You may be the proud owner of an awesome leather jacket. Perhaps even owning many leather jackets, including a suede jacket or some other style, such as leather motorcycle jackets.
Yet it hadn’t dawned on you until now or quite recently, as to how to clean leather jackets. Ultimately, allowing you to continue enjoying the style and benefits of having a leather jacket that’s as good as new.
People often think about to dry clean leather jacket, however you can clean your leather jacket at home. While there are countless leather care websites and channels that offer quick tips, smart tricks or the famous DIY to give you clean leather jackets in no time is, for many of us; a bit too good to be true.
In this post, we cover the following simple, yet very effective ways to clean your leather jacket and more. We’ll be covering
What To Expect In This Article?
Cleaning Leather Jackets at Home
People often ask, `Can you dry clean leather jackets?’ Well, you surely can and cleaning the leather jackets is not as hard as it seems. there are various things you need to account for before you start cleaning your jacket.
1. Check the Labels
Before jumping into this important subject, it would be wise to check the labels inside your leather jacket. Very often you will find care instructions and many times, detailed cleaning pointers that can be positively useful.
Oftentimes, many of us don’t really know the exact type of leather we have, the processes or treatments that have been used and so throwing caution to the wind when dealing with cleaning could be a bad idea for some. That’s when care labels and instructions save the day.
With that said, cleaning your leather jacket by hand is not only easily possible, should you choose to do so yourself, but is very cost-effective and time-saving as well.
2. Know the Type of Leather
First off; it is important to know the type of leather you are about to clean. This helps you in choosing the appropriate cleaning products and methods best suited to the particular type of leather you have. It is, therefore, a good idea to ask for details regarding the leather jacket at the time of purchase, or after; if the supplier is easy to contact.
Natural or untreated leather does not have any protective coating, however, treated leather products do. A useful tip that can help you is to feel the leather and notice if it is soft, this means the leather is untreated. If it is not or has a coating that feels a bit like plastic that means it is treated leather.
It is also important to remember that treated or coated leather is much easier to clean as natural or untreated leather have a tendency to change color after they are cleaned. This is why you are required to be especially careful when cleaning any natural leather.
3. Dust the leather
You can begin by dusting the leather product using a soft cloth or brush and wipe away any dust or oil buildup. You must wipe over the entire surface of the product especially the corners that tend to be dustier. You must use a circular motion so as to prevent any form of damage to the product.
Many people forget to dust their leather earlier on, which is why dust tends to seem more noticeable over time which makes cleaning later on all the more challenging.
4. Apply Leather Cleaning Solutions
On a soft rag apply a leather cleaning solution based on the type of leather you are about to clean. For instance, as you would for jackets, you can clean leather shoes by using saddle soap. It is important to remember to read the instructions on cleaner packaging for further confirmation as to whether the solution is best suited for the type of leather you are about to clean.
For antique leather finishes, methylated spirits are a great idea, whereas for bags and jackets a mild soap and water solution works best, which you can use sparingly and in a circular motion, over the surface of the leather product.
5. Condition the Leather
Next, you would need to completely condition your leather jacket until you feel it’s soft and supple. Be sure to go for quality when purchasing a leather conditioner.
Aside from cleaning your leather jacket, leather conditioner can also be used on the occasion of rain or snow getting on your leather jacket that you can condition to prevent damage and enhance softness.
Before you give this a try, do a color test to check the colorfastness of the leather, using a clean, white cloth on an interior spot of leather. If color transfers to the cloth, the dye is NOT stable on the leather. Therefore you should not proceed.
How to Eliminate Odour from Leather Jackets
Dealing with any type of bad odor in your leather jacket can be easily dealt with using vinegar. Again, caution is to be reinforced. What may work for one type of leather jacket or several, may not be best for another, so conducting a spot test would be advisable.
If the area does not discolor, fade or get destroyed in any way, you can proceed. Using equal portions of vinegar in a spray bottle or mixture that is dabbed onto a soft, clean cloth. This is to be gently rubbed onto the exterior of your leather jacket.
The acid in the vinegar cuts down the odor until you find no bad smell lurking around at all. The smell of vinegar will fade as well.
For the interior of your leather jacket, such as the lining, you can use baking soda. Being a safe ingredient, use baking soda that is sprinkled generously into a pillowcase or spacious zip-lock bag and place your leather jacket into this and close.
Leave overnight or for 24 hours. When the time is up, you can remove your leather jacket and clean with a cloth from any baking soda residue. If the odor is no longer present, good job! If not, repeat the process.
Cleaning your Leather Jacket Lining at Home
Do you know how to clean leather jacket lining? When dealing with any kind of odor on the inside of your leather jacket aka the lini
ng, you can use the following options. Firstly you could try airing out your leather jacket. Keeping it away from sunlight or any type of heat source and allowing it to just… air out naturally.
Another option would involve, using baking soda. Start by sprinkling some baking soda on the lining of your leather jacket and then use a lukewarm water spray to mist the areas that the baking soda is covering.
Leave for about 20 minutes and check. If the baking soda is dry, simply take a clean, damp cloth and dust-off the baking soda residue. Leave to dry some more before you check if the odor has gone or not.
As always, conduct a test spot before proceeding. Cleaning your leather jacket lining would require some mild detergent that works for most types of fabrics and jacket liners. After mixing a bit of mild, laundry detergent with some water until the powder dissolves, dip a clean sponge into the solution.
Double-check for any excess liquid before applying to your leather jacket lining. To make it easier to work with, have your leather jacket, flat inside out in front of you. Sponge down the lining, especially the underarm areas and any place you think would need some cleaning. Keep an eye out for stains or spots.
Once you are done, properly rinse out the sponge that you used and replace the solution with clean, plain water. Now you can use the sponge to rinse the areas of the lining you sponged down.
When this is complete. Hang your leather jacket on a padded hanger or a strong wooden hanger and leave to dry naturally. Keep away from sunlight or any heat source in or out of the house.
Leather Jacket Cleaner and Conditioner
This point may not have any special DIY, tip or trick nor any magical products to market. Just simply added to highlight the importance and benefits of a good quality cleaner and conditioner for your leather jackets.
There is a multitude of different sources that mention the use of leather jacket cleaners and conditioners, yet few actually know how valuable the use of these products are separately or combined in one effective product.
Just as your leather jacket requires a good cleaning, it also requires protection for it to last you a good number of years.
If that’s not enough to convince you, there are now 2 in 1 and 3 in 1 product that offers you leather jacket cleaner and conditioner and more.
Going for quality products, not only help in keeping the durability of your leather jacket up-to-par, but it also prevents it from weakening and eventually self-destructing as perhaps using olive-oil as a conditioner would do in an instant.
So yes, get a good quality jacket cleaner and conditioner and maintain your leather jacket for a longer time.
Dry-cleaning Leather Jackets Professionally
For a dress shirt or a suit, a dress or a leather coat, dry-cleaning is an effortless way to get your apparel cleaned and pressed and looking as sharp as ever. So why should leather jackets be any different.
In fact, choosing a dry-cleaning professional for your leather jacket would be a great idea for you and your jacket. Provided, you choose an establishment that is well-known, experienced and have been in this business for years.
Reason: leather jackets or leather products had undergone a series of numerous processes and treatments to achieve the color that your leather jacket has, down to the feel and even the look as well as finish. So choosing the right dry-cleaning place is of the most importance.
Especially when it comes to the services offered. While many dry-cleaning places offer natural based dry-cleaning services, there are some who are known for using chemicals that would most definitely damage your leather jacket. Hence, it’s best to cover all these points beforehand. Chemically treated dry-cleaning is what ruins leather jackets, undoing all the processes carried out to achieve the finish, color and feel of the jacket. So be warned.
Giving your leather jacket for natural dry-cleaning not only gets it cleaned, it also goes through a restorative process to simply maintain all the processes and finishes rendered to the piece, mentioned above.
Interestingly, many good dry-cleaning facilities that do leather jackets, offer quite a few options besides simply cleaning your leather jacket. These restorative processes are often carried out on antique or vintage leather jackets with fur lining or trims, much like high-end fashion apparel. Check-out your nearest dry-cleaners to find out more on what you can do to best enhance the look and longevity of your leather jacket.
It is for this reason that leather jacket owners are advised to seek professional help and assistance when dealing with leather jacket care and maintenance. If they are unable to do so themselves.
Points to Beware of
By now it may appear to be a relatively simple task, cleaning your leather jacket. Yet it may be a good idea to also share a few factors that many may be unaware of, regarding the cleaning of your leather jacket.
1. No to Ammonia and Bleach
First off, NEVER use ammonia or bleach-based cleaners and possibly even conditioners that may have these ingredients. These guys can damage the finish of your leather in no time, starting with excessively drying it out and even cracking.
Water too is not such a good idea as it can stain certain leather jackets. Thus the need to know the type of leather you have. Should you ever accidentally spill anything on your leather jacket, it is best you blot it and clean immediately with a soft cloth or else there will be major stains forming instantly.
With leather being porous you can’t imagine how easy it is for leather to absorb any kind of liquid.
2. Moisturizing aged leather
Can leather jackets be dry cleaned? Well, you surely can, but taking care of it is very important. Conditioning and moisturizing aged leather is another point to beware of. This is because aged leather especially aged leather jackets by now have developed a distinct patina as well as an element referred to as ‘well-worn’ that can only be achieved with the passage of time.
This makes it unique in the truest form of the word and which requires a great deal of conditioning and moisturizing to continue on in developing this unique patina but beware! This should be done cautiously to protect not only its age but the existing patina it possesses.
3. The Red Rot
Finally, it’s time to touch base on Red Rot. Regardless of how clean and well-conditioned your leather jacket is, beware of Red Rot. Quite simply, a condition that leads to the breakdown of the structure of leather; especially aged leather.
This will typically look like peeling and cracking of the leather surface that may vary by degree and product type. No matter how much you clean or condition your leather jacket if your leather has Red Rot, there is nothing you can do to prevent it or allowing it to deteriorate.
What you can do is seek professional assistance which would be the only best thing you can do. Leather professionals will not only be able to tell you if it is or isn’t Red Rot but also will be able to tell you if your leather jacket can or cannot be saved.
If you’re in luck and your leather jacket can be saved, these professionals also have the correct tools to help solve this problem. Even though your leather jacket may or may not be able to look and feel exactly as it did before, it’s something that differs from leather to leather.
FAQs – How To Clean Leather Jackets
Yes, you can use water to clean a leather jacket. Provided, the water is not used directly on the surface. A soft, damp cotton cloth is what is often used in several ways of cleaning leather jackets.
Yes, you sure can. What’s even better, is that your leather jacket will receive lots of pampering to enhance its look and longevity. Enabling you to wear it for a longer time.
Yes, a dry-cleaner is a skilled professional who will not only take good care of your leather jacket but can also share tips with you that you can do at home in-between dry-cleaning visits.
It’s best to ask a dry-cleaning professional about the process needed for your leather jacket in particular. Just as not all jackets are the same, similarly; not all dry-cleaning processes serve every jacket best. Therefore, it would be a great idea to show the professional your leather jacket and ask as to the best option of dry-cleaning or any other service that may be needed to get your leather jacket looking and feeling its best.
If you want to dry clean leather, warm water and dish soap is the best and most natural way to clean a real leather jacket. As mentioned above in detail.
Genuine leather dry cleaner can be opted for the jacket. Although genuine leather is at the bottom of the list of types of leather, it can however be cleaned as you would any other type of leather. Safe to say, that good quality leathers would have better results in comparison to low-quality ones.
There is no one answer for this nor is there a right or wrong answer either. Going for a good, reputable dry-cleaning service will cost differently in comparison to one that is not as good, experienced or in business for a considerable number of years.
There are many leather cleaner for jackets. You can use a bit of Baking Soda to spot clean a leather jacket collar. Using a soft brush, work it gently into the affected area. With a soft, damp cloth you can wipe it clean. After allowing it to dry naturally, recheck the area to see if there’s any difference. You can repeat the process when there is a small change. However, for stubborn stains; it’s best to seek professional help.
For surface mold, it’s best to allow the area to dry completely and naturally. When it has dried out, use a soft, damp cloth over the area. The mold should fall away much like dry or chapped skin. Now allow the area to dry again before inspection, to see if the mold has been cleared. This same process can also be used for fungus on your leather jacket. Both being very similar in nature. For mildew, use one part rubbing alcohol with one part water. Dab a soft, clean cloth and wipe over the affected area. The mildew should be gone. Allow to dry and inspect the area. Using a soft-bristled brush, you can also dust away or remove easy and lose fungus and molding from your leather. For tougher fungi, you can use a soft cloth or sponge that has been dipped in water and a bit of petroleum jelly. Using gentle strokes, rub until you see the mold or fungus starting to disappear. This works especially well with Nubuck and suede.
White leather jackets can be cleaned using one part Baking Soda and three parts water. After dabbing a soft cloth into this mixture, gently wipe over the jacket. Once the entire surface has been covered, use a clean, plain water-dampened cloth to finish this process and remove the solution. Allow drying naturally. Avoid placing the jacket near any heat source.
To clean a lambskin leather jacket, first; use a clean, damp soft cotton cloth to remove any grime or marks. Refrain from using water directly on the surface as this would leave watermarks. Once this is done, use another soft, clean cloth for a high-quality nourishing leather conditioner and gently massage into the external and internal surfaces of the jacket. As a side-note, lambskin leather is best waterproofed before wearing. Therefore, it would be a good idea to use a silicon-free water protector over the exterior of the lambskin jacket. More importantly, regarding discoloration, staining or scratches, it’s best to seek professional dry-cleaners as they would be able to conduct a restoration process accordingly.
The most natural method of cleaning a leather jacket involves a solution of warm water and dish soap. After dipping a soft cloth into this mixture, wring it out a bit and gently work over the surface of the leather jacket. Another natural solution is using one part vinegar and one part water. Using the same procedure as above, you can clean your leather jacket at home. Once complete, use a soft towel to help in drying the leather naturally.
Did you know?
Did you know that leather jacket dry cleaning can be an easy job, you can use toothpaste to remove stains from leather? Can leather be dry cleaned that way? It surely can. Simply go for a non-gel toothpaste and gently rub a bit with a soft cloth over the stain. DO NOT scrub as you can scratch or discolor the leather. Wipe the toothpaste off with a clean, damp cloth.
Whether ink stains or most stains on leather, try using some nail polish remover by using a cotton swab dabbed into this solution and then applied on the stained area. NEVER rub vigorously or the stain can spread. Simply blot gently until the stain is gone. Wipe with clean, damp cloth or soft, dry towel.
You can remove oil or grease stains from leather by simply using baking soda. Sprinkle a bit of baking soda over the area and use a damp cloth to rub gently. Let it sit overnight or for a couple of hours before you wipe off excess baking soda powder with a soft, dry cloth or towel.
By now we’ve not only learned that cleaning leather jackets isn’t as daunting a task to achieve. The results are often always positive, when carried out correctly and handled with care. The only daunting elements to be wary of is to not fall for the many myths that get thrown about online. Especially the fact that leather jackets can be dry-cleaned.
Before you go…
We are sure that we have answered your question about ‘can you dry clean a leather jacket?’ and how can you dry clean leather
The most important factor to always remember is that investing in good quality products for cleaning and conditioning your leather jacket will go a long way to give you durability as well as cleanliness. Whether you have to get rid of stains and blotches or eliminate odor. If you have the right products we’ll be sure knowing how to clean leather jackets will be very easy for you.
You have it all down and ready to be tried and tested. Caution is always key when undertaking any type of cleaning routine and dry cleaning leather jacket shouldn’t be an exception.
