How to iron a leather jacket at home?

Leather is a practical and durable material that allows it to be widely used when sewing outerwear. Due to their excellent decorative qualities and high wear, leather jackets are very popular and have not gone out of fashion for many years. However, in the process of long-term storage, bruises and folds appear on things, which is why the problem of smoothing the skin at home is more than relevant.

There are several methods of ironing leather jackets, and the choice of one of them depends on the quality and thickness of the material, the degree of bruising and the availability of the necessary tools.

• Natural smoothing. The essence of this method is that the product is hung on a hanger and left alone for several days. The term for straightening the creases depends on the thickness and quality of the fabrication of the material. So, models made of thin leather are able to completely smooth out within three days, and if the product was slightly wrinkled, then one day will be enough. Thick pigskin jackets take much longer to straighten - in some cases, it can take up to seven days. The main condition for using this method should be the correct choice of a hanger. The product should not be too thin, and its size should clearly correspond to the size of the jacket. The best option would be a wooden or wide plastic hanger. The use of thin wire models is not recommended.

• Steam bath. This method is quite effective and allows you to tidy up heavily crumpled things. To perform smoothing, you need to place the jacket on a coat hanger and hang it over the bathtub. Then you need to close the door to the room and open hot water. After the bathroom is filled with steam, you should try to straighten out severe bruises and creases with dry hands, without stretching the skin and acting with extreme caution. After 15 minutes, the hot water can be turned off and the product can be left in the bathroom for a while. Usually it takes 50 minutes for the jacket to return to its original shape.

• Oil treatment. This method involves the use of nut butter. To smooth out bruises, it is necessary to treat problem areas with a cotton swab dipped in oil. At some intervals, the procedure should be repeated 4 more times. Walnut oil is able to quickly and deeply be absorbed into the pores of the skin and effectively flatten the material. This method is very effective and allows you to get rid of old creases and folds caused by long-term storage. After processing is over, it is recommended to place the jacket on a hanger and hang it in a ventilated room for 2-3 hours.

The main condition for oil smoothing is the cleanliness of the leather surface. Otherwise, the dirt will be absorbed along with the oil deep into the skin and it will become quite problematic to clean such a product. However, peanut butter, the main raw material for which is walnuts, is quite an expensive tool, which is why it will take some investment to smooth the jacket in this way. Replacing an expensive composition with a cheaper petroleum jelly, glycerin or castor oil will significantly reduce the cost of the procedure. Processing leather products with these products will not only help to quickly smooth out the wrinkled areas, but also protect the skin from premature drying out.

• Using a steam generator. Read the information on the label before steaming your leather jacket. So, models impregnated with moisture-repellent compounds cannot be steamed at all. In the absence of contraindications, this method can be safely used, especially since it is quite effective. Steaming should be started with the preparation of the product. To do this, you need to empty your pockets, unfasten the fur from the hood and place the jacket on a coat hanger. Then you should turn on the steam generator or iron with the option of vertical steam supply and smoothly steam off the creases.

• Dry smoothing. The essence of this method lies in a very gentle and accurate ironing of the product with a warm iron. You can iron leather items either from the wrong side through the lining, or from the front side, using wrapping paper or thick cotton fabric. It is very important not to allow direct contact between the soleplate and the leather surface. It is for this reason that the use of gauze or thin fabric is prohibited in this case. You should not use embossed kitchen towels, the so-called "waffle": the leather has a rather soft texture and the texture of this fabric can be imprinted on the material.

Ironing the skin should be performed at the lowest temperature, which usually corresponds to one graduation on the iron regulator. Silk and other sensitive fabrics are usually ironed at this temperature.Run the iron along the folds very carefully, allowing the skin to cool down. Problematic areas, such as sleeves, collar and shoulders, must be ironed using additional devices, and if they are not available, you can use a rolled-up towel placed inside the product. It is strictly forbidden to use steam and stay in one area for more than two seconds.

• Using the press. If a person is not at home and there is no way to iron the product in the traditional way, then the pressing method will come in handy. This technology belongs to the category of gentle and does not require the use of special tools and electrical appliances. As a press, a book stack, a saucepan or basin of water and bricks wrapped in cloth are suitable. Place the jacket on a hard surface, such as a table, and press down on the crumpled areas with a press. In this position, the thing is left overnight, and in the morning it is hung on a hanger for full straightening.

One of the most ineffective methods of smoothing leather jackets is to straighten creases with a hair dryer. Dry air negatively affects the leather surface and makes it hard and coarse. On top of that, old folds are unlikely to be ironed out in this way. A destructive procedure for natural leather is the use of hot water.

When smoothing the product with boiling water, the wrinkled places, of course, will straighten, but the material may deform and change color. It will not help to eliminate folds and stretching of the problem area in different directions. This will only spoil the appearance of the product, while the creases will remain in place.

Often, when ironing clothes, rather unusual situations arise, for the solution of which you can use simple, but at the same time practical advice.

• In order to properly remove the creases from the collar, you need to stroke it on both sides through a dense cloth, and then immediately rub nut oil or petroleum jelly into the skin. In case of severe wrinkling, the procedure must be repeated twice, and, as a rule, this is enough for the collar to acquire its original appearance and the jacket looks like new.
• If there are all sorts of defects on leather clothing, then in no case should steam be used. This procedure can aggravate the situation and the problem areas will become more visible. In this case, oil treatment or dry ironing of the product is well suited.

• It is recommended to use a steamer when straightening the folds on winter jackets with a non-detachable insulation. After processing, the product must be hung unbuttoned on a hanger and left in a ventilated room for several hours.
• After exposure to steam, the skin must be well dried. However, it is not recommended to do this near heating devices or under the influence of direct sunlight. The product should be placed in a well-ventilated area with normal humidity levels.

In order to avoid wrinkles and wrinkles, the leather jacket must be stored properly. The best storage option would be a wardrobe, in which the product will hang freely on a hanger, and not be folded in the closet. A practical solution would be to use a separate case to store the model. This will help protect the jacket from the constant mechanical stress it will be exposed to whenever you open the cabinet door.

It is also very important to observe the humidity regime in the room where leather items are stored. Too dry air will lead to the evaporation of moisture from the pores of the skin and rapid coarsening of the material, while too humid air will contribute to its excessive waterlogging, sagging and loss of its original gloss.In addition, if the jacket is wet in the rain, it is not recommended to put it in the closet. First, the skin must dry completely, and only then can it be removed in place.

For information on how to steam a leather jacket, see the video below.