‘My room needs to be fumigated’: New York woman buys purse on Depop. Then she opens it up.
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A New York woman thought she snagged a great bag for a good price online. Then the bag arrived at her home smelling like it had been exhumed from a grave.
TikTok content creator Ava (@avanacco) shared the story in a viral video with more than 190,500 views. “I bought this purse off of Depop,” Ava explained in the clip. She shared a photo of the small Coach bag. Then she explained the bag was “taking a bath.”
It apparently arrived with such a putrid odor that the woman said she had to use Lysol on it and wash it multiple times. Although Ava admitted the seller told her the bag had suffered some damage, the seller never warned her about the smell.
She addressed the seller directly in the clip.
“What I was not informed of is that when I opened this bag, my room needs to be fumigated,” the woman said. “Because apparently you buried this purse with your dead grandma and then got broke and dug it back up to sell it on Depop.”
Why can leather bags smell bad?
In the video's comment section, many people reported similar experiences.
“Girl, I got a Coach bag on depop and the bag smelt like it had someone either spew in it or like.. carried a sheep heart or idek,” one person commented.
“I got one and it smelt like straight cigarette smoke,” another person commented. “I can't stand the smell. It was so strong I had to keep it outside.”
There are several reasons why leather bags can smell funky. Manufacturers can create bad odors in leather bags through poor production practices, and owners can cause them through improper care and storage.
For example, new leather bags can have a strong chemical odor because of the tanning and finishing process. This smell can be especially sharp and plastic-like.
These bags can also develop bad smells from moisture and mildew exposure. Bags left in a humid environment can grow mold inside of them. This results in a musty odor, similar to a damp basement or old books. Leather can also absorb smells from its environment and develop bacteria from use.
So Ava's description of the bag's smell may indicate it developed mold or absorbed a smell from its previous environment.
Is it recommended to ‘bathe' a leather bag?
The stench of the bag convinced Ava that she should give it a bath. She initially tried to use Lysol to get rid of the odor, but it was of little use.
Fully submerging a bag in water, however, can damage it. When a leather bag gets wet, water molecules bond with its oils and draw them out. The dyes in the leather also get moved around. This can result in a patchy look after the bag dries.
Owners can take several steps to remove odors before fully submerging a leather item in water.
For example, bag owners can gently wipe a bag with a baby wipe and then leave it outside in a dry area to air out. If that fails, leather experts recommend using a leather cleaner or a solution made from one part water and one part vinegar. Experts recommend repeating this process until the odor is eliminated.
If someone fully drenches a leather bag, they have to dry it thoroughly. Experts recommend stuffing it with newspaper to maintain its shape and leaving it out to dry. Then, they recommend applying a leather conditioner to the bag and letting it dry for another 8 to 10 hours. After that dries, carefully buff the bag and it should be like new. For extra TLC, bag owners can apply some stain repellent or waterproofing.
Buzz News reached out to Depop and Ava via email for more information.
@avanacco
