Leather is a capricious and difficult material both to wear and to wash. It always shows scratches, stains, clips and defects.
Therefore, you need to wash the jacket in a special way, trying not to damage the material, so as not to spoil the appearance and functional characteristics.
In this article we will tell you whether and how to wash a leather jacket in an automatic washing machine and by hand.
Rules for washing at home
Before you start washing, you need to carefully inspect your clothes for:
- tags,
- signs,
- logos.
There may be useful information or instructions for caring for the product.
There is no need to try to squeeze out the jacket, this can leave a lot of bends and cracks on it, since the material is quite fragile, and such deformation will definitely lead to damage to the structure.
It's best to treat a small area of skin before moving on to a full cleanse .
It is advisable to do this either on the sleeve in the wrist area, or on the collar, where it is least visible.
Professional skin products
In hardware stores or leather clothing departments you will find many different care products. Sprays, creams, wipes can be designed both to completely restore the skin and to clean the material, restoring softness, shine and color. When purchasing a leather jacket, stock up on a standard set of care products:
- water repellent spray;
- sponge impregnated with protective substances;
- wax (saves the skin when cracks, creases or abrasions appear, restores softness);
- cleaning foam.
Attention!
When choosing a skin care product, be sure to take into account the type and quality of the skin, consult with the seller.
Hands
First, check the jacket for color fading. To do this, simply rub a damp cloth or napkin over any area.
If the color of the jacket is imprinted on a napkin, then it is advisable to take this item to dry cleaning, otherwise the color will fade or noticeably fade.
Hand wash steps:
- Check all pockets, remove all items from them so that nothing affects the work.
- Fill a container (wide basin or bathtub) with warm water.
- Add detergent (delicate) and mix in water.
- Immerse the product and let it absorb the solution. It will take about 10 minutes.
For processing you will need a soft sponge. With its help, you need to lightly rub areas with obvious signs of dirt, and go through others with light pressure of the sponge.- After this, it is necessary to remove moisture from the item of clothing. To do this, the item is taken out to the front side. You need to hold it in your hands or hang it on a hanger until the water drains, or lightly press on it, even swaying is possible.
- The water is changed to clean. It is necessary to rinse the jacket in new water so many times that the soap is completely gone.
- After washing, hang the leather item on a hanger and let the excess liquid drain out.
- Then put it in a terry towel so that it absorbs additional water.
- Ready.
Drying time may vary and may take up to 2 days . It should also be noted that for minor stains, “dry wash” is preferable:
- a soft cloth should be soaked in a soapy solution;
- squeeze out;
- wipe the necessary areas;
- rinse with a slightly damp cloth, preferably soft;
- wipe with dry material that absorbs well.
In this way, you can remove contaminants from the desired areas, and do not expose clean areas to additional exposure, so as not to spoil the appearance.
Removing grease stains
Quite often there are situations when untidy greasy stains appear on outerwear. To clean a leather jacket from them at home, the following methods will help:
- Hot air. To process the product, you can use a regular hairdryer; under the influence of high temperatures, the fat actively dissolves. To clean the stained area, place a paper kitchen towel over it and give it a good hair dryer. The main thing is to make sure that the temperature of the supplied air is not too hot, this can lead to shrinkage of the skin.
- Starch or chalk paste. To prepare it, you will need to mix the powder with water until a creamy consistency is obtained. To get rid of contamination, you need to apply the resulting mass to the stained area and leave it for active action for four to five hours. If the stain is old, you can leave the jacket overnight in this condition. Then you will need to rinse off the remaining product with clean water.
In the washing machine
Manufacturers of leather clothing warn customers that after washing the jacket may shrink (or stretch) or lose its appearance.
Natural fabric will crack - this is one of the negative consequences of machine processing, and artificial fabric may peel off.
If you still decide to resort to this method, then you need to set up delicate mode . The water temperature should be 15 degrees Celsius. Before doing this, you need to fasten all the buttons and locks.
Regular washing powder is suitable as a detergent, but it is better to use a liquid detergent to avoid leaving streaks and stains.
Stages:
- Take everything out of your pockets.
- Set the mode to “wool”, “delicate” or “hand wash”.
- If you plan to do push-ups (which is not recommended), then the speed should be no more than 400.
- Add chemical.
- As soon as the machine completes the process, you should not take out the leather jacket; it is better to leave it for a while to allow excess water to drain off.
Removing stains
Pollution is not always widespread or complete . Most often this is:
- just divorces
- small spots,
which can be removed using some tricks.
Toothpaste
Using a small amount of toothpaste and a cotton pad or any soft material on which the product will be applied, you need to wipe the stained area.
Do not use any metal objects or hard brushes. The paste is then removed with water or a damp cloth.
Nail polish remover
Using this method is only appropriate for fair skin .
- Apply the liquid to the swab and use it to lightly wipe the stained area.
- Then rinse off the liquid with plain water.
The method has proven itself well in removing marks from a ballpoint pen.
Baking soda or cornstarch
Ideal for removing oil or grease stains.
- It is necessary to spray these products.
- Leave it overnight and remove any residue in the morning.
- You should wash off the soda carefully and several times.
Medical alcohol
Excellent mold remover . To remove a stain you need to:
- make a solution in a 1 to 1 ratio: distilled water and medical alcohol,
- lubricate the damaged area,
- Wipe with clean water and dry.
Professional products
In addition to traditional methods, there are special products that will gently remove dirt from the skin:
- Skora.
- Leather Cleaner.
- Leather Stain Remover.
- Sir Asprins Stain Remover Spray.
Regular cleaning of the entire surface of the leather jacket
These leather jacket cleaning methods are ideal for monthly freshening up a jacket that doesn't have any stubborn stains. Cleaning the substrate is a constant accompaniment of this procedure. The necessary cleaning products can be found in every housewife’s home:
- Orange peel;
- lemon juice;
- milk.
Orange peel contains a large amount of essential oils, which are responsible for delicately cleaning the surface of the product. And the organic acid of the product will perfectly overcome natural, organic pollution. To clean a whole jacket you will have to use 2-3 medium sized oranges. The peel removed from them must be softened in your hands and wiped with it on the surface of the clothing. A wonderful bonus will be a pleasant smell both on the skin and in the house. But this method is not suitable for light skin tones.
Lemon juice and milk are much easier to use. Their advantage is that they are suitable for both light and dark leather jackets. It is enough to moisten a cotton swab in this liquid and thoroughly wipe the outside with it. In addition to cleaning, milk will soften the skin and give it shine.
Advice: “After using any cleaning method, the jacket should not be put on until it is completely dry on the hanger. Otherwise, the material may become deformed. And during the cleaning process itself, in order to avoid the same problem, the product should not be stretched too much or rubbed too much.”
How to remove the smell of smoke?
There are several simple but effective methods:
- Vinegar . Mix water and vinegar in equal quantities. Using a soft cloth moistened with this solution, it is necessary to treat the surface, but do not rub or wet it.
- Coffee grounds . You need to fill it with a piece of gauze or an old nylon stocking and put it in your pocket. Coffee will absorb smoky odors on clothes.
- Ventilation . It is enough to take the item out into the fresh air.
You can repeat these methods until the unpleasant smell from cigarettes disappears.
Is it possible to remove foundation stains?
With normal washing, the trace of cosmetics may not disappear. This is due to the fact that the basis is fat, which is easily absorbed into any tissue. The situation is complicated by the dye included in the composition. As practice shows, the darker the foundation, the more difficult it is to remove the mark from it.
If foundation accidentally gets on your blouse, shirt, jacket or other clothing, do not rush to get upset. You can restore the attractive appearance of a thing if you choose the right method. To combat an unattractive stain, you can use store-bought products or folk methods.
Note! Fresh stains will be much easier to remove, so if foundation gets on an item, action should be taken immediately.
Recovery after the procedure
Most often, after washing, the previous shine that gave the leather product newness disappears. To solve this problem, there are simple but effective recipes:
- Candle wax. If your jacket needs to add a touch of shine or shimmer, wax is ideal. It is enough to melt a candle and apply a little to the desired areas of leather or substitute clothing.
- Glycerol. You need to rub it into areas of a more faded shade. It is absorbed quickly, about an hour or a little more. Glycerin will also add a little softness to the product.
How to clean a light-colored item?
It is best not to machine wash a light leather jacket, but use dry washing using folk remedies.
For these purposes the following are most often used:
- milk;
- lemon juice;
- soap solution;
- eraser.
There is only one application recipe: apply to the stain and after 20-30 minutes rinse with a wet cloth.
Treatment of front and back sleeves
In order to restore purity and freshness to the main elements of a leather jacket, there are several proven methods. They will help you put in order outerwear made of natural and artificial leather, as well as fur. You can easily clean a leather jacket using the following methods:
- If the contamination is small, you can simply treat the product with a special solution using a spray bottle. To prepare it, you will need to dissolve twenty milligrams of soap foam and five drops of ammonia in half a liter of warm water. After treatment with a similar composition, the skin will acquire its original shine.
- Another proven remedy is soap solution. Its concentration can be determined independently based on the severity of the contamination. In order to clean a leather jacket from medium-intensity stains, it will be enough to dissolve a quarter of a bar of grated laundry soap in a liter of warm water.
- Baking soda can dissolve old stains. A positive result is achieved due to the presence of a large number of abrasive particles. To clean a dirty surface, sprinkle baking soda on the problem area and rub it a little. Remaining contaminants can be removed with plain water.
How to wash the lining?
Dust and dirt can accumulate not only on the outside, but also on the inside, so it is necessary to wash the lining.
- Separately . If the lining is removed, then everything is quite simple: according to the material, treat it with powder or another product and rinse.
- Together . It is important not to wet the skin so that it does not fade. You can clean the lining using a solution of soapy water. After 5-10 minutes, wipe with a dry and soft towel to remove moisture. Dry on hangers.
Drying rules
There are several rules:
Do not expose your skin to strong heat, that is, leave it near fireplaces or stoves.- When using a hair dryer, the air blown out should be cold.
- Do not leave in direct sunlight.
- You can dry a leather jacket only in a vertical position.
- It is best to dry in a well-ventilated place.
