Caring for leather products at home

General rules for caring for leatherette

There are some basic rules that, if followed, can extend the life of your new leatherette jacket. In particular:

• Do not use aggressive washing powders or other cleaning products;
• Do not use rough brushes or devices with hard bristles;
• Do not handle the skin roughly;
• it is necessary to exclude various mechanical influences;
• If you wash it in a machine, use the most gentle cycle.

As a rule, the manufacturer writes everything on the product label. Therefore, you should not be lazy to read this information. As practice shows, most of the problems with washing leatherette could be avoided if you initially deciphered the meaning of a particular symbol.

How to wash by hand at home

It is recommended to first understand whether the jacket really needs washing. Usually, just refreshing your appearance is enough. You need to make it a rule to wipe the stained area with a certain product and immediately remove the stains - then they will not eat into the structure. You can use a regular soap solution - add a couple of grams of soap or shampoo to a liter of warm water. Wipe the areas of the jacket with a cloth, and then remove the liquid dry. You need to hang the jacket in a dark but well-ventilated room.

It will be great if you make it a rule to regularly wipe the areas of your jacket that are highly susceptible to contamination - elbows, cuffs, pockets.

If the jacket really needs washing, regular wiping does not help, then you need to take care to properly prepare it. Need to:

• check pockets for valuables;
• fasten all zippers;
• turn the pocket inside out;
• Also turn the jacket itself inside out.

After this, you need to soak the jacket for several hours in a light soapy solution. After this, rinse in warm water and proceed to direct hand washing. First, warm water is poured into a large basin; the temperature for leatherette should not exceed 30 degrees. You need to dilute a special liquid detergent. It’s not worth taking risks and using active chemicals with a serious composition. Leatherette is a rather fragile material, and it can easily become discolored or even tear when in contact with aggressive environments.

You should start hand washing with the lining. With light movements, stretch it in the direction from the collar to the hem. Then process the sleeves, collars, pockets. Next, proceed to hand washing the outside. Take a soft sponge and wet it in water each time.

After finishing washing, the jacket should be rinsed thoroughly. Under no circumstances should any soap solution remain. You need to squeeze it slightly, but do not twist it. Then it is left on a hanger in a well-ventilated area. You can also lay out your clothes on the table - this way they will definitely not lose their shape.

Unusual ways to wash leatherette

There are several effective ways to wash such material.

Dry method

The dry method is a rather unusual way to clean a jacket of dirt. As the name implies, its peculiarity is that practically no moisture is used.

First you need to clean all the stains and greasy areas. The following components are used for this:

• alcohol - used for stains from markers and pens, removes greasy areas, applied with a clean, dry cloth and wiped gently until completely gone;
• soda is a recognized way to remove heavy plaque; soda is diluted with water and applied with a dry cloth, removed after 5 minutes, washed with warm water;
• lemon - removes light greasy, adds shine to the product, lemon juice is squeezed onto a soft napkin and evenly distributed over the jacket, if the product is light, then you don’t have to wash it off, staying on a dark one can lead to fading.

If you wear your jacket carefully and wipe off stains at the slightest dirt, regularly ventilate it and treat it against parasites, then for 3-5 years the jacket may not even need to be washed in a washing machine or by hand in a basin - only a dry one will be enough.

In the washing machine

Only high-quality products can be machine washed. Those that were produced in handicraft production do not have a long service life and will crack after the first wash.

There are various ways to check machine washability. The first one is to fold the fabric. It should be as pliable, soft and tender as possible. You can also try to heat the leatherette with your hand - just rub it hard for 15 seconds.

If there is intense heat or, on the contrary, the jacket remains cold, then it will not be suitable for machine washing.

When washing using the automatic method, a number of nuances should be taken into account:

• The jacket must be washed separately from other items;
• the water temperature is set to no more than 30 degrees;
• wash type - delicate, not universal;
• use powder specifically for artificial leather, as gentle as possible;
• place the jacket in a polystyrene bag;
• You can't wring out the jacket.

After the clothes are removed from the drum, they are wrapped in a warm but rough cloth. It will absorb moisture in 2-3 hours. After this, the jacket is placed on a hanger in a ventilated area, but not in direct sunlight.

Additional tips and tricks

• wash a dermantine jacket a maximum of 2 times a year;
• iron without steaming and from the inside out;
• Machine wash only high-quality items.

A leatherette jacket is a versatile item that often becomes a favorite. In order for it to serve for a long time, you need to comply with the washing conditions.

Leather substitute clothing is gaining rapid popularity today, especially jackets, dresses and trousers. Artificial material perfectly replaces natural leather - it is practically no different from it in appearance, and it costs several times less.

In order for your favorite item to last longer, you need to properly care for it. Not only coats made of different fabrics require special care, but leatherette also requires delicate attention. In addition, cleaning clothes made from artificial leather is significantly different from caring for things made from natural leather.

The easiest way is to take the item to the dry cleaner and forget about cleaning it for a long time. But why spend a significant amount on these services if you can clean your favorite item at home, easily, quickly and cheaply.

Before you start cleaning your faux leather item, follow a few conditions. The label on any item tells not only about the manufacturer, but also about the method of caring for the fabric. Therefore, please read it carefully and follow all instructions.

You should not wash the item completely if there is a small stain on it. It will be enough to treat the stained area.

If you still decide to wash things completely, then do a test to see how the fabric reacts to water. To do this, drop some liquid in an inconspicuous place (preferably on the underside) and leave for a while. If the material has not deteriorated, then you can wash the entire item at once. This procedure should be done with any cleanser so as not to spoil the clothes.

The surface of the leatherette should not be rubbed too hard - heavy processing may cause the fabric to stretch.

Another little secret! If artificial leather has become rough during wear or cleaning, glycerin can restore it to its original appearance. Soak a cotton pad with a small amount of glycerin and lightly wipe the rough area. After a few minutes, remove the product and rub the surface well with a clean, soft cloth.

Most often, things get dirty on the collar and cuffs, as well as the places where the leatherette comes into contact with our skin and rubs against any surface. And from rain and any moisture, stains may appear on things. To remove these stains and return your clothes to a neat appearance, you don’t have to wash them.

Wipe the surface where there is such dirt with dry soda and wipe it off with a soft cloth. In order to completely remove any remaining baking soda, treat these areas with a slice of lemon and leave to dry. Repeat the procedure if necessary.

Almost every leatherette garment has a lining, which gets dirty much faster. To clean it, you don't have to wash the entire item.

Carpet detergents work well to remove stains on the lining. They have dense foam that perfectly removes dirt. To wash the lining in an unusual way, dissolve the product in warm water and beat it into foam. Turn the garment inside out, hang it on a hanger, or place it on a flat surface.

Then, apply only the foam to the liner material. Leave for 20 minutes. After this, blot the lining well with a terry towel and leave until completely dry.

How to dry faux leather clothes

We figured out how to wash the item. Now let's find out how to dry it.

After washing, the product cannot be twisted, as the artificial leather will lose its shape. Place it in a terry towel and wring it out lightly. Then lay it horizontally on a dry towel and wait for the clothes to dry.

It is not recommended to weigh a wet item on a hanger. The material will become heavy due to water, and the dress will eventually stretch out. When drying, it is better to turn the product inside out - this way the moisture will evaporate faster. It is strictly prohibited to place clothes near heating devices. Ironing of such products is usually not necessary, unless it is allowed by the manufacturer and in general there is a need for it, since the material rarely wrinkles. Information about the possibility of using the iron and the permissible temperature conditions is also indicated on the label.

Now you know how to properly care for faux leather items. With a competent approach to washing and drying, your favorite dress will serve you for many years.

What do you need to care for your leather jacket?

Information on how to care for a demi-season or winter leather jacket is usually located on the label. There are a lot of special products on sale for caring for clothes made of genuine leather:

• To prevent the item from deteriorating from moisture, it is recommended to treat it with a water-repellent spray. Bottles of this product can be purchased at a store that sells genuine leather products.
• Moisturizing impregnation, which contains vegetable oils and glycerin, will help prevent the appearance of cracks in leather clothes. If such a product is not available, it can be replaced with any other moisturizing cream for the face or body.
• To clean the product from dirt, it is recommended to use a foam cleaner.
• Wet wipes for leather, soaked in a composition with silicone, will help give it a beautiful shine if there is a need to urgently renew it. They should be carried with you.

Folk remedies for natural skin care

Natural leather, for all its durability, is subject to the influence of many negative external factors, which most often lead to a change in the color of the product. To prevent a leather accessory from losing color, it must be carefully looked after from the very moment of purchase. If something goes wrong and the product has faded, you can try to return its color using a few simple techniques:

1. To prevent the white bag from turning yellow over time, it must sometimes be wiped with milk mixed with beaten egg whites.

   

2. If a black or brown bag has lost its shine, treat it with lemon juice - this will make the leather shiny and the color more saturated.

   

3. To maintain the rich brown color, care for leather products as follows: periodically wipe them with a soft cloth in which coffee grounds are wrapped. In this simple way you can restore both shine and color to your skin. There are other ways to use coffee: for example, dip a toothbrush in wet coffee grounds and brush it over a leather product. At the end of such wet cleaning, wipe the product with the same brush, only dry. With the help of coffee, you can take care of bags and accessories made of leather not only in brown, but also in dark shades: wine red, black, dark purple, and the like. However, light skins, especially white ones, should not be treated with coffee grounds!

   

4. You can restore the brightness of color and shine to a leather product by washing it in a weak heated solution of ammonia and then wiping it with castor oil, glycerin or petroleum jelly.
5. If you cut a head of onion in half and treat the surface of natural leather with the cut, this will not only renew its color, but also make its texture more noticeable. This method can also remove stains from leather bags.

In addition to these folk methods of putting leather products in order, there are also special means for tinting leather. They can be purchased in stores. The main thing is to use them very carefully, treating only stains, faded or worn areas of the material.

How to care for the product while wearing it?

In order for beautiful expensive things to last longer, you need to properly care for leather clothing. There are a number of rules that all owners of such wardrobe items must follow:

• The jacket must be protected from moisture. An umbrella will protect the product from heavy rain. When you come home from the street in inclement weather, you should dry your jacket well, otherwise unsightly stains will remain. If it becomes necessary to go outside in a leather product during rain or wet snow, it should be treated with water-repellent impregnation, otherwise it will become rough and deformed.
• Do not dry a wet jacket in direct sunlight, using a hair dryer or heating appliances. Before drying, it is recommended to wipe the jacket with a towel and hang it on hangers, removing the contents from the pockets.

• To prevent rapid wear and tear, you should treat your wardrobe item with a moisturizer once a week. The product is hung on a hanger and first wiped with a clean damp cloth to remove dust, and then a care composition is applied. You can make this product yourself. To do this, you need to buy glycerin at the pharmacy, dilute it with warm water in a 1:1 ratio and apply it to the skin using a gauze pad.
• If soiled, the jacket should be cleaned immediately. Depending on the type of stain and its nature, different cleaning methods should be used. Timely care is a guarantee of product durability.

Daily care for leather clothing

Consists of several actions. List of measures:

• making it waterproof (every 2-3 weeks it is treated with specialized impregnations after preliminary wiping the surface from dust);
• basic softening (for smooth leather, buy and periodically apply conditioner in the form of a spray or water-based cream, for delicate varnish - in the form of water-based foam, for suede a spray is suitable);
• emergency softening (apply moisturizing conditioner in several layers, one will not be enough);
• adding shine (first use a care product and a glossy finish, and then, if necessary, rub the material with flannel).

The organization of drying also requires a special approach. The principle of three “don’ts” is used:

1. Do not dry on radiators or with a hair dryer.
2. Do not leave small change in your pockets or hats or scarves in your sleeves.
3. Do not leave the item unfastened (close all zippers before drying).

Dripping drops are removed with a colorless microfiber cloth. Afterwards, the item is hung on strong, wide hangers and allowed to dry naturally (without the use of heating devices).

Important! While drying, you should not put the leather item in a closet or other small confined space. You should not place clothes on the balcony either. Prolonged, uneven exposure to direct sunlight is detrimental to leather and suede items.

If cleaning is necessary, do not use acetone, alcohol, or gasoline. If the stain cannot be removed with gentle specialized chemicals, then before using a caustic folk remedy, a preliminary test should be carried out on a limited, inconspicuous area. If the color changes, you will have to give up the idea of ​​dealing with the contamination yourself and take the item of clothing to the dry cleaner.

What to do if your jacket gets dirty?

Stains on leather clothing can appear for various reasons. Most often, they are the result of careless wearing of a jacket and improper care of natural leather: the places where the clothes come into contact with the body begin to shine as they become greasy. To return a soiled wardrobe item to its original appearance, it is recommended to use the following methods:

• Dry cleaning. It is most preferable for leather products, since it does not lead to premature wear. To combat stains on your jacket, you need to arm yourself with a sponge, a dry cloth and a weak soap solution. The sponge must be moistened in a water-soap mixture, wipe the stained areas with it, then remove the foam with a clean sponge and wipe dry.
• Removing paint stains. To do this, use nail polish remover without acetone. It is recommended to moisten a cotton pad and wipe the problem area. Then treat the cleaned area with a sponge soaked in soap suds, rinse it off with a clean cloth and dry the jacket with a towel.

First steps after purchase

It is necessary to eliminate the specific smell inherent in new leather clothing. To do this, the item of clothing is spread out on a horizontal surface of sufficient size (it must fit the entire item, otherwise creases will appear), sprinkled with coffee beans and left for a day. After 24 hours, the product is cleaned off with a brush.

Attention! The method is not relevant for things made of light or colored leather.

Next step : checking the water resistance. You need to find out how the material reacts to liquids: absorbs them or repels them. If the first property appears, then the item requires special handling:

• Do not use liquid cleaning products;
• must be protected from rain;
• If wet, dry immediately.

The essence of the test : drop water onto an inconspicuous area of ​​the item and wait. If the material in the affected area has darkened, it means that the moisture-repellent properties are absent or weakly expressed.

How to remove grease and get rid of scuffs?

The most common problems with prolonged wear of leather clothing are the appearance of grease, scratches and abrasions. They can be eliminated in the following ways:

• Small abrasions can be easily removed using pharmaceutical glycerin. Soak a cotton pad in it and wipe problem areas. To disguise a scuff on a brown jacket, you can use an orange peel: just rub the outside of the problem area and it will regain its original appearance.
• Liquid paint for natural leather will help get rid of scuffs. The jacket is first wiped with a clean damp cloth to remove dust. Dry and hang on hangers, and then spray dye onto the product.
• Greasy areas on a jacket most often appear on the sleeve cuffs and in the collar area. To get rid of them, you can use soapy water and a sponge, thoroughly wiping the shiny areas and then drying them with a towel.

Rules for wet cleaning a leather jacket

Most often, a leather product gets dirty from the inside, i.e. the lining requires washing. If you have the skills of a seamstress, you simply need to rip it off and wash it, and then return it to its place. If this is not possible, you will have to resort to wet cleaning of the leather product.

A jacket or other leather item must be turned inside out and the lining separated from the leather outer (for example, place a plastic bag between these layers). Apply a foamed soap solution to the fabric lining with a sponge, and rub particularly dirty areas (cuffs, collars) with a clothes brush. Then wash the sponge well, moisten it with water and vinegar (1 teaspoon per 1 liter) and wash off the soap suds. Dry the fabric well with napkins that absorb moisture. Without turning the item right side out, it should be hung on hangers and dried naturally.

It is correct not to wash the leather top, but to wipe it with the same soap solution, thoroughly squeezing the sponge soaked in it, and then wipe it with a slightly damp and completely dry soft cloth. This must be done by laying the item out on a horizontal surface. The product “washed” in this way is also dried on hangers.

Tip 3. Use professional products

A truly good product made of genuine leather is not the cheapest pleasure. If there is still something left on the card after the purchase, then take a professional care product. If you treat things with care, it will be necessary to use it extremely rarely. For now, just keep an eye on it and don’t forget to wipe it down.

There are a lot of brands of leather care products today, so go by how much money you are willing to spend: there are budget, little-known brands for 300-400 rubles, as well as more reliable and expensive ones - Fiebings

,
Eco Flo
,
Kelly’s
, which you can’t buy in a regular shoe store.

Here is a far from complete list of what will help keep your clothes intact for many years:

Balms

— gently cleanses and restores smooth leather products, suitable for small accessories;

Lotions

- protect and polish the skin, giving it a soft matte finish. Suitable for shoes and small accessories such as bags, backpacks and clutches.

Creams and aerosols

— most often, they are needed to restore the color or structure of the product. Suitable for shoes. If you monitor the product carefully, you will not need them soon.

In an ideal world, professional care products are applied with special sponges, rags or wool balls. You can order them in specialized stores - the American leather store stecksstore.com, the Czech pethardware.com, or on Ebay and Aliexpress. A set of the product and the item for its application, together with delivery, will cost 1000 - 1200 rubles

. And remember that if you don’t want to ruin an expensive item, it’s better to consult with professionals about caring for it. For example, with us, we’ll tell you everything absolutely free.

How to restore skin when scratches and cracks appear?

If scratches or cracks appear on your favorite jacket or coat, you can try to fix them at home. There are several restoration methods available:

• Apply hair dye cream of the appropriate color to the scratch using a cotton swab. Go over the damage with wax chalk.
• Using liquid leather can effectively disguise a large scratch. To eliminate the defect, it is recommended to carefully go over the problem area with a polishing nail file, then wipe it with a cotton pad soaked in alcohol. Gently apply liquid leather to the scratch or crack prepared in this way. Wait 10–20 minutes and wipe the repaired area with a damp cloth.

How to prepare an item for long-term storage?

In order for a jacket to serve for many years, you must not only carefully care for it, but also store it properly, following simple rules:

• You cannot fold an item and put it in this form on a closet shelf. A demi-season, winter jacket or down jacket is always hung on wide hangers.
• Leather does not feel good in polyethylene, so you cannot place products made from it in special storage bags. It is better to purchase a linen cover or keep the item in a closet with doors that will protect the jacket from direct sunlight.
• During storage, the item of clothing should be removed from the closet once a month and ventilated. After this, lubricate it with glycerin or castor oil and return it to its original place.

Tip 4. Store it properly

If you have leather clothes that will soon go into the closet for storage, then take care to provide them with good rest. You don’t need to throw your leather jacket on a shelf - hang it on a hanger and pack it in a case so that after a few months it doesn’t get scratches or creases. But, for example, it is better to put a bag on a shelf, rather than hang it by the handle. It is better to additionally stuff the inside of shoes (even if they are in a box) with paper and put them in a canvas bag. Just not in a plastic bag - the skin can also suffocate.