How To Care For A Leather Jacket
How To Clean A Leather Jacket That Smells
Over time leather can lose its natural, pleasant aroma. Although this doesn't affect the quality of the material, it's still something you might want to avoid.
The easiest way to make your leather jacket smell nice is by hanging it outside. Exposure to the fresh outside air naturally removes bad-smelling odors. Make sure to avoid direct sunlight, because it can make the jacket stiff. Hang your leather jacket on a line and leave it outside for a day. Unless mildew is present, this should be enough for the jacket to smell nice and fresh again.
Another way to remove bad odors from garments, including leather jackets, is by using a water and white vinegar solution. Vinegar is our secret weapon because it works both as a natural deodorizer and disinfectant. Mix one part vinegar to five parts water and spray it all over the lining of your jacket. Hang your jacket outside to dry. The smell of vinegar should fade together with the unpleasant odor.
How To Make Your Leather Jacket Softer
Leather tends to stiffen up over time, especially if you don’t wear your jacket very often. Luckily, this is completely normal, and there are several things you can do to fix that. In some cases, just wearing the jacket loosens it up. If this doesn’t work, there are a few steps you can try so it feels brand new again.
Leather can get dry if it loses its moisture. Natural leather contains human skin qualities which is why it is very important to keep it safe from extreme weather conditions. Too much sun exposure or extremely cold weather can cause the leather to become stiff. There are different ways to save yourself from dealing with this issue.
The most effective method is rubbing olive oil on your leather jacket. It can help make it soft and moisturized. Make sure to use cotton or a soft piece of cloth for this purpose. Try to test it on a small patch before applying it on the entire jacket (sometimes it can cause discolouration so its important to test it first). Leave it overnight and the stiffness should be gone.
How To Remove Mildew From A Leather Jacket
If leather clothes are stored in an area where there are high moisture and heat levels, they are prone to mildew growth, therefore it's important to get rid of it as soon as you spot it. If the problem isn't addressed quickly, it can permanently damage your leather and easily spread to other items. Fortunately enough, there are mildew treatment solutions you can easily make at home.
Vinegar is an effective disinfectant and odor neutralizer that can help with removing mildew from your leather jacket. Follow these simple steps: first, wipe off any visible mildew with a damp cloth, then fill up a spray bottle with a 1:5 vinegar and water solution, spray it evenly all over the lining of jacket and hang it outside in the sun. The sunlight will kill any mildew spores that have gone unnoticed. Don't leave your jacket in direct sunlight for more than an hour, because it can damage the leather.
Another solution you can make consists of one cup rubbing alcohol and one cup water. Dip a clean cloth into the rubbing alcohol solution, then squeeze out the excess liquid. Wash the leather surface where mildew is present, frequently rinsing the mildew off the cloth, then adding more of the solution. The most important aspect of this process is not using excessive amounts of liquid in order to protect the natural material. After that, dry the jacket with a clean cloth and place your leather jacket outdoors in the sun or near an open window to dry completely. When the jacket becomes dry again, it can be treated with leather conditioner to restore the moisture level of the leather.
How To Remove Wrinkles From A Leather Jacket
If a leather jacket is stored incorrectly, wrinkles will start to form, therefore it’s best to hang your jacket instead of folding it. In case you have made this mistake and creases have already occurred, there are a few techniques you can try.
The easiest one is steaming: place your jacket on a hanger and hang it in your washroom in a spot that won’t cause the jacket to get wet, then turn on hot water in your shower for 10–15 minutes. Perhaps, take a shower so you don’t waste water while steaming your jacket. After the procedure you should wear your leather jacket for the day. This will cause the jacket to settle to your body and prevent further wrinkles.
When dealing with a big amount of wrinkled leather jackets, we use another de-wrinkling method. First step is finding a place somewhere outside, preferably under a roof, then we hang all of the jackets on a line and let wind and draught do the job. After leaving them to hang for a week, even the most wrinkled jackets become smooth again.