How To Clean A Leather Jacket?

If you are considering building your wardrobe, one of the staple pieces you shouldn’t miss out on is the leather jacket. If you want your leather jacket to last as long as possible, you need to take care of it. Start with learning how to clean a leather jacket ASAP!

Cleaning Leather Jacket Made Easy

Cleaning a leather jacket is not as difficult as you think. However, you have to do things right or risk ruining your jacket. Here are some things you should know when cleaning your leather jacket!

Prepare For Leather Clean Up

Prepare For Leather Clean Up

Before you start the clean-up, you need to prepare everything you need. It helps speed up the cleaning process. You won’t find yourself constantly scrambling and stressing yourself. You only need a couple of things like the following:

  • Cloth

  • Soap

  • Water

  • Leather Conditioner

Cleaning your leather jackets works best if you are in a clean spot or area. If you can find a clean, flat surface in your house, that would be great. If that’s not available, try using a clothes hanger.

Cleaning The Jacket Inside and Out

Before any serious cleaning happens, you have to get rid of some of the dust that might have settled on the leather jacket. All you need is to dampen the cloth and start dusting everything. During dusting, be gentle and don’t be aggressive. There might be parts like the seam where more dust is hiding.

One of the easiest solutions for the leather jacket involves mixing water and whatever mild soap available. You can also use mild dishwashing soap to clean the leather jacket.

Once you have cleaned the leather jacket with your mixture, you need to make sure it dries down. Use another cloth, dry this time around, to absorb the moisture and let it air dry naturally.

There are also leather cleaning products available in the market. If you opt to use something like this, don’t forget to read the reviews to know if it works well and if you can try it on your leather jacket.

Don’t forget to clean the insides of the leather jacket as well. You would be surprised at the amount of dirt hiding inside.

Make a detergent and soap solution and use that to clean the lining. Dampen another clean cloth and start the cleanup. Focus on the parts where sweat and dirt are likely to present, like the collar and pits.

Leather Conditioning

Leather Conditioning

Whenever you clean a leather jacket, its natural oil goes away, along with the dust and dirt. If you want to maintain the quality of your jacket’s leather, condition it whenever you clean it. All you need is a trust leather conditioner to get the job done!

Once done with gently conditioning the jacket, leave it to dry. Make sure you keep the jacket away from heat.

Leather And Washing Machine

If you have a genuine leather jacket, perhaps you should not consider washing it in the washing machine. Yes, it’s a faster option, but it’s not a safe choice.

Expect the shrinkage of the leather jacket once you wash it. Heat and water from the washing machine strips natural oil from the leather. And when the leather dries down, expect cracking all over it.

Leather Jacket And Dry Cleaning

Dry cleaning your leather jacket should be your last option. If there’s too much dirt on the leather jacket, then this is something you should consider.

If you want to be on the safe side, find a dry cleaner who knows about treating and caring for leather. Find a professional who will know what to do. Some steps or methods involved in the usual dry cleaning process might not be suitable for the leather jacket.

Removing Stains From Leather Jacket

Removing Stains From Leather Jacket

If you keep wearing your leather jacket, don’t be stunned if you get stains all over it. No matter how careful you are, there are some things you can control. Once a stain smears, splatters, or marks the leather jacket, it needs to be removed ASAP.

Oil

If oil got on your leather jacket, don’t waste your time and try to remove it as soon as you can. There are a couple of things you can use to remove the oil. Dust either cornstarch or talc powder on the stain.

These items, which you can find at home, have oil absorbing properties. Leave the powder for about an hour or until it has absorbed the oil. When done, just brush it off and you will see the stain gone.

You can also use toothpaste to remove the oil stain. Toothpaste contains baking soda (or Sodium bicarbonate), and it’s known for its stain-removal properties. Put a little bit of toothpaste on the stained part and let it sit for about two to three minutes. Use a cloth or paper towel to remove the paste, and you are all set.

Ink

Seeing an ink stain on your leather jacket would probably cause you a lot of stress. However, you shouldn’t despair because there is still a way to remove it.

If you have a nail polish remover containing acetone around the house, you can use it to remove ink stains. However, if you don’t have it, your next best bet is alcohol.

Add a little bit of rubbing alcohol in a water and soap solution. Take a cotton and dip it in the solution and use it on the stained area. Don’t forget to apply a leather conditioner after the stain removal.

Removing Smell From Leather Jacket

Removing Smell From Leather Jacket

If there’s a noticeable dank smell coming from your leather jacket, you need to do something about that. No one wants a musty smelling leather jacket!

You can find the solution to this dilemma inside your kitchen cupboard! All you need is some vinegar and water. Make a solution consisting of these two liquids and spray it on the jacket. The vinegar contains acetic acid which is a natural deodorizing and cleaning agent.

Vodka is another product that can remove the smell from your leather jacket. Just combine some vodka and fragrance of choice and create a mist that will remove the nasty smell from the leather jacket. The alcohol content in the vodka will get rid of the bad smell embedded in the leather jacket.

One of the most effortless ways to remove the stench from your leather jacket is to let it chill outside. The natural air will help eliminate the unwanted smell from the jacket.

Before doing this, don’t forget to check if there are any extreme weather conditions happening around. If there’s none, you can leave the leather jacket for about 30 minutes to an hour. Don’t leave it unattended, especially if when it rains all of a sudden.

After Wash Care

After Wash Care

Cleaning your leather jacket does not end after you have wiped it down. If you want the leather jacket to be in its pristine condition, you have to take care of it even more.

Store The Leather Jacket Properly

Don’t just leave your leather jacket lying around the house. You need to store it in a clean and dry space. The closet or space should be away from direct sunlight. The heat exposure will cause brittleness. Also, there needs to be enough space to store the leather jacket. The leather needs room to breathe. You aren’t giving the leather jacket any favor if you just stuff it with the rest of your stuff.

Use The Correct Hanger

Creases can ruin the look of a high-quality leather jacket. And if you plan to store it, using the right kind of hanger is a must. Look for a durable wooden hanger that can support the jacket, especially the shoulder parts. Avoid using a wire hanger. It’s usually thin and frail and won’t be able to handle the weight and shape of the jacket.

Avoid Leather Bleaching

No matter how stubborn the stains you see on the leather jacket, never ever use bleach to remove them. Any type of bleach would be too strong or harsh for the leather jacket. If it’s exposed to bleach, it can speed up the deterioration of the leather.

To Iron Or Not To Iron The Leather

If you want to get rid of the stubborn creases on your jacket, you should not use an iron. The excessive heat from the iron can damage the leather for good.

If you are going to iron the jacket, try putting another piece of cloth between the leather and the iron. There should be no direct interaction between the jacket and the iron.

One of the life hacks that you can do to remove any crease is to use a steamer. If you don’t have one, take advantage of your shower. Before turning the shower on, position the leather jacket in a comfortable spot away from any water splatter or moisture. As the steam engulfs the room, the wrinkles will start going away.

Rockin’ A Clean Leather Jacket

Now that you have ideas on how to clean your leather jacket, you can start channeling your inner rockstar. A worn but clean leather jacket made of fine and genuine leather is versatile, amping up your look any time of day!

how-to-clean-leather-jacket

Leave a Comment