C.Style

  • About
    • Bio
    • FAQ
    • Press
  • Personal
  • Life
    • Home
    • Entertaining
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Around Town
  • Style
    • Outfit Inspiration
    • Favorite Finds
    • Tips & Tricks
    • What I Wore
    • How To
    • Hair & Beauty
  • Shop
    • Shop By Category
    • Shop my Instagram
    • Shop My InstaStories
    • Shop C. Style Amazon Page
    • Gift Guides
  • #NSale 2020

How To | March 29, 2015

How to Fix a Water Stain on Leather

How to fix your leather purse(Before with Stain)

What does one do when they get a huge water stain on their favorite leather purse?!?! Let’s rewind to many years ago when the same thing happened to my dad’s briefcase.  I remembered that he was able to save it by dipping it in water, so I decided to try something similar. I wasn’t sure if dipping just the outside would get the even look I was going for, so this is what I did:

How to Fix your leather purse

I decided to mimic how I got the water stain in the first place. I had spilled a liquid on the inside, and then the water oozed out and caused the stain.  So, I filled my tote to the brim with water and…

How to Fix your leather purse

…let the water ooze out!

How to Fix your leather purse

Viola! Good as new! I hung it (to keep it’s original shape) in the shade to keep the leather from drying out. I’m so happy I could salvage one of my favorite purses! And I learned something new. So, of course, I had to share it with you! Here’s to saving money and salvaging our leather goods. #leathergoods #worththeinvestment

Screen Shot 2015-03-30 at 3.07.05 PM

Pin now for reference later!

Subscribe Via Email

Related

41 Comments

« Quotable
Denim Guide »

Comments

  1. Angela Lee says

    March 30, 2015 at 6:43 AM

    Seriously brilliant! Thanks for the tip!

    Reply
    • Carly Lee says

      March 31, 2015 at 9:58 AM

      Muah!

      Reply
  2. Sheaffer Sims says

    March 30, 2015 at 9:24 AM

    GENIUS!!!!!!

    Reply
  3. Yolonda says

    March 30, 2015 at 12:53 PM

    I need to do this…my same Madewell bag got a bit damaged with water too.

    Thanks for the tip Carly!

    Reply
  4. Cathy Henry says

    March 30, 2015 at 3:19 PM

    I just did this to my made well leather tote!!!! My niece spilled her ENTIRE gatorade bottle into my purse!!! SO….my mom suggested i soak the entire purse in warm water for about 5 min to kinda get the gatorade sticky out… and then roll up some towels to the purse wld keep its form while it dried!!! Worked perfectly and now i have my favorite bag back in working order!!! 🙂

    Reply
    • Carly Lee says

      March 31, 2015 at 9:59 AM

      The towel tip is genius! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  5. Jeanie says

    March 30, 2015 at 5:37 PM

    You were so brave to try this! It looks perfect. I always carry a bottle of water in my bags and am so afraid one of these days it’s going to leak all over. I must remember this miracle.

    Reply
    • Carly Lee says

      March 31, 2015 at 10:00 AM

      Thanks for your comment, Jeanie!

      Reply
  6. Samantha says

    March 30, 2015 at 10:32 PM

    I have the exact same bag and this literally happened to me a week and a half ago. Thank you for sharing!!! I will be trying this weekend!

    Reply
    • Carly Lee says

      March 31, 2015 at 9:57 AM

      What are the chances?!?!? Thanks for your comment, Samantha.

      Reply
  7. elizabeth says

    June 29, 2015 at 11:23 AM

    I have the jcrew version of this bag and mine got water stained from the outside, not from the inside. Also the stain has lightened the leather after it dried. Do you think this would still work?

    Reply
  8. Alyssa says

    July 2, 2015 at 11:01 PM

    Did you need to oil treat the bag?

    Reply
    • Carly Lee says

      July 6, 2015 at 9:29 PM

      I have not had to oil treat it. I hope this helps.

      Reply
  9. Maggie says

    February 5, 2016 at 3:19 PM

    This literally just happened to me and I have the exact same bag. I just did th trick and filled it all up so now I’m just waiting! Thank you SO much!! About how long did it take your bag to dry?

    Reply
    • Carly Lee says

      February 8, 2016 at 3:30 PM

      The result is amazing! It took about a day to dry.

      Reply
  10. Meghan says

    May 2, 2016 at 12:52 PM

    I just noticed that my water bottle spilled in my same exact Madewell bag. I couldn’t believe the odds that I found a blog that was referring to this same bad. My bag is black, do you think it will have the same results?

    Reply
    • Carly Lee says

      May 3, 2016 at 1:14 PM

      It’s such a bummer isn’t it?!?! I’d try it, because you have nothing to loose!

      Reply
  11. Lynne says

    May 18, 2016 at 12:49 PM

    I just got my lovely Madewell bag in the mail yesterday (yes, one day of use) before my a normally tight and secure water bottle leaked inside (I’m pretty sure it never leaked like this before…it must have known it was in my new bag!). Desperate to fix the stain on my new bag, I tried this. Fingers crossed and hopefully this is a ‘Thank You’ in advance!

    Reply
    • Carly Lee says

      May 18, 2016 at 1:59 PM

      Oh, that’s the pits! I’m crossing my finger for you!

      Reply
  12. Michelle says

    July 19, 2016 at 8:34 AM

    I just did this! Waiting for my bag to dry. Does the leather become slightly darker? Should I leave it out in the sun? Very nervous and hoping that it doesn’t permanently stain!

    Reply
    • Carly Lee says

      July 19, 2016 at 10:09 AM

      It made my bag slightly darker, but I liked it. Good luck!

      Reply
  13. Jess says

    August 5, 2016 at 6:17 PM

    I just tried this with my oxblood Madewell bag and it totally worked! Thanks!

    Reply
    • Carly Lee says

      August 6, 2016 at 4:22 PM

      I’m so glad!??

      Reply
  14. Samantha says

    December 12, 2016 at 9:48 AM

    OMG – I have the exact same problem with the exact same Madewell bag. I didn’t screw on the lid of my water bottle correctly – and I have had this bag on the shelf for months now not knowing what to do. My mom had suggested this very method – but I was too nervous to try it! Thanks for being so brave – after seeing your post I think today is the day! 😃

    Reply
    • Carly Lee says

      December 12, 2016 at 1:59 PM

      I’m so glad! I hope it works for you! You have nothing to lose, right?

      Reply
    • Vanessa Daffron says

      September 15, 2020 at 3:58 PM

      It looks like we several of us on this blog had the same water stain problem with the exact same Madewell bag! Thanks again for the help. I am going to try it.

      Reply
  15. Jennifer says

    December 15, 2016 at 8:53 PM

    This just happened to my 2 week old transport tote. I was just about to bring it to the cleaners. I’m going to try it. Thanks!

    Reply
  16. Kim Hale says

    March 5, 2017 at 7:36 AM

    I just got a teal HOBO tote and had eyeglasses cleaner leak inside. It had a dark stain on it and I jut shelved it not knowing what to do. I came across this blog and decided to give it a whirl. I can say, although a bit nerve racking, I soaked it from the inside out and let it air dry and it made an amazing difference! I can still see the stain line if I look closely but only I would notice. It did make the entire bag darker but I actually like it better than the original. Thank you SO much for posting!

    Reply
    • Carly Lee says

      March 6, 2017 at 12:59 PM

      I’m so glad!

      Reply
  17. Karen I says

    April 28, 2017 at 3:00 PM

    Thanks so much for the tip! How long do you recommend leaving it soaking? Also, do you think it would work if I dried it indoors?

    Reply
    • Carly Lee says

      May 2, 2017 at 10:48 AM

      Hi Karen, I let it soak until the water came through everywhere, then I poured the water out. Yes, I think you can dry it indoors.

      Reply
  18. Jeff says

    June 22, 2017 at 11:18 AM

    Did you use tap water or distilled water and should the water be warm or room temperature. My girlfriend has the same color Frye purse and the they want $475 to repair and cannot guarantee the stains will be completely removed.

    Reply
    • Carly Lee says

      June 28, 2017 at 2:53 PM

      Hi, I used tap water and it was room temperature. $475- yikes!

      Reply
  19. Dina Port says

    July 6, 2018 at 9:13 AM

    So I have the SAME exact Madwell purse. I love it so much I was thinking of getting a second one in black. Well, a few days ago I had a water bottle in my purse open. It created a terrible stain. I let it dry for a few days and then, to make matters worse, I placed in on a table which had olive oil on it. So on top of the water stain, my purse had an oil stain!!! I figured that was the end of the purse…I honestly thought I’d have to throw it out. But I tried your trick. Literally filled the whole thing up with water. Added a little dish soap to help break up the oil stain. Let it sit for 20 minutes. Dumped out the water and rinsed the purse out some more to get rid of any remaining soap. Let it dry on the patio for two full days. The purse looks brand new….actually a tiny bit darker, but it looks amazing. I am so happy! Thanks for your post…I might not have tried this if it weren’t for you!

    Reply
    • Carly Lee says

      July 6, 2018 at 9:52 PM

      Dina, I’m so glad to hear you got to keep your purse! Thanks for sharing! It makes my day!

      Reply
  20. Stephanie says

    November 29, 2018 at 12:02 AM

    Oh I’m glad I came across this just in case. Do you think this might work for leather sandals?

    Reply
  21. Gwendelyn Ottun says

    December 30, 2019 at 2:34 PM

    Hi. I’m definitely going try this trick. You did not wet the exterior of your bag – is that correct?

    Reply
    • Carly Lee says

      January 24, 2020 at 12:50 PM

      That’s correct.

      Reply
  22. Vanessa Daffron says

    September 15, 2020 at 3:56 PM

    You’re not going to believe this, but I think I have the EXACT same bag that you do and just stained it with hand sanitizer and was looking for a way to repair it, and I’m AMAZED! My bag is a Madewell one, is that the same as yours? Thank you so much for this tip, it’s my very favorite bag right now, and I really hope your tip works to repair mine too. Thank you so much!

    Reply
    • Carly Lee says

      September 17, 2020 at 4:46 PM

      Absolutely, HTH!

      Reply
  23. Denise Thornton says

    September 26, 2020 at 5:38 PM

    This is great information to know! Thank you.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

ABOUT

Carly Lee

Want to see more?

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Shop My Instagram

Popular Posts

  • An Honest Review of Sézane
  • An Honest Review: Rodan + Fields’ Lash Boost
  • Splurge vs. Steal (Fall Shoe Trend)
  • How To Protect Your Suede Shoes Without Changing the Look

Subscribe

Search C.Style

Where I Shop

  • C. Style Amazon Page
  • Anthropologie
  • Bloomingdales
  • Club Monaco
  • Gap
  • J.Crew
  • J.Crew Factory
  • Madewell
  • Neiman Marcus
  • Nordstrom
  • Old Navy
  • Saks Fifth Avenue
  • Sézane
  • Shopbop
  • Urban Outfitters
  • Zappos

Archives

  • Around Town
  • Entertaining
  • Family
  • Favorite Finds
  • Food
  • Gift Guides
  • Good Links
  • Hair & Beauty
  • Home
  • How To
  • Little Jollies
  • Outfit Inspiration
  • Personal
  • Tips & Tricks
  • Travel
  • Uncategorized
  • What I Wore
GIVEAWAY ALERT! The sun’s out, so let’s celebr GIVEAWAY ALERT! The sun’s out, so let’s celebrate with a GIVEAWAY! I know I could use a little pick me up this Monday morning! How darling is this new top by @emiliacollection.insta?! I love the feminine ruffles and handmade details. Whether you pair it with denim for a casual look or with a colorful skirt  for a dressier look, this top will make your outfit! I’m so excited to be teaming up with @emiliacollection.insta for a GIVEAWAY!  To celebrate YOU (our followers), we are giving away a top of your choice to TWO lucky winners!! To enter: 1) follow @emiliacollection.insta 2) follow me @cstyleblog and 3) leave a comment 4) for extra entries, tag a friend(s) as a comment. Each comment counts as an entry! We'll announce the winner on Thursday night!
You see the brown spots on the hydrangeas in this You see the brown spots on the hydrangeas in this picture? It's kinda embarrassing to admit that they’re all I could see at first when I was cutting these hydrangeas from my yard- all the ugly brown, dry spots. As I brought them inside to throw away, I saw them all in my arms and thought, “Wait, these are really pretty all together. How could I just dismiss these so quickly?” Well, it's no surprise to me why I could dismiss them so quickly being the enneagram 1/perfectionist I am, but this was such a good reminder that if I choose to see beyond all the little imperfections in my life how much richer and more beautiful my life becomes! I hope someday I won't even notice those brown spots, but I also have grown to appreciate that God gave me an eye to try and make my world  and life a better place. I just gotta keep it in check and not dismiss the whole lot of hydrangeas for the little brown spots. This is a really beautiful, loving life if I'm looking for it.
I woke up to an email from @anthropologie announci I woke up to an email from @anthropologie announcing their tag sale that starts today (an extra 30% off sale items) and noticed that this jumpsuit I purchased and have not had the chance to post was part of the sale. When I don’t feel like putting together an outfit, I gravitate towards one piece outfits- like a jumpsuit/romper or a dress, which seems to happen more and more during this time at home. Putting together two pieces to make an outfit feels like so much work these days! Plus, I look fully dressed without much effort, and you know I like that. Anyway, there are so many cute one piece options on sale! Then, I noticed that so many items I found and loved during this same shopping trip are included in the sale! The good stuff goes fast, so head to my stories for links to what else I found!  #myanthropologie #sponsored http://liketk.it/2QXVm #liketkit @liketoknow.it #LTKstyletip
Any baseball moms out there? ⚾️ Although it’ Any baseball moms out there? ⚾️ Although it’s hot and downright uncomfortable to be outside on metal bleachers, I love it! Do y’all feel the same? And I have missed it! To see your son and his buddies make a really great play just gets my mom heart. I actually got goosebumps last weekend after a play. I know, I am a total dork. Now, I know from experience that if you’re not prepared for the games, you can get quite uncomfortable. As you all know, I am practical to a fault. So in preparation for my next few weeks and weekends that will be spent at the ball fields, I thought I’d share on the blog and on stories today what I think are the 7 necessities to enjoy yourself despite the conditions. I hope they can be of use to you during these toasty summer days outdoors! http://liketk.it/2QUiC

#liketkit @liketoknow.it #LTKspring #LTKstyletip #LTKfamily #houstonstylist #stylist #momstyle #summerstyle #warmweather #momlife #boymom #baseball #fashion #ootd #baseballmom #momstyle #styletip
For the last couple of years, finding a versatile For the last couple of years, finding a versatile cover-up has felt practically impossible. Especially since ruffles, puff sleeves, and bows are where it's at with swimsuits right now. It felt like I was trying to buy a cover-up for every swimsuit (ummm, no), which forced me to put on my thinking cap. I finally found my perfect solution!!! SCARVES (aka sarong's)! I'm calling them scarves because I love the idea of using the scarves I already have in my closet as cover ups! Or wearing the sarong you have as a scarf! Not to mention, there are so many more darling scarves out there than there are sarongs and cover ups, and in my mind, they are just waiting to be used as coverups! Plus, typically scarves are less expensive! When I saw this darling rainbow scarf, I knew that I wanted to wear it immediately with this swimsuit top.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I’ve linked a few scarves I'm loving that I think would be great as a cover-ups. I didn't have a chance to check the measurements on all these scarves, so make sure that they're big enough! http://liketk.it/2QzmV #liketkit @liketoknow.it #LTKswim #LTKstyletip #stylist #houstonstylist #styletip #swim #coverup #swimcoverup #summerstyle
I have a new trick! I don't know about you, but I' I have a new trick! I don't know about you, but I'm in love with a lot of these statement swimsuit tops that are out right now. But, I am not in love with the price tag! So, I've come up with a solution! I buy the statement top, and then I buy my swimsuit bottoms from Old Navy! Their swimsuit bottoms fit well, and it's fun to be able to mix and match! In this picture, I'm wearing a designer swimsuit top with my Old Navy bottoms. And since Old Navy has so many different cuts and styles of bottoms, you can find the right fit for you and mix and match the bottoms with your favorite tops! For instance, if you have a red swimsuit top, how cute would they be with blue and white polka dot bottoms for the 4th? Or you could pair your red top with the red and white stripe bottoms. I don't think it matters much if there is a little color variation. Once the swimsuit is wet the colors change, anyway! I'm so excited about this trick, I can hardly stand it! Can you tell?! If you utilize this trick, please tag me or send me a picture. It would make my day!!!
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
For sizing reference, my personal favorite are Old Navy's bikini bottoms. I wear either a small or medium depending on how I feel that day. But like I said, they have all different cuts for bottoms, so you can find the one that's right for your body type. http://liketk.it/2Qzjx #liketkit @liketoknow.it #LTKstyletip #LTKswim #styletip #stylist #houstonstylist #summerfashion #fashiontips #stylehacks
You gotta love it when a plan works out! I bought You gotta love it when a plan works out! I bought this top after I posted about my favorite tops for summer on the blog. I know that off the rack clothing rarely fits perfectly. I usually end up returning online orders and go on the search for that perfect top, but unfortunately, that usually comes with a high designer price tag, not to mention hours of searching. Now in COVID times, returns are more difficult, and I don't have the liberty to just go in stores to search for that perfect top. It's definitely giving me a "make it work” attitude, which is really working out well for me! For instance, this top was shown on the model with an open back that tied with a bow and a bra looking front (swipe right). I used a tack stitch on the bottom of the bra part to provide more coverage and wrapped the bow to the front so my back is covered and my front has more coverage. I paired it with my sister's (@tellittoyourneighbor) and my new favorite high-waisted denim shorts. They're a great denim short option for all shapes, and if you want more length, you can keep them unrolled. And I love how my new favorite @espacio_popupshop MAC bracelets tie it all together! Now, let's talk about how I really want to get a hot glue gun out and make a dope mirror like this one! I don't have seashells. I wonder what else I could use? Hmmmm... http://liketk.it/2Qz5I #liketkit @liketoknow.it #LTKstyletip #stylist #houstonstylist #diy #diyfashion #freepeople #agolde @freepeople @agolde
I love the changes I see happening in our country, I love the changes I see happening in our country, and I don't want them to end. I don't ever want to go back to the way things were. All of this progress feels so right. I feel it so deeply in my soul. I'm all in on all of this kind of LOVE. I want to be a part of the change, and I plan to do so in my own little way, but I am taking a cue from @beabridgebuilder founder @latashamorrison and pressing the pause button. I will stand in a place of awareness and humility and learn. But one thing I've realized that I've done in the past that hasn't been helpful is staying quiet for fear that, out of my ignorance, my words would offend a Black friend and that I would be corrected. (In fact, I would always say "African American" for fear that "Black" was offensive. I learned that's not the case.) My silence didn't help anyone. So, I go forward knowing that out of my ignorance, I will make mistakes and will unintentionally offend, but I won't let my fear and self preservation get in the way of trying to help. If I make a mistake, I can learn and say I'm sorry. I'm a big girl now, and I want change. If the change leads to me being humbled, I'm ok with that. I won't stay silent anymore. 
Outfit linked —> http://liketk.it/2QpL7 
Bracelets by @espacio_popupshop 
#liketkit @liketoknow.it #change #georgefloyd #listening #learning #changeisgood #wontstaysilent #speakup pic by @tellittoyourneighbor

Contact

Interested in touching base regarding a blog post idea that you have, collaboration, advertising, or a general inquiry, get in touch.

Shop


Subscribe

Copyright © C. Style 2021 · design by Alpine Lane

Copyright © 2021 · C.Style on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in