How do I freshen a leather handbag? (smells a little like moth balls)

benzgirl · ‎03-21-2010

Hey, ladies. I recently won a GILI Roma 2 bag over on the 'bay - love it in every way except that it smells a little like mothballs. I lightly spayed the inside of the bag with Febreze and that definitely helped, but I don't want to spray the outside of the bag or it might get water marks. Just wondered what any of you might suggest? Maybe just letting it hang out in my mothball-free home for a day?

TIA Smile

Havarti · ‎03-08-2014

Let it hang out in your home for a day or two and if it still has an odor try putting it in a garbage bag with a couple of dryer/fabric softner sheets - like Bounce, but any brand will do. Put some inside the purse, too. Tie a knot in the bag an leave it for a day or two and see if that helps. I have done this with luggage and it worked well for me. Good luck.

Snarky responders need not reply. Move along and share your views elsewhere.

benzgirl · ‎03-21-2010

On 2/20/2015 Havarti said:
Let it hang out in your home for a day or two and if it still has an odor try putting it in a garbage bag with a couple of dryer/fabric softner sheets - like Bounce, but any brand will do. Put some inside the purse, too. Tie a knot in the bag an leave it for a day or two and see if that helps. I have done this with luggage and it worked well for me. Good luck.

What a great idea, Havarti! It arrived just a couple hours ago and is hanging in my bathroom. The smell isn't overwhelming, but I am very sensitive to mothball odor and certainly don't want to carry it smelling the way it does right now. I will definitely try the garbage bag idea tomorrow if the smell doesn't go away over night. Thank you!!

faeriemoon · ‎03-14-2010

Leaving it outdoors for a while might help. If it ever warms up, that is.

MarieSong · ‎03-16-2010

I bought a Gili bag from QVC last spring and it had an odor that wouldn't go away. I put it outside open in the sun,I put dryer sheets in it, I wiped the outside with leather cleaner and put it in the garage. I left it there while we spent the summer at our cabin and when we came back in October, I got out of the car and the first thing I noticed was that smell in the garage. I could not keep it in the house because the smell was so bad so since it was way past the 30 days, I ended up packing that thing up and giving it to Goodwill. I know that I'm dumb for not sending it back but I wanted to give it a chance since it was the pretty blush color. I have no idea what the smell was but I knew I could never carry it.

faeriemoon · ‎03-14-2010

On 2/20/2015 MarieSong said: I bought a Gili bag from QVC last spring and it had an odor that wouldn't go away. I put it outside open in the sun,I put dryer sheets in it, I wiped the outside with leather cleaner and put it in the garage. I left it there while we spent the summer at our cabin and when we came back in October, I got out of the car and the first thing I noticed was that smell in the garage. I could not keep it in the house because the smell was so bad so since it was way past the 30 days, I ended up packing that thing up and giving it to Goodwill. I know that I'm dumb for not sending it back but I wanted to give it a chance since it was the pretty blush color. I have no idea what the smell was but I knew I could never carry it.

They would have taken it back even if it was beyond the 30 days. You should have called CS.

mima · ‎03-14-2010

Sunshine! Let it sit in the sun outside (open) on a nice day. Hopefully you have a safe place to do this.

benzgirl · ‎03-21-2010

On 2/21/2015 mima said:
Sunshine! Let it sit in the sun outside (open) on a nice day. Hopefully you have a safe place to do this.

Lol Mima. I am in TN and we have experienced ice storms all week. I would LOVE to see some sunshine.

We hope to be out of this weather early next week - but on a positive note it seems that hanging the bag in my bathroom overnight has significantly helped. I will still try leaving it in the sunshine - - when we get some.