Louis Vuitton Leather Care: Cleaning and Preserving Vachetta Handles and Trims

Why are the leather parts of Louis Vuitton bags so sensitive?
Why do they darken, stain, crack — and demand so much attention?

Here’s why: Louis Vuitton uses a very specific kind of leather for its iconic bags: Vachetta. It’s an untreated, vegetable-tanned cowhide — soft, pale, and completely natural. You’ll find it on the handles, piping, straps, trim, tags — all the “bare” leather parts of your bag.

Unlike coated leather, Vachetta is porous. It absorbs light, air, moisture, oils from your hands, even the weather. It’s exactly this vulnerability that gives it that warm amber glow over time — the patina that vintage lovers dream of.

But here’s the thing: if you don’t care for it properly, it doesn’t just age, it breaks! Cracks, sticky texture, dark blotches, water stains that never come out — all of this happens when Vachetta is neglected or treated with the wrong products. And that’s exactly why we made our Poetro Vachetta Care Guide.

So… what’s inside the guide?

Everything we’ve learned after years of restoring vintage LV bags. You’ll find:

• What to do (and what not to do) with water spots, dryness, and stains
• The real reason you should never use oils, sprays, or baby wipes
• How to clean and nourish leather parts without darkening or damaging them
• Simple, step-by-step instructions anyone can follow
• Tools and products that are actually safe for Vachetta

It’s the only guide in the world made specifically for this leather — and it’s written with real experience, not just theory. If you own a Louis Vuitton bag — especially a vintage one — this guide will save you years of trial and error.

✨ Want your bag to age beautifully, not painfully?
Read or download our Vachetta Leather Care Guide — absolutely free.