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How To Care For A Leather Jacket: Cleaning, Maintenance & Storage

You’re about to go on a travel and you need to wear your favorite leather jacket but it needs some cleaning. You would probably take it to a dry cleaning shop and spend some funds to have it cleaned or you can do it yourself.

Owning a leather jacket is a necessity but keeping it clean is another thing. Here’s what you need to do when you have your own leather jacket.

Check the Label

This is certainly the most important thing to do before getting yourself a leather jacket. Material of the leather jackets have a big difference on how you treat it. Whether you have a cowhide, sheepskin, buckskin or an antelope, you should know the do’s and don’ts, that’s why checking the label is necessary. This is a great help since they give instructions and advices for you to follow.

Keep it Clean

There are a lot of ways on how to keep your leather jackets clean especially online. Some suggest you need to use an old way how to get rid of the stains by using olive oil and white vinegar, though this method might give a risk of staining your jacket more. The use of washing machine is the easiest and fastest way to clean but it might also discolor and shrink your precious leather jacket. You got to make sure that your jakcket has a high resistance so that no matter what method you will use, you won’t need to worry.

How to Clean a Leather Jacket


There are different worth trying ways on how to clean your jacket. The use of Talcum powder is a good choice since the powder absorbs the grease stains that’s left in the jacket and if it has ink stain just gently rub it.

Another simple yet effective solution is by using warm and soapy water. Before drying, wipe your jacket with a damp soft cloth, but before doing so don’t forget to test t somewhere that can’t be easily seen like the cuffs and if the jacket absorbs the water you should stop doing it right away.

How to Wash a Leather Jacket

Finding a good quality leather jackets in a vintage shop is like discovering a treasure especially if it fits perfectly on you and the price didn’t make your pocket cry. However, sometimes cleaning your jacket by just wiping a wet cloth won’t be enough to get rid of that vintage shop smell. You can wash your jackets of course but it’s a bit risky, but don’t worry we have some procedures for you to follow on how to wash it but keep in mind that this procedure will only be successful if your leather jackets are real. Avoid doing it in shiny and polished leather jackets since the coat will crack and we don’t want that to happen.

Try to follow these simple steps and make your leather jacket look perfectly clean.

  • Zip your leather jacket and inside out and put it in the washing machine with a few items like socks, shirts, and jeans. Those pieces of clothing will absorb the water than the jacket.
  • Use your current laundry soap or powder and try to use cold water in small sets.
  • When it comes to drying, go for a medium heat and make sure that before taking your jacket out, it is completely dry. If you’re worrying if your jacket will shrink, you could totally take the jacket out a couple of minutes in advance and try to flat dry it so it won’t take the hanger’s shape.
  • After following the steps, your jacket would totally look nice without a nasty smell.

Keep it Dry


Water can cause trouble on leathers. Once it gets wet, it swept away the natural oil of the material leaving the jacket dry and crumbly. To avoid this give some extra protection on your jacket by using some good quality leather conditioner. This will make your jacket look new, strong and more water resistant.

Turn Down the Heat

Throwing your leather jacket in a dryer or even using a hairdryer without controlling the heat will make your leather problems worse. You could avoid taking this risk by placing your jacket in a place with room temperature. This will dry your jacket slowly.

You can also try wearing it for a couple of minutes to keep it away from getting stiff. A leather conditioner would also be good to avoid cracks. Always make sure that your leather jacket is completely dry before you return it to your wardrobe.

Hang it Well


The creased leather jacket never looked cool, so refrain from folding your jacket as much as possible. Try hanging your jackets in a wide padded coat hanger and keep it in a cool dry place. However, if you are carrying it in a bag make sure to get a bag that has a breathable material to keep your jacket fresh. Avoid hanging your jacket in a direct sunlight since this may cause discoloring and will dry out your jacket.

How to Soften Leather

Leather gets stiff by time and when your leather jackets are having a rough time there are different ways on how to bring back the lost moisture back in place. You can try applying and rubbing baby oil or petroleum jelly on your jacket’s fabric but of course, there’s one great product that always does the job for leathers.

Leather Jacket Conditioner


Getting the best softening leather jacket treatment it is always great to go for a leather conditioner. This product is made to make your jacket look naturally smooth when you are wearing it.

Best Leather Conditioner

The best leather conditioner is in spray form. It is so easy to use and you could control the amount of conditioner you apply all over your jacket. Try to rub and spray the conditioner on the leather for it to be fully absorbed.

After spraying the conditioner, dry your jacket in a medium heat using a hairdryer. Though, you always need to take precautions when drying your jacket.

Checmical Guys Leather Conditioner is one example of a good leather conditioner. That will make your jacket smooth.

Take it to the Professionals

Looking for the easiest way to clean your leather jacket? Well taking it to professional dry cleaner will do the job for you. This also avoid putting your leather jackets at risk. You can bring it to them once a year.

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