How to smooth out a leather jacket at home, simple methods

Usually leather clothes do not need ironing, but there are cases when creases form on them or they are slightly wrinkled as a result of improper storage. Dry cleaning can solve the problem, but professional services are not cheap. In this regard, people are looking for ways to smooth out a leather jacket at home without damaging the product. There are several methods, some of them are better suited for natural material, others for substitutes. By following all the rules, things can be quickly returned to their original appearance.

Basic methods

Most often, the term "leather" jacket refers to a product made of eco-leather or a substitute. They are all similar in appearance and texture, but care for them may differ. It is easy to check the naturalness: to do this, wet a small area of ​​the fabric from the outside, on which a dark spot will immediately form. Another option is to heat the material with your fingers for 1 minute, after which you can notice that the natural leather jacket has retained the heat and is wrinkled.

Items get wrinkled when they are hung on hangers that are not the right size, or when they are stored folded in warehouses or put away in bags for the winter. The creases on a leather jacket are especially noticeable if there are other items on top. This is improper handling of the material, but clothing departments do not always have the ability to store items in a different way. A jacket can get wrinkled if it is sent by mail. There are several ways to straighten items:

• steaming;
• hanging;
• dry ironing;
• use of press and oils.

To avoid problems, before straightening a leather jacket, you need to know the exact composition of the material and follow the procedures according to the recommendations. Each of the methods has its disadvantages and contraindications, and this must be taken into account before starting work.

Steaming

There are two ways to steam a jacket. The simplest and most effective is to hang it over a bathtub with hot water. The humid air should act for at least 50 minutes, then dry the clothes. The second method involves using a steamer, a special brush or an iron with a steam function. To make sure that the item will not be damaged, before using the selected device, test it on a small area. Recommendations on how to steam a leather jacket:

1. The item is hung on a hanger of a suitable size to avoid deformation of the shoulders.
2. Before ironing the jacket, the surface is cleaned of dirt. Otherwise, the stain may become more embedded in the material.
3. Smooth leather can be processed on the outside, while products with a printed or laser-coated finish can only be processed on the back side.
4. The steamer is kept at a distance of 15-20 cm and constantly moved. If the stream of hot air is directed only at one place, the skin may be damaged under its influence.

The devices are best suited for natural materials. Leatherette and eco-leather are more difficult to steam. During the procedure, do not pull the item too much.

Dry ironing

Whether it is possible to iron a leather jacket is determined by the manufacturer, which is informed to the buyer on the label. If the method is not prohibited, then the work is carried out in compliance with certain rules, otherwise the item can be damaged. It is worth considering right away that the electrical appliance is not used for items with laser processing, embossing, rolling, varnish coating. If the clothes have a thin lining, you can iron from the inside.

If you iron a leather jacket from the front side, then cover it with a light, dry, even fabric. It is best to use satin, linen, calico, ticking. You can use wrapping paper, thick paper. The procedure is carried out according to the following rules:

1. Before ironing a leather jacket at home, place it on an ironing board so that there are no new folds.
2. The iron temperature is set to 110-150 degrees or to point 2 (in some models of electrical appliances).
3. To iron the sleeves, use special pillows or roll the fabric into a roller and insert it inside. To straighten the collar, you need to hold it with your hands.
4. For severe creases, first heat the leather with an iron, then place a heavy object on the area for several minutes.

Ironing is done with non-slip movements, the device is left on the surface for a few seconds, then moved from place to place. If the fold is not straightened the first time, the procedure is repeated, and the iron is pressed harder. But this is not always necessary, because it can smooth itself out when the skin cools down. The straightened item is not put on immediately, it needs to hang for some time.

It is recommended to iron the jacket completely, even if it is partially wrinkled, so that the material is the same on all sides.

Press

You can smooth out a leather product under pressure. Any available heavy objects that can be placed on the book to provide a flat, pressing surface can be used as a press. This method is best used for items made of artificial material. How to smooth a leather jacket at home under pressure:

• place the product on a flat surface;
• straighten the material;
• place a heavy object on top of the crease.

The clothes are left to straighten for about 12 hours, but the result is assessed every 2-3 hours, as sometimes a short period is enough. After straightening, the wardrobe item is hung on a hanger. If the creases have not straightened out after a few hours, the procedure can be repeated.

Hanging out

Leather is an elastic fabric that has the ability to straighten itself. It is enough to hang the product on the back of a chair or a round hanger of the right size, straighten it evenly and wait. The downside is that it will take about a week for thick material and several days for soft material, and strong creases may not disappear under their own weight. In this regard, people are looking for relevant ways to smooth out a wrinkled leather jacket at home. You can try to speed up the process: to do this, spray the item with cold clean water from a spray bottle. The jacket straightens out as it dries.

There should be no drafts or strong odors in the room where the item will hang.

Use of oils and fats

You can straighten a leather jacket using oils and fats. To do this, hang it on the back of a chair or a hanger, apply the folds in circular motions using a sponge and let it hang for a couple of hours. Then you need to process it a few more times, but first let each layer dry. For leather, you can use glycerin or Vaseline, they will soften the material. The same effect will be provided by baby, castor or nut oils. The latter can be purchased at grocery supermarkets. Previously, pork, cow and sheep fat were used to care for the material.

Glycerin is only suitable for genuine leather. If you are not sure of the origin of the material, it is better to choose another product or method for eliminating wrinkles.

How to Avoid Common Mistakes

In order not to waste time and keep the good appearance of the wardrobe item, it is not recommended to use dry hot air and water. In open sources, the method of influencing the item with a hair dryer is popular, but it is not advisable to use this method, because there is a high probability that the material will become rough and new damage will appear. Using hot water will cause the jacket to lose color and shape. The following nuances are also taken into account:

1. You must not stretch the folds manually or try to wear the product by putting on several sweaters or deliberately walking in the rain with the aim of getting it wet and drying it on yourself.
2. Steam straightening can ruin the item if it has been treated with a water-repellent agent, which should be indicated on the label.
3. Drying of the product should not be done near batteries and other heating devices. The skin will become rough, just like from the effect of a hot hair dryer.

Precautionary measures

When using an iron, the main condition is not to overdo it with the temperature. The steam supply function is not used, this can lead to roughening of the material. The mode can only be turned on when using the electrical appliance as a vertical steamer. Thin leather is ironed at the minimum temperature (1 point on the iron), if necessary, it is increased slightly. When processing with any electrical appliances, you need to ensure that drops of hot water do not fall on the product, they can leave stains. To do this, you need to supply steam into the air several times to make sure there are no splashes.

You cannot put on your jacket immediately after steaming: this can lead to deformation, especially if the material, which has not yet cooled down, is suddenly exposed to cold. Leather items cannot be machine washed; dirt can only be removed by hand. If you are afraid of ruining your clothes by using home ironing methods, you can take them to a dry cleaner, where specialists will put your jacket in order for a small fee.

How to fold a product so that it does not wrinkle

In order not to spoil the product during storage, you need to know how to fold it and whether it is possible to do so. The jacket cannot be rolled up or hung on a hook for a long time. Clothes should only hang on hangers that correspond to the size. All zippers or buttons should be fastened, it should not be in close contact with other things. If possible, put a cover made of natural material that allows air to pass through on the wardrobe item.

It is also worth considering that leatherette items do not tolerate high humidity in the room, in which case the material softens, easily wrinkles and can deform, even when on hangers. Too dry air is also dangerous: because of it, the fabric will become very rough, this can affect both the appearance and elasticity, the jacket can shrink. Ideally, the room should be cool, ventilated, with moderate humidity.

There are several ways to straighten wrinkles on a jacket at home, and all of them are quite simple. When purchasing a slightly deformed item, you can get a small discount. Having returned the clothes to their shape after purchase, observing all the recommendations for performing the procedures, they can be worn for a long time. The service life will depend on proper storage.

Video