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How can I clean leather jackets and pants without going to dry cleaners?
I have a bunch of leather coats, pants, ect, mostly black, some brown, a few sand/tan, and one pink, some have smooth surface, some have the fuzzy surface. I would like to clean them but I don't want to take them to dry cleaners. Are there things I can buy to clean them myself? I heard there is some kind of home-dry-clean thing that you put in the dryer with the clothes that need to be dry cleaned, and that when it is done, the clothes are dry cleaned. Is there something out there that would allow people to clean leather at home, either in the dryer or by hand? Is it bad for the health, if it is some chemical?
Also, what is the leather conditioner? And how does it work? Can it be done at home? Where to get it?
Lastly, how do they dye the leather pink? my pink fuzzy leather coat needs to be cleaned, and I would also like to dye it pinker if possible.
Thank you very much for helping. I alwasy wonder how they clean leather in dry cleaners.
Also, what is the leather conditioner? And how does it work? Can it be done at home? Where to get it?
Lastly, how do they dye the leather pink? my pink fuzzy leather coat needs to be cleaned, and I would also like to dye it pinker if possible.
Thank you very much for helping. I alwasy wonder how they clean leather in dry cleaners.
4 Answers
Go to any leather store or saddle shop and look for a tub of saddle soap. It safely cleans your leathers and conditions them to keep them soft and supple. Just rub on and buff off. Let air dry overnight. I don't advise using that home dry cleaners mess as you will ruin your coats. As for the dye job on your pink cost, you can talk to the personel at the saddle shop about a good place to take it. You want it done professionally so you don't screw it up.
If you have a local Tractor Supply near your home, or any place that carries horse supplies and equipment, you should probably find either a glycerin soap or some sort of leather specific cleaner. Or you can go to someplace online like www.doversaddlery.com or www.statelinetack.com, or any horse and tack supply shop (there are many).
For the blacks and browns, you can go to your grocery store and pick up some Murphy's Oil Soap and use that on the darker leathers. I wouldn't recommend this on the suede (the fuzzy leather). They make suede specific cleaner that you can use for that.
The lighter leathers (light tan, white, pink) Lexol makes a leather cleaner and conditioner that is specific to the lighter leathers (normal ones will darken the leather, make light tan into a dark tan, white into an off white, pink I have not a clue what it would do to it).
Leather conditioner or Neats Foot Oil Compound oils and conditions the leather, makes it water proof, keeps or makes it more flexible, and prevents cracks in the leather. After leather gets wet you should oil it. To oil it, rub in a layer of oil or leather conditioner using a soft cloth, let it dry some place warm (doing this outside on a sunny day will naturally warm the leather, or by a fire place or a heater, but don't put the leather ON the heater), and repeat until it will accept no more oil (looks wet even after it should have dried). Wipe off the excess oil. If you do this once or twice a month, depending on how much abuse the leather has had it shouldn't usually take more than one or two applications. The more abused the leather has been, the more attention it will take.
Normal leather cleaners, oils, and glyceride based soap doesn't bother most people (I have really sensitive skin, and my hands usually feel BETTER after cleaning a saddle or two) so they shouldn't bother your health. As for doing this at home, I suggest either outside, in your kitchen, or a bathroom because it can get a touch messy.
Cleaning leather works by stripping off the collected layer of gunk on top of the leather that sticks to the oils of the leather (the oil prevents the gunk and dirt from actually getting to and inside the leather) so leather cleaners strip off that oil layer. But it is imperative to put that layer back or you can permanently damage (like washing your hair, you shampoo and then condition) the leather.
Dry cleaning leather... I wouldn't suggest it personally. Dry cleaning involves chemicals, and I don't think that I would want to put my leathers through some one else's care and an unknown chemical process.
I know that dyeing leather is done during the leather processing phase, when it is the most "open" to receive dyes before it's fully processed. You can purchase leather enhancers and outer dies, but depending on the quality you might have to redo this after cleaning. Look online for a professional leather restorer and get into contact with them about what options you have for the pink jacket.
For the blacks and browns, you can go to your grocery store and pick up some Murphy's Oil Soap and use that on the darker leathers. I wouldn't recommend this on the suede (the fuzzy leather). They make suede specific cleaner that you can use for that.
The lighter leathers (light tan, white, pink) Lexol makes a leather cleaner and conditioner that is specific to the lighter leathers (normal ones will darken the leather, make light tan into a dark tan, white into an off white, pink I have not a clue what it would do to it).
Leather conditioner or Neats Foot Oil Compound oils and conditions the leather, makes it water proof, keeps or makes it more flexible, and prevents cracks in the leather. After leather gets wet you should oil it. To oil it, rub in a layer of oil or leather conditioner using a soft cloth, let it dry some place warm (doing this outside on a sunny day will naturally warm the leather, or by a fire place or a heater, but don't put the leather ON the heater), and repeat until it will accept no more oil (looks wet even after it should have dried). Wipe off the excess oil. If you do this once or twice a month, depending on how much abuse the leather has had it shouldn't usually take more than one or two applications. The more abused the leather has been, the more attention it will take.
Normal leather cleaners, oils, and glyceride based soap doesn't bother most people (I have really sensitive skin, and my hands usually feel BETTER after cleaning a saddle or two) so they shouldn't bother your health. As for doing this at home, I suggest either outside, in your kitchen, or a bathroom because it can get a touch messy.
Cleaning leather works by stripping off the collected layer of gunk on top of the leather that sticks to the oils of the leather (the oil prevents the gunk and dirt from actually getting to and inside the leather) so leather cleaners strip off that oil layer. But it is imperative to put that layer back or you can permanently damage (like washing your hair, you shampoo and then condition) the leather.
Dry cleaning leather... I wouldn't suggest it personally. Dry cleaning involves chemicals, and I don't think that I would want to put my leathers through some one else's care and an unknown chemical process.
I know that dyeing leather is done during the leather processing phase, when it is the most "open" to receive dyes before it's fully processed. You can purchase leather enhancers and outer dies, but depending on the quality you might have to redo this after cleaning. Look online for a professional leather restorer and get into contact with them about what options you have for the pink jacket.
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