How to Clean a Nylon Purse

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: September 15, 2021

Nylon bags are very durable because nylon tends to wick away water and resist damage. However, it can still get dirty from time to time. Using a homemade solution to scrub out stains or throwing your bag in the washer can help clean your bag and make it look brand new. Paying special attention to more stubborn stains can help clean up your bag too.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Using a Homemade Solution

1
Make a cleaning solution with cool water and dish soap. To make a homemade cleaning solution, mix cool water with a few squirts of dish soap. How much you need will depend on if you're cleaning a whole bag or just an isolated stain.^{[1]
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- For a few small stains, use a cup (8 ounces) of water and about an ounce of dishwasher soap. You can double or triple this amount for a whole bag.
- Don't use hot water when mixing a homemade solution. Hot water will set the stain and make it harder to get out.
2
Use a toothbrush to scrub the bag. Dip a toothbrush into your cleaning solution. Then, with your hand holding the bag from the other side, scrub small areas of the bag at a time. You should move the brush in a circular motion to bring up any dirt or stains.^{[2]
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- You should create a bit of a lather as you do this.
- If you there are stains on your bag, use the same procedure, but scrub a little longer. How long you have to scrub will depend on the size of the stain, but you should scrub for at least a minute.
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3
Wipe down with a wet cloth. Once you're done scrubbing the stain, wipe down the area you cleaned with a cloth dipped in clear water. You may need to repeat this step more than once to get all of the soap off the nylon.^{[3]
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4
Blot the bag dry. Nylon is pretty water-resistant, so you should be able to blot the bag dry.^{[4]
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- If your bag has cloth straps, they'll take longer to dry.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Washing Nylon Bags in the Washing Machine

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Use the cool or cold water setting. You'll want to wash your bag in cool to cold water. Set your washing machine's water temperature to the coolest setting it has. This prevents any stains from setting while your bag is washed.^{[5]
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2
Add detergent. You can use the detergent you normally use for clothes for cleaning your nylon bag. This could be powdered detergent, liquid detergent, or detergent pods. You should use about half of the normal amount of detergent you would use when washing a small load of laundry.^{[6]
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3
Wash it on a regular cycle. You don't need to set the washer to a gentle cycle for nylon bags. Use the same settings you would use for your more durable clothing – jeans or t-shirts.^{[7]
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4
Let the bag air dry. Nylon is pretty water-resistant, and the spin cycle of your washing machine should wick most of the extra moisture off. If the bag has fabric – not nylon – straps, those will need to air dry.^{[8]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Removing Oil-Based Stains

1
Soak up excess liquid. If you spill any oil on your nylon bag – including salad dressing or car oil – you'll want to remove as much of it as possible immediately. Using a towel or napkin, dab at the oil to remove as much as you can.^{[9]
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- The more oil that is allowed to sit on the fabric of your bag, the harder the stain will be to remove.
2
Cover the stain with talcum powder. Cover the area with talcum powder after you've removed the excess liquid. Let the powder sit on the stain for a minute or two.^{[10]
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3
Brush the powder away. Once you've let the powder sit, gently brush it away with a toothbrush. The talcum powder should absorb the oil, leaving the nylon of your bag stain-free.^{[11]
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4
Repeat as necessary. Depending on how much oil soaked into your bag, you might have to repeat these steps. Keep in mind that you might not be able to remove all of the oil from your nylon.^{[12]
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