How to Clean a Longchamp Le Pliage: Nylon and Leather Care
How to Clean a Longchamp Le Pliage
Nylon and leather, side by side. Two materials, one considered routine.
To clean a Longchamp Le Pliage, care for its two materials separately: dab the nylon body clean with Gentle Foam Cleanser on the Application Sponge, and lift marks from the leather flap and handles with a Cleansing Wipe. Then protect the nylon with a fine mist of Water and Stain Guard from 20-30cm, keeping the spray off the leather, which takes the product through the Application Mitt instead. All-leather versions, such as Le Pliage Xtra, take the mitt throughout. Below, every Le Pliage material, line by line.
What is the Le Pliage made of?
Le Pliage was launched in 1993, inspired by Japanese origami, and designed to fold flat. It now comes in several lines, and the material of yours decides how it is cared for.
- Le Pliage Original: recycled polyamide canvas, a nylon fabric coated on the inside, with cowhide trim the brand calls Russian leather. It is unlined.
- Le Pliage Green and Le Pliage Energy: recycled nylon canvas with leather trim.
- Le Pliage Néo: nylon with a lustrous finish, leather trim, top handles and a strap.
- Le Pliage Filet: a cotton mesh bag with Russian leather trim.
- Le Pliage Xtra and Le Pliage Cuir: the all-leather versions.
Nylon, canvas and mesh are fabrics and take a fine mist. The leather, whether trim or the whole bag, is a finished surface and takes the mitt, never a spray.
How do you clean a Le Pliage bag?
Clean the nylon and the leather as two separate jobs, with two separate tools. Test every product on a small hidden area first.
Empty it and lay it flat
Take everything out, shake out crumbs and dust, and open the bag fully so you can see every fold and corner.
Dab the nylon clean
A small amount of Gentle Foam Cleanser on the Application Sponge, dabbed onto the mark and blotted away. Never rub: rubbing works dirt deeper into the weave.
Wipe the leather
Cleansing Wipes lift everyday marks from the flap and handles in soft, even strokes. For a fuller cleanse, Gentle Foam Cleanser on the Application Mitt, worked gently over the leather and wiped away.
Dry it open
Leave the bag open and unfolded at room temperature until completely dry. Folding a damp Le Pliage traps moisture in the creases.
Protect each material its own way
After 4-6 hours, mist Water and Stain Guard over the nylon from 20-30cm, hand moving, in two light coats, keeping the spray off the leather. Then apply it to the flap and handles through the Application Mitt, for total peace of mind.
Spray is for the nylon only. A droplet landing on the leather flap can leave a water mark, so shield the leather with your free hand or a folded towel as you mist, or mist the panels away from the flap first. The leather always takes the Application Mitt.
Can you put a Le Pliage in the washing machine?
No. A washing machine soaks and tumbles the whole bag, and the leather flap and handles cannot take that. Water and agitation can mark, stiffen and distort leather. Clean the nylon by hand with the sponge and the leather with the mitt or a Cleansing Wipe, and the bag keeps its shape and its finish.
How do you clean Le Pliage leather handles?
The handles take the most handling, so they are where marks and darkening build first. A Cleansing Wipe after a busy week keeps them clean before marks have time to settle. Most marks lift easily if caught in the first few minutes.
Once the bag is in regular use, Nourishing Conditioner on the mitt, buffed in fully, keeps the leather supple. It is the only one of our conditioners with a UV filter, which matters for handles that spend summer in the sun. A new Le Pliage needs no conditioner, only Water and Stain Guard before first wear.
Scuffed flap corners and handle edges can be refreshed with Leather Restore Pens, in 25 shades. Allow 6-10 hours to dry before carrying. Keep the pens to the leather, never the nylon.
How do you clean each Le Pliage line?
Le Pliage Original, Green and Energy
These share the routine above: Gentle Foam Cleanser on the Application Sponge for the nylon, Cleansing Wipes for the leather, and Water and Stain Guard misted over the nylon from 20-30cm while the leather takes the mitt.
Le Pliage Néo
The Néo nylon has a lustrous finish, so dab and blot marks with particular care, never rubbing. Its handles, flap and trim are leather and take the mitt.
Le Pliage Filet
The Filet is an open cotton mesh. Mist Water and Stain Guard over the mesh from 20-30cm in two light coats, keeping the spray off the Russian leather trim. To clean, dab Gentle Foam Cleanser on with the Application Sponge and blot gently.
Le Pliage Xtra and Le Pliage Cuir
Leather from flap to base, so the whole bag is cared for as leather: Cleansing Wipes for marks, Gentle Foam Cleanser on the mitt for a fuller cleanse, then Water and Stain Guard through the Application Mitt or a soft towel. Never spray these bags. Once in regular use, Nourishing Conditioner on the mitt, buffed in fully. If the leather has grown dry or faded, Wonder Balm is the more intense choice, buffed off after 30-60 minutes.
Mist the nylon. Mitt the leather. That is the whole secret.Havre de Luxe
Can a Le Pliage get wet?
The nylon body copes with rain well, and Water and Stain Guard helps protect it further. The leather trim is the part to watch. If you are caught in a shower, blot the leather with a soft, dry cloth rather than rubbing, then let the whole bag dry open, away from radiators and hairdryers. Re-protect once it is completely dry.
How do you clean the inside of a Le Pliage?
Shake the bag out, then dab any marks on the coated interior with Gentle Foam Cleanser on the Application Sponge. To sanitise, Antibacterial Cleanser misted over the interior from 20-30cm helps prevent mould and mildew. Leave the bag open to dry for at least 6 hours. Our guide to cleaning the interior of your handbags goes into more detail.
How do you keep a Le Pliage looking its best?
- Re-protect on a rhythm. Every 8 weeks for a bag carried daily, every 12 weeks for one carried weekly, and after every cleanse.
- Watch pale colours. Light nylon and leather pick up dye from dark denim. Our guide to protecting your bag from colour transfer explains why.
- Treat marks on fabric gently. Our guide to cleaning fabric bags covers the dab-and-blot method in depth.
- Fold it dry. Only fold the bag once it is completely dry, inside and out.
FAQs
Can I spray Water and Stain Guard on a Le Pliage?
Yes, on the nylon only. Mist it from 20-30cm, hand moving, in two light coats, keeping the spray off the leather. The flap and handles take Water and Stain Guard through the Application Mitt.
Can I use Cleansing Wipes on the nylon?
Keep Cleansing Wipes for the leather flap and handles. The nylon is a fabric, so it is cleaned with Gentle Foam Cleanser on the Application Sponge, dabbed and blotted, never rubbed.
Can a Le Pliage go in the washing machine?
No. Soaking and tumbling can mark, stiffen and distort the leather flap and handles. Clean the nylon by hand with the sponge and the leather with the mitt.
How do I clean dirty Le Pliage handles?
Lift marks with a Cleansing Wipe in soft strokes. Once the bag is in regular use, condition the handles with Nourishing Conditioner on the mitt, buffed in fully.
How do you clean a leather Le Pliage?
Le Pliage Xtra and Le Pliage Cuir are cared for as leather throughout: Cleansing Wipes for marks, Gentle Foam Cleanser on the mitt, then Water and Stain Guard through the Application Mitt or a soft towel, never sprayed.
How often should I protect a Le Pliage?
Every 8 weeks for a bag carried daily, every 12 weeks for one carried weekly, and after every cleanse once the bag has rested for 4-6 hours.
Care for nylon and leather alike
Everything your Le Pliage needs, from the nylon body to the leather flap, made to the highest of standards in England.
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