How to smooth a leather jacket at home?

Leather is a practical and durable material that allows it to be widely used when sewing outerwear. Due to the excellent decorative qualities and high wear leather jackets are very popular and do not go out of fashion for many years. However, during 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 smoothing 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 fixtures.

• Natural smoothing. The essence of this method is that the product is hanged on a hanger and left alone for several days. The term of straightening the creases depends on the thickness and quality of the material. For example, models of thin leather are able to completely smooth out within three days, and if the product was wrinkled slightly, then one day will be enough. Jackets from thick pigskin straighten much longer - in some cases it may take up to seven days. The main condition for the use of this method should be the correct choice of hangers. 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 patterns is not recommended.

• Steam bath. This method is quite effective and allows you to put in order much wrinkled things. To perform the smoothing is required to place the jacket on the hangers and hang over the bath. Then you need to close the door to the room and open the hot water. After the bathroom is filled with steam, you should try to straighten out strong bruises and creases with dry hands, without stretching the skin and acting with extreme caution. After 15 minutes, hot water can be turned off, and the product left in the bathroom for a while. Usually, the fact that the jacket took its original appearance, it is enough 50 minutes.

• Oil treatment. This method involves the use of peanut butter. To smooth bruises, it is necessary to treat problem areas with a cotton swab moistened in oil. At some intervals, the procedure should be repeated 4 more times. Walnut oil is able to quickly and deeply soak into the pores of the skin and effectively straighten the material. This method is very effective and allows you to get rid of old wrinkles and folds caused by long-term storage. After the treatment is completed, it is recommended to place the jacket on the hangers 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 be quite problematic to clean this product.However, walnut oil, the main raw material for which is walnut, is a fairly expensive tool, because of which smoothing the jacket in this way will require certain investments. Significantly reduce the cost of the procedure will help the replacement of expensive composition for cheaper petrolatum, glycerin or castor oil. Processing the leather product with these tools will not only help to quickly straighten the crumpled areas, but also protect the skin from premature drying.

• Use of steam generator. Before you begin stripping a leather jacket, you should read the information on the label. So, models impregnated with water-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 start with the preparation of the product. To do this, you need to free your pockets, unfasten the fur from the hood and place the jacket on the hanger. Then turn on the steam generator or the iron with the option of vertical steam and smoothly steam the folds.

• Dry smoothing. The essence of this method lies in a very gentle and careful ironing of the product with a warm iron. You can iron leather things either from the reverse 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 sole of the iron and the leather surface. For this reason, the use of gauze or fine fabric in this case is prohibited. Do not use embossed kitchen towels, the so-called "waffle": the skin has a fairly soft texture and the texture of this fabric can be imprinted on the material.

Skin ironing should be done at the lowest temperature, which usually corresponds to one division on the iron regulator. Usually, silk and other sensitive fabrics are ironed at this temperature. Ironing along the folds should be done very carefully, allowing the skin to cool. Problem areas, such as sleeves, collar and shoulders, need to be ironed using extras, and in case of their absence, you can use a towel rolled up and 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 possibility to stroke the product in the traditional way, then the method of pressing will be most welcome. This technology belongs to the category of sparing and does not require the use of special tools and household appliances. A book stack, a pan or a basin with water and bricks wrapped in cloth are suitable as a press. The jacket should be placed on a hard surface, for example, on a table, and press down crumpled places with a press. In this position, the thing is left for the night, and in the morning it is hung on the shoulders for full straightening.

Among the most inefficient methods of smoothing leather jackets include straightening wrinkles with a hair dryer. Dry air has a negative effect on the leather surface and makes it hard and coarsen. On top of that, ironing out old folds this way is unlikely. The destructive procedure for natural leather is the use of hot water.

When smoothing the product with boiling water, the crumpled 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 smoothing clothes, quite unusual situations arise, for which you can use simple, but at the same time practical advice.

• In order to properly remove the creases from the collar, it is necessary to stroke it on both sides through a dense fabric, then immediately rub the peanut butter or petroleum jelly into the skin. In case of severe creases, the procedure must be repeated twice, and, as a rule, this is enough for the collar to get the original look and the jacket looks like new.
• If there are various defects on leather clothes, then in no case can steam be used. This procedure may aggravate the situation and problem areas will become more noticeable. In this case, oil processing or dry ironing is well suited.

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

In order to avoid wrinkles and bruises, a leather jacket must be properly stored. The best storage option would be a wardrobe in which the product will hang freely on the hangers, and not be folded in the closet. A practical solution would be to use a separate case for storing the model. This will help protect the jacket from constant mechanical stress, which it will be exposed to every time the cabinet door is opened.

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

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