How To Green Clean A Leather Jacket

This is a contributed post from Brian.

Valuable jackets come with valuable responsibilities. Yes, a leather jacket is nothing short of a superhero in your wardrobe world! 

No other garments have a similar timeless appeal that inspires competence and toughness. It has become a staple of urban culture and a must-have item in the wardrobes of men and women alike.   

A leather jacket is no doubt an investment piece. When you buy it, you are purchasing it for life. Therefore you should take good care of it. The foremost step is to know how to clean your leather jacket. If you keep it clean and shiny, you give it a good 20 years of life!

You can keep away your jacket from any spills, stains, scuffs, oil, and grease, but not forever. Usually, when you dress up in women’s leather jackets, you unknowingly find your jackets misted up with hairspray, cologne, and perfume.

Also, if you are wearing your leather bomber jacket for women and are out for a ride, your jacket can get deposits of road salt, dirt, and dust. All these factors distress and deteriorate your delicate leather jacket.

However, when it comes to cleaning up, we always think about aftercare. Why not clean your leather jacket before putting it on? Well, if you take some measures before wearing your leather jacket, it can be preserved for a longer time against grime, dirt, and stains.  

The best way for prior preservation is to treat your leather jacket with a leather protector spray. This spray will help in repelling water and shielding against stains. Use this technique as ‘leather care 101’ for the first use, and then repeat every year.  

Here are some simple yet effective ways to clean your leather jacket without ruining it:

Using Detergent To Clean A Leather Jacket

This is the most effortless way of all. But as a precaution, do a patch test first. Apply a small amount of your detergent on a part of your leather jacket that is not immediately obvious. Let it sit for 10 minutes. Check and make sure there is no spoil to that area.  

Now, fill warm water in a large open container. Add about two teaspoons of a mild liquid detergent and stir to dissolve properly. If the solution is gentle and mild, it will not harm your jacket in the process.

Next, dip a soft sponge into the soapy solution and squeeze out the excess water. This will make the sponge damp enough that it won’t saturate the leather jacket. Start off by wiping your jacket with this damp sponge. Try using long gentle motions and don’t scrub in too hard. Work on all the dirty parts.

After you are done, dip a clean cloth made of microfiber in freshwater. Wring it off to make it damp. Use this cloth to wipe off the soapy residue. Finally, use a dry towel to pat dry.

To dry, hang your leather jacket in a well-ventilated area. Avoid it from direct sunlight and never put it in a washing machine spinner.

This method works best for cleaning both; the lining of your leather jacket and the outer layer of your jacket.

Using Toothpaste To Clean A Leather Jacket

For dealing with any major stains on your leather jacket, you can use a very common household item –toothpaste. We recommend you use non-gel toothpaste for this task. Take a small blob of the toothpaste on your fingertip and try making gentle circular motions to cover the affected area. Let it sit for about ten seconds.

Use a soft microfiber cloth and calmly wipe off the remains of the toothpaste.

You will be amazed to see the results. The stain is lifted off completely. Just keep in mind not to rub in too hard with the toothpaste. We don’t want to put the delicacy of the leather jacket in distress.  

Using Baking Soda

You can go to lengths to save your valuable leather jacket from oil and grease stains. But if an oily, greasy stain has happened, don’t fret for long. Get hold of baking soda, a common cooking ingredient. The trick is to sprinkle the product over the oily and greasy spots. Let it sit for a few hours or even overnight. The soda absorbs the oil entirely.

You will notice that the oil stain has disappeared. Use a damp cloth to rub off the excess baking soda. Nest, pat dry the leather jacket with a dry towel. Your jacket will be shining just like new.      

Use Vinegar To Clean Your Leather Jacket

It wouldn’t be a ChaChingQueen cleaning article without the mention of vinegar!

The prime reason for a leather jacket to smell is due to sweat. The sweat dampens the lining and thus starts to smell musty. For this, you need to prepare a solution mixing equal parts of vinegar and water in a spray bottle.

First, turn your leather jacket inside out. Lightly mist the jacket’s inner layer with the spray solution. Hand the jacket to dry naturally. Voila! Your jacket is smell-free.

Also, if your favorite leather biker jacket has marks of road salt, you can use this vinegar solution. Just dip a soft cloth in it and gently rub over the salt stains. At last, clean with a dry cloth.

Using Rubbing Alcohol For Mold

If you own a leather jacket then you must also keep rubbing alcohol at home. It has many remarkable uses; most importantly it helps to get rid of mold growing on your leather jacket.

All you have to do is mix half a cup of rubbing alcohol with a half cup of water. Dip a microfiber cloth into the solution and wipe the molded area in tender motions. The mold will become lighter with every touch. Once it is entirely clean, use a damp clean cloth to wipe the alcohol off.

Using Nail Polish Remover To Clean A Leather Jacket

When your lucky stars are busy elsewhere, you might even get an ink stain on your leather jacket! So don’t curse your lucky stars, instead, get your hands on a non-acetone nail polish remover.

What you need to do next is take a damp sponge. Scrub lightly the ink spot for a few seconds. Now dry the area well with a dry cloth. Take a cotton ball, dip it in the nail polish remover and rub the area. Make sure you apply medium pressure. Lastly, dry the treated area.

In Conclusion

A leather jacket is the epitome of attractiveness, class, and confidence. So, if you do not wish to ruin your leather jacket you must keep these cleaning tips in mind. Don’t forget to invest in a leather conditioner and never throw your jacket in a washing machine. Following all the tips mentioned above will improve its quality and life.

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