Cleaning and restoring Louis Vuitton brown monogrammed PVC handbags

Louis Vuitton brown monogrammed PVC coated canvas handbags, purses, wallets and backpacks presents some maintenance issues that are unique to these accessories:

1. Louis Vuitton will repair but won't clean

It's important to understand that the manufacturers of handbags, purses, wallets and backpacks design and market their accessories on the basis of esthetics and functionality.

‍Not on the basis of serviceability.

Furthermore, the manufacturers of handbags, purses, wallets and backpacks use materials (e.g., patent leather) and combinations of materials (e.g. white canvas with black suede trim) that sometimes cannot be cleaned and/or restored to acceptable quality standards.

So it's reasonable to conclude that the manufacturers of handbags, purses, wallets and backpacks never intended that their accessories ever be cleaned and/or restored.

These manufacturers of handbags, purses, wallets and backpacks will, of course, be happy to repair an accessory for you -- replace a piece of hardware (if still available), replace a broken strap, etc. -- for a price.

But when it comes to cleaning and/or restoration of an accessory, they'll typically decline any cleaning and/or restoration.

Why is this so?

Simply because they understand that they'll never meet the lofty expectations of most of their clients.

Consider this scenario...

A client brings a 5 year old, XYZ brand handbag to the XYZ store for cleaning and/or restoration.

In the opinion of the store associate, the handbag is in poor condition. The store associate explains that "they'll do their best" but that they can't guarantee that the handbag will look exactly like the brand new, identically-styled handbag in the display case.

The store associate provides the client with a price quote. At first, the client questions how the associate arrived at the price. Then, after reluctantly accepting the price, she departs the store, receipt in hand.

A few months later, the client receives a call that the handbag is ready for pick up and returns to pick up her handbag.

With the store attendant looking on, the client spends the next 10 minutes examining the handbag -- inside and out and from every possible angle. She holds it up to the light and moves it about, looking for every possible blemish, no matter how inconsequential.

The client then questions the store associate about the procedures used to clean and/or restore the accessory and expresses her dismay with the results. "I know you said you'd do the best possible and that you couldn't guarantee that the handbag will look showroom fresh", she says "but I expected more from the XYZ Company. This was an expensive bag. I intended to sell it online as a "like new" handbag.

After a series of apologies from the store associate, the client pays for the service. Then, as she turns to leave, tells the associate: "I expected more from the XYZ Company. I'll never buy another XYZ brand handbag again."

Is it any wonder that manufacturers of high-end handbags, purses, wallets and backpacks decline to offer a cleaning and/or restoration service for accessories?

2. Materials used pose particular cleaning challenges

Louis Vuitton brown monogrammed PVC coated canvas accessories can develop unique condition-related problems during the course of normal usage.

These problems include:

• The exterior PVC coated canvas can attract oily substances
• The exterior PVC coated canvas can develop hairline cracks
• The natural-colored cowhide leather trim can scratch and scuff
• The natural-colored cowhide leather trim can develop color variations
• The natural-colored cowhide leather trim can stain, particularly when it comes into contact with water
• The natural-colored cowhide leather straps can darken when it comes into contact with oils and salts from the hands
• The natural-colored cowhide leather trim and straps can dry out
• The piping on the corners and along the sides can fray
• The interior lining -- bonded to the PVC or unbonded/loose -- can stain (cosmetics, ink, liquids and the like)
• The interior can develop a musty smell if the accessory is not often worn and/or is improperly stored.

Many of these issues relate to the fact that the natural-colored cowhide (aka vachetta leather) is unfinished.

By way of analogy, consider a black leather handbag. That leather handbag has been "finished" to a black color. In the event of a minor water spill, the water may "bead off" and can easily be dried off with a towel.

In the event of that same water spill on a natural-colored cowhide leather, the water will be quickly absorbed into the skin and, when the water dries, it'll leave water spots or rings.

So what to do?

There's no reason to abandon your Louis Vuitton brown monogrammed PVC coated canvas accessories just because it has some issues. These handbags, purses, wallets and backpacks can be returned to wearable condition with the application of skill, process and a little time.

Now, you can't transform a poorly maintained Louis Vuitton brown monogrammed PVC coated canvas accessory to "showroom new" condition.

Perfection in the cleaning and restoration of any accessory is a pipe dream. But you can aim for the best achievable results.

In other words, when you entrust the cleaning and/or restoration of a high-end handbag, purse, wallet and backpack to a handbag cleaning specialist, your aim should be the best achievable results.

A transformation

The following BEFORE and AFTER photographs show the cleaning and restoration of a Louis Vuitton brown monogrammed PVC coated canvas handbag to the best achievable result:

For even more BEFORE and AFTER photographs on the transformation of this handbag, please view our slide show below:

To view this slide show on a full screen, hit the X button with the arrow tips.

The takeaway

The takeaway from this post is simple:

Louis Vuitton brown monogrammed PVC coated canvas handbags, purses, wallets and backpacks can be cleaned and restored but only if cleaned by hand. And then only by a cleaner who

• specializes in cleaning and restoring handbags, purses, wallets and backpacks,
• employs full time handbag cleaning specialists and
• completes all work in-house (does not ship the work to unknown, undisclosed, out of state subcontractors).

In Arizona, there is only one cleaner who meets these 3 criteria: RAVE FabriCARE in Scottsdale.

By the way, if you don't live in the metro Phoenix area, all is not lost. We ship throughout the USA, Canada and selected other countries.

Send us your photos for a free, no-obligation evaluation and price guesstimate.