how often do you clean your jacket?

[bullet08]

i have a horsehide wested jacket that i got in late 08. how often do you send your jacket to the cleaner? i wore this two winters and i'm not sure if i need to send it to the cleaner or not.

pete

[Holt]

why would you clean it? let it age and distress. let it get dirty and beat up. its an Indy jacket.

[Indiana Bugs]

why would you clean it? let it age and distress. let it get dirty and beat up. its an Indy jacket.

I will never again send any leather jacket to be professionally cleaned. I did it once and it came back so shiny it wouldve worked as well as the head piece to the staff of rah.

When I want to clean the interior of a leather jacket I use my trusty spray bottle of oxiclean solution. I spray the interior and down the sleeves, and then spray it again with the shower nozzle - not to drench it down to the leather, but enough to wash off the oxiclean solution. My bare arms can feel the difference.

[Texan Scott]

It is difficult to entrust a third party with a prized leather jacket. These jackets are a rare breed, at least one made exactly like the film jacket.

Use a mist spray bottle with water and wipe down, followed by an application of pecards or leather lotion is a good idea.

[binkmeisterRick]

I thought folks just stuck 'em in the washing machine or wore them in the shower? (Apparently, some actually DO!)

[Indyzane]

My Weated LC still has alot of Fullers Earth from Halloween. Just makes it look better not washing it off IMO. 

[JulianK]

(Apparently, some actually DO)

HEY!...I resemble that remark! What's your point?

[kwad]

I've had many leather jackets over the years (mainly biker types) and have never had a single one of them cleaned.

Thand GOD someone finally invented Fabreeze!!

[nicktheguy]

Ditto - never cleaned any of mine - not even my father's WWII A-2.

[Scandinavia Jones]

Hm. Gearheads seem to be a smelly bunch...
If worn a lot, a leather jacket will eventually reek. Not sure Febreeze and similar products actually cleans a jacket - AFAIK, it's a fabric refresher, not an actual product that cleans a garment.

At some point, I'll have my Wested cleaned professionally. I can understand if people are wary of taking their leather garment to a cleaner - I have had bad experiences myself - but in the end the amount of odoriferous bacteria gathering in seams, nooks and crannies must go.

[Texan Scott]

Humidity may have something to do with it also. I was just down in Brasil, and his leather jacket down there was molding, due to the high humidity, something we don't have to worry much about in the desert. I could see where humid places could potentially have a problem with it.

[Scandinavia Jones]

Oh, I shower quite regularly. On occasion, even in my jacket. Clothes, on the other hand, tend to stay dirty no matter how meticulously I handle my personal hygiene.

A jacket worn outdoors, soaked in rain and sweated in eventually develops a scent. Yes, humidity is a definitive factor too. Leather is a "live" material, and need to be taken care of with proper cleaning products. A heavily distressed leather jacket, such as mine, is a veritable sponge for all kinds of pollution and gets dirty "all the way through", in a way... hence the need for a good cleaning.

The rubbing alcohol and Lysol sounds like great ways to keep it clean - will give those a go too.

[Kt Templar]

Ok, going to be in the minority here I think.

If you are careful you can wash your jacket. Yes, I know, you are not supposed to and it WILL alter the way it looks somewhat. But if it is starting to be unpleasant, a wash is preferable to a jacket that offends!

BE WARNED JACKETS MAY SHRINK.

I don't notice much on these, but I washed the lamb on high as I was trying to shrink it! Some people have experienced drop off of the surface of the leather.... so wash at your own peril!

I've bought a couple in the past that, whilst not terrible just smelt like someone else and I really could not stand that.

If you do try this try hand washing in warm water and gentle detergent press it out and then lay it flat to dry outside but not in direct sun.

I've, however, used a frontloader washing machine.

The horsehide seemed to keep it's shape better than the lamb.

Of course you can take it to a dry cleaner, but here that would cost about a third of the price of a mid range jacket, so I preferred to wash it.

Both of the following have been washed.

Lamb:

Note the distortion on the zipper and the wrinkling of the pockets.




Horse:

[Michaelson]

If you DO take it to a cleaner, make absolutely sure they're a leather specialist. Otherwise, all bets are off as to what you'll get back, and in what condition, as any regular dry cleaner will make no promises when it comes to a leather garment.

I found out the hard way, and it took a LONG time to get an A2 I had back in any kind of wearable condition after I made the mistake of taking it to a dry cleaner who SAID they were leather specialist. They weren't. Check 'em out if them make that claim.

Other that that one A2, I've never had one cleaned. I've used the practices mentioned above regarding hand cleaning and treatment with leather care products.

Regards! Michaelson

[Texan Scott]

One variable too that is potentially in our control is the amount and temperature of the water the leather is exposed to. Personally, I'd hate to put one of these treasured jackets into an industrial washing machine and just press the button, jmho. When it comes to one of these leather jackets, I'd rather apply the cleaning or the leather lotion by hand, but that's just me.

[nicktheguy]

but in the end the amount of odoriferous bacteria gathering in seams, nooks and crannies must go.

The occasional soaking and the annual Pecards treatment takes care of that - really. If I'm noticing anything in the lining, I personally like to give it a good steaming and some Lysol. I don't care much for Fabreeze. Another good way to treat the lining is rubbing alcohol applied with a spray bottle with the jacket turned inside-out. Beware the fumes.

Also - well - regular showering seems to do the trick pretty well too? I've owned jackets for 20+ years without ever needing to take them to a cleaner, and I have a pretty sensitive nose for BO...

Say _, wouldn't also a vodka/water mix work as well? I know we use that in the film industry to clean off nasty smelling harnesses and other actor clothing at times.

[Indyzane]

Ok so I was talking with my wife and I told here about this post about stinky jackets. She said to me have you heard about the new jeans from Brazil? I said no why and she said the they are made of 100% organic cotton and the are reversible. Instead of washing them all you do is put them in the freezer for 24 hours and it kills all bacteria! So I did a search and she's defiantly right. Anyhow if you spill coffee or stain your jeans you'll have to go wash them the normal way (washing machine) and clean them.

So what's my point? Well maybe and I say just maybe this idea would work on our leather jackets! Well the killing the bacteria part. Isn't that what is most important here is killing the odor? So what do you say let's all put our jacket's in the freezers tonight! Maybe this will help? So let turn those valuable jackets inside out and kill the odor! Worth a try I say. I know some of you think I might be crazy but heck like I said it's worth a try.

Indyzane

[nicktheguy]

If that's the way to do it then I would recommend the UVC wands = they use blue light to kill bacteria.