After reading this link, I called Coach and they said to use Brasso on the brass hardware, but to avoid getting it on the purse. ... View related article.
I recently bought a Carly bag (authentic too!) at a local second hand store for $25. I knew it would need a turnlock replaced, but Coach will send you those replacement parts for no charge. All you have to do is supply the serial number. Anyway, I didn't realize when I was caught up in the moment, how terrible it smelled. I got it home and it was nauseating almost. It smelled not only of smoke, but of dirt as well. Like if you have ever been in a dirty car that belonged to a smoker...smoke and dirt combo. Yuck.
I tried Febreze to no avail. I called Coach and asked them if they sold a cleaner that could help. She advised me to clean it with mild soap and water. (She probably meant a cloth dampened in that soap and water solution, but I was a little more aggressive). I pulled the liner inside out and rinsed it through the soapy water and the water immediately turned brown.
I then decided that the whole purse was probably that bad and decided to dunk it all. I got fresh soapy water and dunked it all under and it turned the water brown again! I repeated these steps several more times and then hosed the bag down with my shower sprayer to rinse all the soap and or remaining dirt out. I sprayed some Febreze and a fresh smelling Bath and Body spritz on it while it was still wet. This helped tremendously. It didn't damage the leather trim on the bag and it made me feel much better about carrying that bag.
My bag was black signature fabric with black leather trim, so it was a pretty forgiving color combo. Not sure if I would try this with a lighter material or if it was a good bag with just a hint of smell/dirt. However, mine reeked and was filthy although it looked fine, and only cost $25. It was a risk that was worth taking for me, but it may not be worth the risk for you. Good luck either way. ... View related article.
