subject: Guide To Keep Leather Jackets [print this page] Leather is a material which does not require much effort. It defiantly does not need to be professionally dry-cleaned every other weekend. This quality of leather makes it a resident of your wardrobe for years to come.
If your leather jacket has gone all dusty or has gotten soil over it you can simply wipe it off by using a clean cloth or a mild soap. Baby shampoo in these occasions is considered to be the best option. Never get you leather jackets dripping wet or dry it in sunlight or heat. This will make the dye of leather fade. If an oily stain has tried to ruin your leather jacket simply rub a little baby shampoo directly on the stain and let it rest there for some time. Then carefully sponge it off.
If harsh stains are up on your jacket you can use water and saddle soap. But you have to first try it on an inside seam of the jacket to check if the leather has a finish or not. You are lucky if your leather has a finish on it because it will make the water bead up resulting in no stains. However if your jacket has no finish then it can cause a spot. Suede leather can be cleaned with fine sand paper or suede brush. Water and soap wont be a very good option for suede leather.
Hairspray and perfume can easily be said to be the enemies of a womens leather jacket. As soon as you spray any of them over your jacket damage will be caused to the leather. It is usual that you catch rain when are in your leather jacket. No need to worry. Just hang your jacket in a corner and let it dry on its own. If it becomes stiff after drying try using a leather conditioner to bring the softness back.
Silicone spray and mink oil can make your leather jackets waterproof but they might cause the color to darken. The wise decision would be to try them first on an inside seam and see if it changes the color of the leather. The exceptions to this rule are black leather jackets which do not change their color while waterproofing.
However if you worry too much about your leather jacket or simply just do not want to do your laundry, you can always take your leather jacket to professional dry cleaners. Make sure you first talk with them about their leather washing experience. Dry cleaning also eliminates some of the dye of the leather so try avoiding taking it regularly.
Heat can ruin the texture and color of your leather so try avoiding it as much as possible. If your leather jacket gets wrinkles you can iron it using a cotton pressing cloth and low heat. Do not directly put the iron on the leather or keep the iron long on a single spot for too long. If direct contact is avoided a blow dryer can also be used to get rid of the wrinkles. When storing keep your leather jackets hanged. Do not cover them with plastic bags or they will come stiff.
These guidelines will surely help you to keep you leather jackets in good shape for a long, long time.
