Now that you have purchased the bag, how do you keep it looking nice?

As we each focus on living our best life, maintaining our health (both mental and physical), and making an impact in the world, it’s important to be mindful with our most precious items- our handbags!

Since Saturday House bags are hand painted, you must be careful in cleaning them. If you happen to spill anything on the bag, be sure to quickly wipe it off with a microfiber cloth or baby wipe (or skin sensitive make-up wipe) to retain the shine from the vegan leather. If a stain gets on the paint, it is recommended you wipe it off immediately using a dry cloth. Do not vigorously scrub, scratch, or blot the painted area. If a tough stain gets on a non-painted area of the bag and it’s not coming off, dilute dawn dish soap with warm water and gently wipe the stained surface OR use a non-alcoholic make-up wipe.

Other than stains or accidents that can happen to the bag, it is also important to provide maintenance on the bag to increase its life cycle, allowing it to live a long happy life! Let’s go through the different parts of the bag and how to maintain them, these include: the bag’s exterior (shape and material), the hardware (lock, key, straps, and purse feet), the bag’s interior (material), and the bag’s handles (two handles and satchel body strap or chain strap).

When it comes to the outside of the bag, you need to maintain the shine of the leather and shape of the silhouette. Please note: vegan leather is a specialty leather that should not be used for every day wear; this is a special occasion-kind-of bag! When you are not carrying the bag, try gently stuffing it with old linens to keep the original shape of the bag and prevent it from creasing or cracking over time. Do not pack it full, just simply add enough to maintain the shape. Make sure you are not stuffing it to the point of expanding the gussets (sides of the bag). If your bag arrives with a crease, you can simply steam it out by using a steamer on the lowest setting. Be sure not to steam ANY painted areas. In any instance where the crease doesn’t go away, you can contact our customer care for assistance. For older bags, you can use a small amount of verified vegan leather conditioner (about the size of half of a penny) on a dry, clean cloth. Gently massage it onto the bag’s non-painted areas and let it dry to absorb fully. This will condition the vegan leather, leaving it shiny and beautiful! It is only recommended on older bags that may have lost their luster over time. As for any gold or silver hardware pieces, like the lock, key, hardware straps, and purse feet, grime often builds up in the crevices of these areas after being used for long periods of time. We recommend using Q-tips dipped in warm soapy (dawn dish soap) water; gently scrub the area and dry it with a microfiber cloth to prevent scratching of any kind. Let the bag air dry for a few hours and it should look brand new again!

For the inside of the bag, a similar method could be used to get rid of stains caused by mascara spills, lip balm smears, eye liner leaks, etc. Use a warm, soapy wash cloth and gently blot the interior of the bag. Do not let it get too much water or soap inside to where it leaks to the outside of the bag. Air dry for a few hours.

Our Saturday House tote bag is not just used for packaging! Use this as a duster to store the bag away from sunlight. This will prevent it from losing its color, and it will also keep it dust-free as well as scratch/scuff-free! It is perfect if you plan on storing your bag on a shelf to prevent the leather from peeling or sticking to the shelf. This tote can also be used environmentally in place of plastic grocery bags!

Aside from keeping the bag in good maintenance, it is also important to dress the bag up to make it feel good! Your bag likes to look nice too and be in the spotlight. Use a basic accessory like your favorite silk scarf to tie around the handle of the bag for added texture! You can wrap the scarf around the bag’s handles to change the style entirely (as well as the bonus of preserving the handles by covering them up with the scarf)! You can tie the scarf in a slouchy, oversized bow around one handle to create a fun, flirty look! Share your bag’s new looks with us on Instagram for a chance to be featured on our page @SaturdayHouse!

Since the bag handles are used the most as we carry our beautiful bags everywhere we go, it is important to tie a scarf around them or wipe them down often to prevent the vegan leather from peeling over time. This also applies to the satchel and body straps on the #YFLTB and #YFLTK bags. As for the #YFLTCs, the chain strap can be cleaned with soapy water like jewelry or hardware pieces.

Please note: These cleaning instructions may differ based on the specific bag or stain you are trying to clean. Clean with caution. Handle with care.