How to Deep Clean Your Purse

Have you ever been at a gathering where they had a purse scavenger hunt? For these activities, which are sometimes played at wedding and baby showers, you are awarded points if you can find particular items in your purse (e.g., grocery list, hand sanitizer, sewing kit, postage stamp). There are various ways to administer points, but you generally earn more if you have a lot of stuff in your purse.

I used to enjoy purse scavenger hunts because I almost always won. This is because I’m one of those women who likes to carry “everything but the kitchen sink” with me. Since becoming a mom, I don’t carry as much as I once did. Actually, I do carry as much, it’s just snacks, diapers, and toys that I carry instead of lotion, cash, and a compact mirror.

As you can imagine, cleaning out my purse was quite a chore! It’s a bit easier now, but it’s still necessary. Whether I carry a little or a lot in it, I tend to accumulate unneeded items and I know the inside and outside are both teeming with germs. This is probably true for you, too, so hopefully this guide to deep cleaning your purse will be helpful.

How to clean your purse

Cleaning the inside of the purse

• Dump everything out. The first step to cleaning the inside of your purse is to get everything out of it. Find a spot to work, turn your purse over, and shake it in order to dump the contents out onto the floor or table in front of you. This not only allows you to sort through the contents of your purse, but it helps shake free any crumbs or other debris that have settled into corners and crevices in the purse.
• Get rid of things you don’t need. You’ll likely come across a number of items that you no longer need to carry with you (expired receipts, an old grocery list, a half-eaten granola bar, old keys, etc.). Toss these things out. Pay close attention to any cosmetics you carry with you. Old makeup brushes likely need to be cleaned and old makeup items including mascara and eyeshadow need to be replaced because these tend to breed bacteria. As you sort through the items that were in your purse, ask yourself if each is something you really need to carry. Try to reduce the number of items you carry in order to lessen the risk that you will suffer back or shoulder pain from carrying a heavy purse.
• Restock essential supplies. Replenish your supplies of consumable items such as tissues, OTC pain relievers, and feminine hygiene products. Consider carrying travel-size packages or bottles of these so they don’t take up a lot of room.
• Get organized. Use the pockets in your purse wisely. If your purse doesn’t have pockets (or has too few), then consider getting some small cosmetic bags or other pouches to organize your stuff. Having loose stuff swimming around your purse is super inconvenient and tends to promote disorganization. However, having all of your stuff neatly organized into bags is convenient and keeps your purse tidy.
• Wash the inside of your purse. The inside of a purse comes into contact with a lot of dirty items including coins, dirty tissues, and receipts that have been touched by multiple hands. To wash the inside of your purse, pull the fabric lining out of it and wipe it with a damp sponge rinsed in hot, soapy water (take care not to get the outside of the purse wet). To facilitate drying, use a blow dryer on a cool setting to dry the liner or place the purse (with the liner still exposed) in an airing cupboard overnight (source).

Cleaning the outside of the purse

Before trying to clean the outside of your purse, check to see if it came with instructions regarding how to wash it. These may be on a tag inside the purse or they may have been written on a card that was inserted in the purse when you purchased it. If the manufacturer provided instructions, then follow them. If not, then here are some general recommendations for how to clean a purse.

• Leather purses. Mix warm water and a little dish soap. Dip a soft cloth into it, wring it out, and wipe the exterior surfaces of the purse. Use a second clean, damp cloth to wipe off the soap. Dry with a towel. Be sure to go easy on the water because water can stain leather and avoid ammonia- or bleach-based cleaners because these can damage the leather (source).
• Fabric purses. Fabric purses that do not have leather trim or internal structural supports can be hand washed in cool water with gentle soap. Don’t wring them, but be sure to rinse them well and air dry them away from direct sunlight. Other fabric purses can be washed with a cloth. Dampen a soft, white cloth in plain water (use white so dye from the cloth won’t bleed onto the purse) and use it to wipe down the surface of the purse. Add a few drops of dish soap to a quart of water. Dip the cloth in this mixture and gently scrub heavily soiled areas. Scrub with a clean spot on the cloth as grime is transferred to it. Once the purse is clean, use a second damp cloth to wipe away any soap. Air dry away from direct sunlight. Fill the purse with white tissue paper while it is drying if you need it to hold its shape (source).

Final thoughts

Purses may seem trivial, but most women spend a lot of time and effort choosing the right bag that is both attractive and functional. Additionally, they enable you to keep many important items at your side. Do yourself a favor and clean your purse so you can continue using it for months and perhaps even years to come!

When was the last time you cleaned your purse? What tips can you share with us for getting a purse nice and clean?

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