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Over time your new leather bag can get dirty and grimy. It is always recommended to use specialized leather cleaning products to clean it, but a mild soap or dishwashing liquid can work just fine. Use a sponge or a soft rag with, e.g., diluted castile soap (to about 1:10) to wipe clean the leather surface. Then rub the leather thoroughly dry with a towel. Always follow up with a leather conditioning treatment. You can use any weather-proofing leather protector / conditioner found in most leather clothing or furniture stores. Even a simple oil like mink oil or neatsfoot oil will do. Make sure not to apply too thick a layer of oil on the leather as it can encourage mold growth. Apply lightly and buff dry. Repeat if necessary. Be cautious not to use any product that contains silicone or waxes as it may impair the leather’s ability to breathe.

Leather skin is porous and highly absorbent of oil. If by accident your leather goods got stained, act quickly to remove the stain before it gets soaked deeply into the leather. One common spill on leather is grease from food. First try blotting the stain with a dry clean cloth to absorb as much oil as possible. Next to remove the remnant grease, try rubbing briskly some white talcum powder (or corn starch) to completely cover the stain. The powder works by drawing the oil out of the leather. Wait for about an hour or two then brush the powder off. Repeat until the stain is gone. This method is proven safe and effective at removing grease stains.

If the stain is from dark drinks, such as coffee and wine spills, here are tips from http://www.overstock.com/guides/how-to-remove-stains-from-leather-furniture:

“Coffee or tea: If the stain is fresh, try cleaning it with a mild dishwashing soap diluted in water and dabbed with a clean rag. If the stain has dried, try using white vinegar diluted with water; dab it with a rag, and

Red wine: Blot the spill with a dry cloth, then use a cloth moistened with white wine to blot the spot. Cover the spot with baking soda and allow it to sit for about 20 minutes, then clean that off with a third clean cloth.”

Ink stain is different as ink is a dye. Treat it when it is fresh. Older ink stain is very difficult to remove if not impossible. This Wikihow article http://www.wikihow.com/Remove-Ink-Stains-from-Leather has an in-depth discussion on how to remove ink stains from leather.

Mildew growth on your leather is what really destroys leather and should be avoided at all cost. If the leather gets wet, dry it out thoroughly. Don’t store your leather in a humid environment. In case misfortune occurs to your leather, give this method a try (http://www.classicsofttrim.com/cc.php):

“Create a mixture of one-cup rubbing alcohol per one-cup of water. Wipe the mildew area with a cloth dipped in the diluted alcohol, then allow it to dry. If the mildew persists, use mild soap and water that contains a germicide, then remove with a clean dampened cloth and allow to dry.”

To be safe, whatever cleaning method(unproven) you want to try on your precious leather, always test in an inconspicuous area first to make sure it won’t cause more damage than good.

That being said, if you are having trouble removing the stains from your leather bag, take it to a professional cleaner is the right thing to do.