How to wash a leather skirt (faux leather, faux leather, eco-leather, suede) at home, is it possible and how to clean it properly?

The leather skirt has remained at the top of popularity since its invention. This product looks stylish and expensive.

However, many women are happy with their purchase only until the item becomes dirty or stains appear on it.

Read the article about whether and how to wash a leather skirt (suede, eco-leather, leatherette) at home.

Is it possible?

It is not recommended
to wash a leather skirt . There is a simple explanation for this. Before you start sewing, the leather must be treated. Craftsmen remove excess moisture from the material and impregnate it with special compounds.

They prevent skin deformation and make it soft. When washing, these substances are washed out, so the skirt can stretch out greatly and become stiff.

The prohibition on washing applies to skirts made of natural suede. This material is represented by soft, velvety leather, which was produced by fat or formaldehyde-fat tanning.

The surface of suede has a characteristic structure, since the skin is devoid of a facial layer . Therefore, contact with water and detergents can be the first and last time for an item.

Unlike its “sisters”, a skirt made of eco-leather (leatherette) can be washed. However, processing should be as gentle as possible. Preference is given to hand washing.

However, you need to take care of your leather skirt. Walking around in dirty, stained clothes is unacceptable.

Machine processing

The convenience of washing in a machine makes this processing method the most common (read about how to wash trousers in a washing machine here). Settings are selected taking into account the type of model, condition of the item and type of fabric.

Mode and temperature

The most common setting is “delicate wash”, but depending on the type of material, the mode may vary:

for woolen ones - “wool”;
for thick cotton fabrics – “cotton”;
for mixed fabrics – “delicate wash”.

Washing temperature – 30-40 degrees.

Spin and rinse

The spin function allows you to remove excess moisture from things, but at the same time the material wrinkles and can be deformed. To avoid this, it is better to turn off “spin” completely. The exception is tight trousers. But it is advisable to spin them at 400-500 rpm.

In order for the item to be rinsed better, it is recommended to set the “extra rinse”. This technique will allow you to rinse the item better and prevent the formation of stains from the detergent on the fabric.

Selecting a detergent

To wash trousers, you can use gel and powder detergent. Considering that the gel is better soluble in water, its use is preferable. When rinsing, it is washed out well and does not get caught in the fibers.

For black and dark trousers, it is recommended to choose a product designed for dark clothes.

What is acceptable and what is not?

Suit trousers can be washed together with similar items. For example, with pants from another suit or a vest from a suit.

You should not send dense items, bulky items, or made from coarse fabric (jackets, jeans, etc.) in the same load. Such proximity can damage the trousers due to intense exposure during washing.

How to clean?

Cleaning a leather skirt is easy. You can get rid of simple stains using regular wet wipes . Complex stains are removed with more aggressive compounds, for example, vinegar, alcohol or soap solution.

Wet wipes

You can deal with simple stains on your skirt using regular wet wipes. This express method will quickly restore the appearance of the item.

Any wipes are suitable for cleaning:

antibacterial,
children's,
with and without alcohol content.

To completely remove the stain, you need to start removing it immediately. The longer a foreign substance remains on the material, the deeper it will penetrate into the skin structure.

This statement is especially true for greasy stains . Therefore, when putting on a leather skirt, you should always have a package of wet wipes on hand.

Ammonia

Ammonia helps to cope with complex, difficult-to-remove stains. It does not have a harmful effect on the skin, does not change its structure or color.

Procedure:

Apply alcohol to a cotton pad.
Treat the contaminated area. You need to move from the edges of the spot towards its center.
The procedure is repeated until the skirt is clean.
Wipe the product with a clean, damp cloth.

When working with ammonia, you need to wear gloves and in a well-ventilated area.

Soap solution

A solution of laundry soap shavings helps to effectively remove not only greasy stains, but also other types of stains, for example, from ink or spilled red wine.

Use it as follows:

Grind laundry soap on a grater. For a small stain, 1 tbsp is enough. l. facilities.
Mix the shavings with a small amount of water to form a gel-like substance.
Using a sponge, apply a thin layer to the stain and leave for 10 minutes.
Carefully remove the film with a damp soft cloth.

If the remedy does not work the first time, the procedure can be repeated.

Ethanol

Over time, any leather product becomes greasy and an unsightly shine appears on it. You can deal with it without washing, using regular alcohol. For this purpose, use vodka or regular cologne.

Procedure:

Apply ethyl alcohol to a cotton pad.
Wipe the areas that need treatment.
Squeeze lemon juice, soak the cotton wool with it and rub it over the fabric.

To keep the skirt soft, you need to lubricate it with a thin layer of glycerin and wait until it is completely absorbed.

Vinegar

To remove dark stains from a light leather skirt, you can use vinegar. A preservative concentration of 9% is required.

A cotton pad is moistened in it and used to wipe the areas that need cleaning . They are then treated with a damp cloth.

After such cleaning, the skirt will smell of acid. There is no need to worry about this. The vinegar will disappear from the fabric on its own after a few hours of exposure to fresh air.

Removing stains

If you need to remove a specific stain, you don't need to wash the entire garment:

Place it on a flat, hard surface for convenience; take a clean sponge soaked in soapy water. It should be semi-dry so that the solution does not get on other areas of the product.
Then carefully treat the stain, then use a microfiber cloth to remove any remaining soap.
After complete processing, wipe the product dry with a dry cloth and hang it to dry.

If the contamination is too strong, you can use folk remedies that are found in every home - lemon juice or vinegar:

Take some vinegar or lemon juice and mix with water in a 1:1 ratio.
Soak a sponge in this solution, squeeze out and wipe the dirty area.
Then remove the remaining solution with a dry cloth or napkin and anoint the product with cream.

Oily stains

They are considered one of the most difficult types of pollution, but they can be removed using simple means:

A fresh greasy stain should be rubbed well with a soft sponge soaked in dishwashing detergent. The active substances of the drug perfectly dissolve fat, and the contamination disappears in a few minutes.
If the stain is old, you should use a soap solution with a few drops of ammonia added.
Difficult to remove stains can be pre-treated with white spirit.
In such a situation, aviation gasoline will help. To clean, take a cotton pad, soak it a little in gasoline, and apply it to the stain. Then wipe with dry cloths and leave to dry.

Important! After this cleaning method, be sure to moisturize your skin with cream or spray, because gasoline dries it out.

Dye:

Paint stains can be easily cleaned using non-acetone nail polish remover.
Another way is to walk over the contaminated area with a cotton swab dipped in vegetable oil. After such treatment, excess oil is removed with a swab soaked in purified gasoline.

Features of washing the product

Made from eco-leather

The faux leather skirt can be washed by hand.

Procedure:

Dilute detergent in warm water. It is better to use a liquid composition in the form of a gel.
The temperature of the cleaning solution should not be higher than 30 degrees.
Place the skirt in the basin and immediately begin washing.
The surfaces of the skin are gently wiped with a sponge. Do not brush or pull the fabric.
Rinse the product in clean water several times.

You cannot wring out a faux leather skirt!

Sometimes the manufacturer allows eco-leather items to be washed in a machine. Before processing, the product is turned inside out, all zippers and buttons are fastened.

Processing must be gentle and meet the following parameters:

water temperature – up to 30 degrees;
spin is disabled;
washing at minimum speed;
The extra rinse function is turned on.

The faster the wash cycle completes, the better. You should not resort to machine washing too often to prevent the material from cracking. Preference is given to manual cleaning.

Suede

Suede is an even more capricious material compared to leather . Therefore, you need to take special care of such a skirt:

Hand and machine washing is not acceptable.
The item is processed hanging or on a flat surface.
A low concentration soap solution is used as a detergent. It is applied to the skirt with a sponge.
To combat greasy areas, they resort to ammonia.
After processing, the product is wiped with a damp cloth.
Dry the skirt while hanging.

To fluff up the suede after cleaning, use a stiff brush. It is sold in shoe stores, but is great for caring for clothes.

Types of stains

Fat

Potato starch needs to be heated up and sprinkled on the stained area, and a clean piece of white cloth should be placed under it. After 20 minutes, shake off the starch and replace it with a new portion.

This is repeated until the grease stain disappears. Then the skirt must be knocked out and cleaned with a brush.

Dye

If the stain is still fresh, you can use turpentine, gasoline, benzene, or kerosene.
If the stain has already hardened, then carefully remove the crust with a knife, and wipe the remaining stain with solvent several times and then rinse with water.
If the paint stain is very old, then moisten it with turpentine. When the paint has softened, clean the stain with a baking soda solution, and then rinse thoroughly with clean, warm water.

Ink

A fresh stain is removed with a solution of soda and ammonia.

You can soak the stain in sour milk and then wash it in soapy water.

Drying

To ensure that a leather skirt does not lose its attractive appearance after contact with water, it must be dried properly.

Basic recommendations to follow:

Do not wring or twist the product so that the water drains from it faster.
Dry the item on a flat surface or in a hanging position. The skirt is attached to special ribbons that are sewn inside, in the waistband area. Clothespins are not used.
Leather products should not be dried in the sun.
It is prohibited to place items on a heating radiator or near heat sources.
During drying, there should be no creases or dents on the skirt.

To keep the skin soft after cleaning, it is lubricated with glycerin.

Washing machine: pros and cons

It is best not to wash leather and leatherette items at all. These materials do not like excess moisture and with frequent washing can crack, stretch and fade. If you decide to wash your clothes, it is better to do it by hand.

Various clothes are made from leather of different textures and densities. For example, a leather raincoat or jacket is usually made of thick leather and is designed to be worn in the rain or even snow. It is better to dry clean them if possible. But leather pants or a skirt have a softer texture and thinner leather. They can be washed if specified on the label.

If there are icons on the product that allow you to wash the item in a machine, then it is better to do so. To do this, you should choose a temperature of no more than 35 degrees. At higher rates, the products will definitely become deformed and lose their appearance. The spin should also be turned off completely or the regulator should be set to the minimum number of revolutions (300-400). Washing gels are less likely to leave streaks. The machine drying mode must be turned off. Heating will cause cracks and abrasions.

This recommendation also applies to leather shoes. It is not recommended to wash it. In addition to capricious leather or fragile leatherette, your favorite shoes may contain fittings and adhesives that are easily deformed by water and even more so when scrolled in a drum. The same applies to headwear - caps with thick visors, berets and hats.

Ironing

You cannot iron a leather skirt. Therefore, you need to take care in advance to ensure that creases do not appear on it. To do this, after wet cleaning, shake it thoroughly and dry it on a flat surface.

If crumpled areas do form, you can use plain water . The skirt is hung on hangers and sprayed with a spray bottle. After drying it should straighten out. This way they smooth out natural leather and suede.

Leatherette products can be treated with a steam generator. Keep the device at a distance of 15 cm from the material.

When might dry cleaning services be required?

Dry cleaning services are used when complex stains appear on the skirt that cannot be removed on your own. Since it is prohibited to use aggressive household chemicals for washing, you should entrust the product to professionals.

The cost of work depends on its complexity. Approximate prices:

suede long skirt - about 900 rubles;
suede short skirt - about 700 rubles;
long leather skirt – about 800 rubles;
leather short skirt – about 650 rubles.

The service is paid only upon its completion. Before you take your item to the dry cleaner, you need to clarify what results they can guarantee and in what time frame the work will be completed.

Important Tips

Information that will be useful to all owners of leather skirts:

Before you start cleaning, you need to study the information on the product label. The manufacturer's recommendations should not be violated.
Scratches that appear on the skirt due to improper washing or active use can be treated with special paint (Saphir, Silver, Liquid leather, etc.).
Do not immediately apply detergent to a large surface of the product. To begin with, the new composition is tested on an inconspicuous area of the skin and its reaction is monitored.
When working with caustic substances, you need to protect your hands with gloves.
Do not use washing powder or stain removers to clean leather.
Eco-leather products of different colors cannot be washed together.
Rub dirt only with a cotton pad or soft sponge. A brush is not used for processing natural materials.

You will find maximum useful information about washing clothes and various fabric products here.

Is it possible to wash a leather skirt?

To keep the item clean and attractive, it is advisable to carry out periodic cleaning. It is recommended to remove dirt at the slightest need using a dry cloth or soft sponge. If you cannot cope with the pollution in this way, you need to resort to more radical methods.

Attention! When washing by hand or by machine, you need to limit the effect of water on the leather surface of the skirt as much as possible.

If absolutely necessary, you can wash your leather skirt at home using available products. But this type of care is highly undesirable. The procedure can be done manually or in a washing machine. Each case is completely unique and requires an individual approach.