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How to Clean & Restore a Vintage Coach Slim Vinyl & Leather Tote Bag

  • Writer: The Velvet Muzzle
    The Velvet Muzzle
  • Feb 25
  • 5 min read

Updated: 7 hours ago

How to Clean & Restore a Vintage Coach Slim Vinyl & Leather Tote Bag | Restored Preloved Vintage Luxury Bags | The Velvet Muzzle

Welcome to The Velvet Muzzle! In today’s blog post, we’re sharing our step-by-step process for how to clean & restore Vintage Coach Slim Vinyl and Leather Tote Bag—a very dirty thrifted find that needed a good, deep cleaning—one of our restored preloved vintage luxury bags.


We’re excited to show you how we brought this tote bag back to life with a detailed restoration!


Keep reading to discover how we gave this Vintage Coach Tote Bag a second chance as a reloved luxury bag.


Want to see the full transformation in action? Watch the video below to see the bag’s restoration process come to life!


Whether you're a Coach enthusiast, a lover of preloved fashion, or just interested in learning how to restore luxury bags, this post has you covered. We’ll walk you through the cleaning and restoration process that turned this thrifted Vintage Coach Slim Vinyl and Leather Tote Bag from preloved to reloved.


The Velvet Muzzle: Restored Preloved Vintage Luxury Bags


At The Velvet Muzzle, we specialize in restored preloved vintage luxury bags, giving them a second chance. Some of the bags we restore are kept in our personal collection, while others are offered for sale on our website at www.thevelvetmuzzle.com. Every bag we choose is treated with love and care, ensuring that it’s ready for its next chapter.


This restoration project features a Vintage Coach Slim Vinyl and Leather Tote Bag, with a black vinyl and leather exterior and a brown signature satin interior—a classic piece that still has plenty of life left to offer. Here’s how we brought it back to life.



Step-by-Step Restoration: How We Restored a Vintage Coach Slim Vinyl & Leather Tote Bag


Cleaning and restoring a Vintage Coach Bag is pretty straightforward if you have the right tools. We followed a detailed process to make sure this Vintage Coach Slim Tote Bag got the love it deserved. Here’s how we did it:


Step 1: Vacuumed the Interior

The interior of any luxury handbag can often accumulate dust, lint, and debris over time, and this bag was no exception. Using a handheld cordless vacuum, we carefully cleaned the interior, paying special attention to the seams and corners. We also carefully vacuumed all of the interior pockets and the exterior slip pocket.


To learn more about the importance of using a handheld vacuum for your vintage and luxury bags, check out our article on Why Using a Handheld Cordless Vacuum is Essential for Cleaning Preloved Vintage and Luxury Bags.


Step 2: Wiped Down the Exterior

We used WaterWipes to gently clean the exterior of the bag and the interior leather pieces. This step helped remove surface dirt and grime without being too harsh on the vinyl or the leather. The goal was to clean the bag while preserving its original vintage look and feel. 


To learn more about why we choose to use WaterWipes as a first step in cleaning our preloved vintage and luxury leather bags, check out our article on How WaterWipes Help Us Give Preloved Vintage Luxury Bags a Fresh Start.


Step 3: Spot Treat Exterior Stains

The problem with dark colorways is that you don’t realize how dirty they are until you really get into them, and this bag was no exception! It had some staining on the exterior, which we treated with 70% rubbing alcohol applied to each stain using a cotton swab. It took multiple applications and a little elbow grease to lift the stains.


Step 4: Clean the Interior Lining

The interior of this tote bag is Coach’s signature satin, which had become discolored and dirty. Thankfully, the lining wasn't attached to the bottom of the bag, so we were able to pull it out for a deep cleaning. We used Blue Coral Upholstery Cleaner, spraying it generously over the entire liner, front and back.


After working the cleaner into the fabric with gloved hands, we used a firm-bristled toothbrush to help lift the dirt from the fibers. Once the cleaner had absorbed into the fabric, we wiped down the interior with a damp white towel to remove any remaining dirt and followed up with a dry white towel to soak up any excess moisture. Finally, we left the satin liner outside the tote bag overnight to air dry. Not only did this remove the dirt and discoloration, but it also left this vintage bag smelling fresh and renewed!


Step 5: Clean and Condition the Leather

After the interior lining of the Coach bag was thoroughly dry, we conditioned all of the leather. We used Apple Leather Conditioner, applied with a microfiber towel, to all of the leather on this bag—including the trim, the handles and the interior leather pieces. This step was crucial in removing any additional debris and nourishing the leather.


Leather conditioners are essential for preventing cracking and maintaining the leather’s suppleness, especially on luxury bags. The Apple Leather Conditioner works as both a cleaner and a conditioner, which is why we only use this product on our luxury bags.


To learn more about the importance of choosing the right leather cleaner and conditioner for your vintage and luxury bags, check out our article on How Apple Leather Conditioner Helps Us Give Preloved Vintage Leather Luxury Bags a Second Chance.


Step 6: Buff Out the Leather & Hardware

Once everything was cleaned and conditioned, we used a clean microfiber towel to buff out the leather on the bag. This final step really brought the look and feel of all the leather back to life.


If you'd like to see how we applied these steps, check out the video below for the full transformation!


Tools and Products Used in the Restoration

We want to make sure that you can easily follow the same process if you're restoring a luxury canvas bag of your own.


Here are the products and tools we used to clean and restore this Luxury Coach Signature Bag:



These are the same products and tools we use for our restored preloved vintage luxury bags, and they’re all available on Amazon through the links above. We receive a small commission if you decide to purchase through these affiliate links, but it doesn’t cost you any extra. Thank you for your support!



Why Restore a Luxury Bag?

Restoring a luxury bag is about more than just cleaning; it’s about preserving a piece of fashion history. Handbags like this Vintage Coach Slim Vinyl & Leather Tote Bag are crafted to last, and with just a little care, they can continue to be enjoyed for many years to come.


When you restore a bag, you’re giving it a second life and keeping it out of a landfill. It’s a more sustainable option than buying new, and you’re also able to own a unique, possibly one-of-a-kind item. Plus, older luxury bags often have better craftsmanship than newer bags, making them a true treasure to own.


How to Clean & Restore a Vintage Coach Slim Vinyl & Leather Tote Bag | Restored Preloved Vintage Luxury Bags | The Velvet Muzzle

At The Velvet Muzzle, we believe in giving preloved bags a second chance, and we hope this restoration inspires you to start your own bag care journey!


Final Thoughts

We hope you enjoyed learning about the transformation of this Vintage Coach Slim Vinyl & Leather Tote Bag. It was such a rewarding experience to bring this bag back to life, and we’re thrilled with how it turned out. If you want to learn more about vintage and luxury bag restorations, or if you're looking for other preloved vintage and luxury treasures, be sure to check out our website at thevelvetmuzzle.com.


Join The Velvet Muzzle Community

If you love restored preloved vintage luxury bags, designer bag restorations and thrifted fashion, don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on social media @thevelvetmuzzle for more vintage and luxury bag transformations and restoration tips. We post new content regularly, and you won’t want to miss any of our upcoming projects!





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