Cleaning Petunia Pickle Bottom Bags

[newmom03]

Has anyone tried to have their PPB bag cleaned? After searching several dry cleaners, I finally found one that would clean my boxy backpack and could do it on short cycle as recommended by PPB. I just picked it up and after spending $16 to have it cleaned, it looks no cleaner than when I sent it in -- and this is a cleaner who specializes in shoes and handbags! They said it's very hard to get things clean on short cycle alone. I am so angry! I bought this bag with the understanding that it could be cleaned at it doesn't appear it can be. What a waste of $$.

[murpheyblue]

I don't have a PPB but I haven't heard a lot of cleaning success stories with them. A while ago one of the gals here had hers dry cleaned and it lost it's boxiness (probably not a word :)). Basically, it got all floppy.

[gatorsmom]

I have a PPB boxy backpack, too and love it. When I bought mine 2 years ago, before I used it, I scotchgarded the heck out of it and so haven't had to clean it yet. But now it's just about time and because I used to work at a dry-cleaners, I know what will and won't typically work for certain fabrics. So, here's my suggestion:

Hand-wash it alone or on the delicate cycle in the wash machine. I've found that the only materials/clothes that TRULY need to be dry-cleaned in order to turn out decent are wool sweaters and silk ties. In most cases, for most materials, hand- washing does a better job (even when the label says "dry clean only") and is "healthier" for the fabric (those dry-cleaning chemicals, over time, really break down the fabric, making it much weaker).

Some things to think about however, are these: now that you've dry cleaned the bag, the dry-cleaning chemicals may have already "set" the stains, so they won't come out in the wash. Water-based stains, like fruit juice, soda, milk, urine, come out better in a water wash. The perchloretheline the dry-cleaner uses actually hardens the sugars (in most cases unless they are pre-treated) in those stains so they'll never come out. The other thing to be aware of is this- dry cleaning fluid typically prevents the material's dye from leaking, unlike water, so if you DO wash your bag, make sure you wash it ALONE to see how the dye reacts.

Now that I need to clean my bag I'll be washing and then re-treating it with scotchgard. HTH!!

[lmariana]

That's so helpful, thank you! I had no idea about the handwashing thing.

Mariana
Owner of HappyDayBaby
Mother of Gabriel, 08/2003
www.heinzandmariana.com (personal site)

[ShaniB123]

I remember a post a while back in which the poster said that her PPB did not fare well with dry-cleaning (lost shape, etc). The poster contacted PPB since they supposedly guarantee their bags (if you read the language of their guarantee carefully, it's really not a guarantee at all- it's filled with giant loop holes). PPB said any problem was the fault of the dry-cleaner and not the product. So, before I would dry-clean my PPB, I would contact PPB and ask them if there are any dry-cleaners in your area they recommend. That way, if there's a problem with the results of the dry-cleaning, PPB can't blame the dry-cleaner if you ask them to replace the bag, etc.

Shani
Mom to Madeline Emma (10-9-04)

[emmiem]

My dry cleaner wouldn't even take mine! He thought that it wouldn't remain stiff anymore.
Michele

[TonFirst]

My Dynamite Roll has a mud splat from a city walk a couple of months ago. I think that washing it on the delicate cycle might do the trick (ITA that dry cleaning is nearly always unnecessary for most fabrics and fibers) - but will it lose its shape?

(Not that I'll mind all that much if it does - my Posh Baby is floppy and it doesn't bother me a bit.)

[jk3]

Thanks for posting this. I posted months and months ago for suggestions on how to clean this bag. I'll give it a try on the gentle cycle...it can't look any worse! I chose a light color (Bam Bam - discontinued) and the fabric used to be so pretty. Now it's dull and gray. Thanks again!

Jenn
DS 6/3/03 ... Almost 2!

http://lilypie.com/baby2/030603/2/5/1/-5/.png

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...ies/candle.gif

[TonFirst]

Okay - I've been strategizing about the best way to clean my PPB in the gentle cycle. This is the plan:

- detach all carrying straps, the changing pad, and the little interior zipper pouch.

-fill the inside of the bag with rolled up towels. I figure that if the bag is filled with something solid, like soaking wet towels, it may keep its shape and structure better through the wash cycle. I'm also going to use white towels to eliminate the chance of color bleeding into the interior of the bag.

-put the whole thing in a mesh lingerie bag - I figure this will reduce the chance of snagging any of the brocade fabric.

I'm not sure yet it I'll use the spin cycle to dry the bag - I may let it spin for a minute or two, but then just let the bag drip dry, filled with dry rolled up towels, rather than trying to spin all the water out of ot.

How's this sound?

[TonFirst]

Y'all. Y'ALL!

IT WORKED.

I learned a few things about wet towels and the spin cycle, and I'll post the entire process shortly - but IT WORKED. My PPB is spanking clean and it is indeed still a Boxy Backpack. Huzzah!