How to iron a leatherette jacket at home?
On jackets made of artificial leather, various irregularities, creases and dents quite often appear; even the newest jackets, if stored improperly, can become rather unaesthetic. However, it is not at all necessary to resort to dry cleaning services in order to smooth out a thing that has lost its original appearance. You can give them a second life using an ordinary iron, hairdryer, steamer or shoe cream.
Using an iron
Dents on artificial leather are easily smoothed out under the influence of high temperatures, however, first you should carefully study the recommendations for caring for the thing, which, as a rule, are indicated on the label or on the label. If heat treatment does not harm your thing, then you can safely use the following method.
- To begin with, the jacket should be turned inside out, after which a tight roller is rolled out of the towel and placed under the place that you plan to smooth.
- If you are working with a thing that has a thin lining, then you should additionally cover the area to be treated with gauze or any cotton cloth.
- The iron should be set to the "Silk" or "Wool" mode and turn off the hot steam option.
- The product is ironed without any pressure, but also without prolonged stops.
- When the thing is smoothed, it should be turned back and kept on a hanger or a mannequin for an hour - this way it will better retain its shape and appearance.
- If you need to smoothen pockets or sleeves, then first fill them with a cloth or napkins, so you can quickly give them the desired shape.
- Many housewives reject the idea of ironing a leatherette jacket at home with an iron and is completely in vain, because with proper handling, things can quickly return to their original appearance.
Important: keep in mind that this method is only acceptable for jackets on a cotton or knitted basis, such materials are popularly called leatherette, and more recently its subspecies, vinyl leather, have emerged.
Steam use
This option is considered more gentle than ironing, although for such work, the latter will still be needed. In addition, you should prepare a soft towel as well as a mannequin.
To begin with, the jacket is hung on a prepared base or, in the absence of the latter, a hanger, the sleeves are stuffed with rollers and the iron is set to "steaming" mode. The crumpled area is treated with hot steam at a distance of 10-15 cm until smoothing, after which it is left to dry for about half an hour.
Keep in mind that you should not touch the jacket with your hands while ironing, as this may leave unsightly marks.
Tip: first, try to process a small area of the material in an inconspicuous place - this is necessary in order to make sure that the item reacts normally to steaming.
Unfortunately, not every iron has the necessary function to steam a thing. In this case, things can be arranged in a "steam bath": for this, the product is hung (necessarily on a hanger, over a bathtub filled to the brim with hot water) over the steam. In such a "sauna" the product should be kept for at least 5 hours, then dried in a cool room.
Advice: the door to the bathroom should be kept closed during processing, otherwise the air will cool down and smoothing will not occur.
Hot air blowing
This is a very effective way to smooth out even the most severe dents. A hairdryer will help, along with a thin blanket and cotton scarf.
Inside, crumpled clothes are stuffed with a blanket, so the jacket will better keep the required shape. The outlet of an ordinary hair dryer is covered with a damp cloth and turned on to supply the hottest air.
Problem areas are treated at a distance of 25-35 cm, after which the product is left to cool.
Using cold water
Water is considered the most gentle way to smooth leatherette products. It does not spoil the structure of the material, but the effect is no less pronounced. You will need ordinary water, as well as hangers: it is advisable to take those that will be slightly smaller than the size of the jacket, otherwise, during processing, the sleeves may be pulled back and then the clothes will lose their shape.
Water must be poured into a spray bottle and well sprayed over the surface of the product., after which the thing must be left for 10-14 hours. Keep in mind that there should be absolutely no drafts or temperature changes in the room during drying - all of them can have the most adverse effect on the condition of a wet jacket.
Usually, after the specified time, all folds are smoothed out by themselves.
If the creases are too strong, then it is advised to add a little glycerin or a water-repellent spray to the water - these ingredients soften artificial skin and help smooth it as efficiently as possible.
Some housewives use a slightly unusual method - in rainy or foggy weather, they go out in wrinkled clothes and walk for about an hour. This is an extreme method, but quite effective. In this case, the external environment moisturizes the jacket, and the heat of the human body warms it. As a result, the so-called greenhouse effect is formed, thanks to which things are smoothed out in a natural way.
However, if you are prone to colds, then you should not abuse this method.
Using the cream
This option is called a mask, in this case, irregularities and creases on the leatherette can be easily removed with ordinary shoe cream: the product is just applied to the damaged area, rubbed well and left to dry.
Note: Shoe cream, as a rule, has a pronounced smell, so it makes sense to take clothes outside or on a balcony for a couple of hours after processing.
Using a multicomponent composition
A fairly effective remedy for ugly wrinkles is a mixture of water, vinegar, and a good fabric softener. All ingredients are taken in equal proportions and sprayed onto the jacket through a spray bottle.
Sometimes stains remain on the artificial skin - they can be easily removed with a damp cloth.
Tips for ironing other items
In conclusion, we will give several recommendations, which will help to smooth out other leatherette products.
- If you have wrinkled the leatherette upholstery on the furniture, then a damp sheet will help you. To begin with, you need to wet it and wring it out in the washing machine, then cover the sofa so as to ensure the most snug fit to the surface and leave it until it dries completely. The sheet should be taken by all means cotton and always white, otherwise it may shed and change the color of the upholstery material.
- If you ruin the bag, then you can use any of the proposed methods, the only difference is that first you need to stuff the thing tightly with cloth towels, paper or gauze so as to stretch the eco-leather as much as possible.
- If, as a result of improper storage, the leatherette skirt has crumpled, then you just need to wash it at 30 degrees in manual mode, while the number of revolutions must be set to the minimum level. As soon as the wash is completed, the item should be removed from the drum, straightened and hung on a hanger to dry.
Keep in mind that if you leave a thing in the typewriter even for a few minutes after finishing work, it will be remembered even more.
For information on how to iron a leatherette jacket at home, see the next video.