hell.
It worked. It got the stain out. I am shocked. It looks great.
A couple days later
The bag is completely dry now, and it looks so much better. The inside is completely clean — it looks brand new. The leather is fine, the little Coach leather tag is still stitched together perfectly, the hardware is fine.
It's still a little sticky. It doesn't stick to my fingers anymore, which is good, but there's still a tacky feeling to it. There's also a little bit of makeup staining left that didn't come out, and a few scuff marks that look like white paint — though I think I can scratch those away with my fingernails.
And can I just say, the color is gorgeous. A burgundy-ish berry color. One of my favorite colors — you can tell by my nails.
Would you do it?
Putting my purse in the washing machine didn't hurt it. But I think if it had been a stiffer type of leather, or if it wasn't patent leather, it might have messed it up. So I am not exactly recommending this for every bag.
I'm still working on the stickiness, though. I saw somebody online use a little cornstarch on a sticky purse, so that might be my next try. If you have any cures for sticky patent leather, I need them — tell me in the comments.
Would YOU put a Coach bag in the washing machine? Let me know.
Okay love you bye bye!
