How to Clean the Inside of a Leather Briefcase
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Open any briefcase that has seen a few years of use and the inside tells the story: a pen cap, a receipt, something that was once a cracker. The leather outside gets all the attention, but the interior is where a bag goes to get tired.
Cleaning it takes about twenty minutes. The trick is using as little water as you can get away with.
What you need
- Soft microfiber cloths
- A vacuum with a soft brush attachment
- Mild dish soap, or a leather-safe cleaner for raw leather
- Cotton swabs for corners and seams
- A dry towel for blotting
- Baking soda or activated charcoal for odors (optional)
Step one: empty it out
Take everything out of every pocket. If the lining comes out, pull it clear, then shake the bag over a trash can. Vacuum the seams, corners and pocket bottoms with the soft brush on low suction.
Step two: clean by lining type
Spot-test a hidden area first and wait about ten minutes.
- Fabric lining (canvas or cotton). Dampen a microfiber cloth with warm water and a single drop of mild soap. The cloth should be barely wet. Dab and wipe, then blot with a dry towel.
- Raw or unlined leather. Put a small amount of leather cleaner on a cloth, never directly on the leather, and rub in small circles.
- Suede. Brush the nap in one direction with a suede brush. Use a suede eraser on marks and brush the residue away. Keep water off suede, because wet cloths leave watermarks and flatten the nap.
Step three: deal with odors and germs
For smells, leave baking soda in an open box or a breathable cotton pouch inside the closed bag overnight, or up to 48 hours for strong odors. Activated charcoal pouches suit stubborn smoke or mildew smells and can stay in for a few days.
To freshen a fabric lining, lightly mist a cloth, not the bag, with equal parts water and white vinegar, or with 70 percent rubbing alcohol, and wipe the fabric only. Avoid vinegar on raw leather.
Step four: dry it properly
Blot out as much moisture as you can. Stuff the bag with acid-free tissue or clean, dry, colorfast towels so it holds its shape. Let it dry in a shaded, well-ventilated room, with a fan nearby if the air is still.
No hair dryers, no radiators, no sunlight. Keep the bag open until it is completely dry before you close it.
What to avoid
- Never soak the lining or spray cleaner into the bag.
- No bleach, ammonia, harsh disinfectants or disinfecting wipes.
- Never machine wash a leather bag.
- Water that soaks through the lining can warp the leather shell.
When to call a professional
Severe mold or mildew, a large oil or wine spill that has reached raw leather, smoke damage, pet accidents and badly stained suede lining all belong with a professional leather cleaner. Trying to fix them at the kitchen table usually makes them worse.
Questions people ask
Can I wash a fabric lining in the washing machine? No. The guide says never to machine wash a leather bag, and that water soaking through the lining can warp the leather shell.
Are disinfecting wipes safe? Avoid them, along with bleach, ammonia and harsh disinfectants. Use a lightly dampened cloth with mild soap on fabric, and a leather cleaner on raw leather.
How long should it dry? Until it is completely dry, in a shaded, ventilated room, with the bag open. That can take a day or more depending on how damp the lining got.
What if the lining is suede? Brush the nap in one direction, use a suede eraser on marks, and keep water away. A badly stained suede lining is one of the cases the guide sends to a professional.
