Leatherette is a practical material. But at the same time it requires delicate care. Such products can be machine washed, but subject to a number of rules. The material can also be washed by hand.
Leatherettes must be pre-prepared for any washing. Chemicals should be used with caution when cleaning eco-leather.
Let's take a closer look at whether and how to properly wash eco-leather (leatherette, artificial leather) in a washing machine and by hand.
Is it possible?
Eco-leather (not thin) can be washed in a machine, but it is recommended to do this infrequently. Much depends on the strength of the material itself.
You need to pay attention to the tag . If it clearly states that the product should not be washed in a washing machine, then it should not be done.
Thin leatherette items should not be machine washed. They do not tolerate this washing option well. Thick eco-leather can be machine washed.
But washing in all cases should be gentle using non-aggressive agents. In this case, the washing temperature should be low.
General washing recommendations
- Do not start washing without reading the label directions. If the signs indicating hand or machine washing are crossed out on it, such an item must be cleaned using the dry method described above or sent to dry cleaning. Pay attention to the temperature sign and whether the product can be ironed. It may turn out that the information on the label has been erased over time. Then conduct a test on a small, invisible area of the leatherette, for example, on the reverse side. Wet the edge of the product and leave for 20 minutes, then inspect it carefully. If the material has not lost its original appearance, has not stretched or, on the contrary, has not wrinkled, such a thing can be washed.
- We do not recommend using harsh washing powders. It is better to use liquid laundry detergents. In extreme cases, liquid glycerin soap or regular dishwashing detergent will do.
IMPORTANT! It is prohibited to use chlorine-containing products or those containing bleaching components.
- Hot water can damage the leatherette, which after such washing will become deformed, stretched or become hard to the touch. Wash at a water temperature no higher than 30°C.
Preparing leatherette for washing
Before washing the product, you must:
- Carefully examine the tag on it. Make sure the item is washable. If neither machine nor hand washing is recommended, then dry clean the item only.
- Remove all unnecessary items from clothing pockets.
- Check the product for holes. Sew them up so they don't get bigger during the washing process.
- Treat stained areas with a cotton pad soaked either in an alcohol solution or in a mixture based on two large spoons of soap solution and glycerin. You can also use lemon juice or a water-vinegar solution (3 large spoons of warm water + a small spoon of vinegar). After treatment, wipe the product with a dry cloth.
- Fasten buttons on clothes along with zippers and locks. Turn it inside out.
Before washing leatherette items, it is recommended to check the reaction of the material to water.
It is necessary to lightly wet the product with water in an inconspicuous area. See after 20-30 minutes how the material reacted to water. If the eco-leather has not stretched or wrinkled, then you can start washing it.
How to wash artificial leather
Eco-leather is produced synthetically: a polyurethane film is applied to a fabric base. Polyurethane film under the influence of high temperature, hot air, and aggressive chemicals cracks and loses its original appearance. And the textile base can stretch or deform. That is why it is important to follow all the rules for cleaning leatherette items.
When planning to wash, you need to carefully study the product label. The manufacturer indicates there all the necessary information:
- Is it possible to wash the item?
- by hand or by machine;
- at what temperature;
- how to do push-ups;
- dry;
- iron.
If it is written that a dress made of eco-leather cannot be washed, then it is better to take the item to the dry cleaner. Specialists will professionally remove stains and tidy up your clothes.
If the label is lost, you will have to act at your own peril and risk. A leatherette dress can be washed in the following ways:
- partially, washing only visible stains;
- completely manual;
- entirely in the washing machine.
The choice of method depends on the specific item. If there is no label, you need to visually assess the strength of the product. It is better to use a washing machine for clothes of the same color, without decorative elements.
You should prefer manual cleaning if your leather dress:
- sewn from material of different colors;
- has textile inserts;
- decorated with rhinestones, embroidery, appliqués, perforations;
- contains metal elements: buttons, rivets, spikes, decorative details.
When there are doubts about the strength of the product, it is better to use a more delicate method.
Instructions
There are three methods for cleaning leatherette items. It can be hand and machine washable. For delicate items, dry clean only. Some durable materials can be treated with chemicals when dry cleaning. Traditional methods can also be used.
Manual processing of artificial leather
With this method, you must follow the instructions:
Take a large basin and pour warm water into it. Its temperature should be a maximum of 30C.- Pour 50 ml of liquid soap into a basin.
It is recommended to use a glycerin-based product. You can also use dishwashing detergent. Only liquid and non-aggressive products should be used. - Add a large spoonful of vinegar to the basin to make the eco-leather soft and more effectively remove stains from its surface.
- Wipe the product thoroughly with a soft sponge. Do not wrinkle leatherette.
- Drain the water. Pour water into the basin at the same temperature as during the washing process. Rinse the product in it. You need to do this 2-3 times, changing the water each time.
- After washing, do not wring out eco-leather. This causes it to become deformed and stretched. After rinsing, hang it on a hanger to allow the water to drain.
It is forbidden to soak leatherette products. Prolonged exposure to water may cause the material to stretch or shrink.
Using a washing machine
With this method, you must follow the instructions:
- Place the product in the drum. Pour the product into the powder receptacle. It is recommended to use liquid detergents designed for washing delicate fabrics. You can use gels to wash items made of wool and silk. Bleach and products containing chlorine are prohibited.
- Set to delicate wash mode. Eco-leather can be washed by hand washing. The water temperature in all cases should not exceed 30C.
- Disable spin and dry modes.
The optimal time for washing leatherette is 30 minutes.
Dry and wet cleaning
With this processing method, both household chemicals and folk remedies can be used.
Household chemicals
The best options are:
- "Turtle Wax" in the form of thick foam;
- "Fill Inn" in aerosol form;
- "Runway" in the form of a foam solvent.
All of these funds are used according to the same scheme. The product is sprayed onto a leatherette product and wiped off with a foam sponge after 5 minutes.
Traditional methods
You can wipe a leatherette item with an alcohol solution . It is enough to apply it on a cotton pad and treat the most contaminated areas of the product with it: the collar and cuffs.
If there are stains on your clothes, you need to treat them with lemon juice. It is also used to remove grease stains from clothes.
A water-vinegar solution can be used to remove coffee, wine and tea stains. It is enough to mix half a glass of warm water and one large spoon of vinegar. You need to dip a cotton swab in the resulting solution and treat the leatherette product with it.
Dry cleaning
You can clean a faux leather item yourself; you don’t have to use paid dry cleaning services to do this. In addition, such products do not need to be completely wet. Separately contaminated areas can be cleaned dry, using a cotton pad and an alcohol solution. As a rule, the most frequently contaminated areas of clothing are the collar, cuffs and pockets.
Shiny artificial leather can be wiped with a damp cloth and treated
baking soda. Dilute alcohol with water (1:1) and apply it to the stained areas. If whitish streaks appear on the collar or cuffs, wipe them with lemon juice. Lemon juice is also good for removing grease stains. If you spill wine on an item, prepare a solution of warm water and vinegar. Wipe the stained area with it. Wine stains can be cleaned with regular soap and water. Liquid soap with glycerin is well suited for these purposes. Treat the cleaned area with a damp cloth and then with a dry, clean flannel rag.
A soiled lining on clothing can also be washed without resorting to general washing. To do this, turn the item inside out and wash away the dirt with the prepared soap solution. Vanish works well for dirt that has become ingrained over time. If the lining is light in color, you can use oxygen bleach. After cleaning, wipe the fabric several times with a clean damp sponge and blot well with a dry terry towel. Hang the clothes inside out, on the back of a chair or on hangers until completely dry.
IMPORTANT! You should not speed up the drying process by using a household hair dryer or hanging the item on a radiator. Such methods will not only lead to deformation of the lining material, but will also harm the leatherette.
Of course, all these methods are applicable only to those things that are not very dirty. And if you have been wearing a jacket or coat for more than one season, and it requires a more serious and comprehensive method of cleaning, what should you do, spend money on dry cleaning? So is it possible to wash a leatherette jacket? The answer is simple. It all depends on the material itself and the recommendations that each manufacturer indicates on the label of their product.
IMPORTANT! Starting washing without reading the instructions on the label can lead to deformation and damage to the artificial leather.
How to remove stains?
To remove various types of stains, you can use a mixture of liquid soap and glycerin :
Take two large spoons of liquid soap and pour into a small container.- Add one large spoon of glycerin. Stir the mixture.
- Apply it to the contaminated area of leatherette. Leave for 10 minutes.
- Use a foam sponge to gently rub the stained area on the clothing.
- Wipe off any remaining mixture with a damp cloth.
- Wipe the treated area of the product with a dry cloth.
The Fill Inn cleaner must be used according to the following scheme:
- shake the bottle with the product;
- spray it evenly over the dirt;
- rub the cleaner with a sponge;
- wait 2 minutes.
After treatment, it is necessary to remove the product from the leatherette product with a dry, clean cloth.
Rules for washing leather products
Among the variety of materials used to make shoes, gloves, clothing, and accessories, leather, despite its strength, is considered one of the most delicate varieties.
For her, a procedure such as washing is a radical way to get rid of dirt. It should be carried out guided by the following rules:
- study the instructions reflected on the label on the possibility of washing;
- use detergent without bleaching ingredients;
- remove all items from pockets, shake out dust;
- Having fastened it, turn the product inside out;
- make sure that the lining is made of high-quality material that will not fade or shrink when exposed to hot water.
Before washing a leather item, it is advisable to test the selected detergent composition on an inconspicuous area from the inside out. Apply it in a small amount and check the skin reaction after half an hour.
Leather products
Drying rules
Washed clothes should be turned right side out. All zippers and buttons on the product must be unfastened. Immediately after washing, hang the item on hangers to allow water to drain from it. After 10 minutes, the eco-leather is shaken and straightened with your hands.
After washing, it is recommended to place leatherette jackets on a terry towel and roll them up. The product should be kept in this position for 15 minutes. Then the item can be put out to dry.
Eco-leather can be dried on hangers. It is advisable to use plastic hangers for this. You can also place the item on a horizontal surface and dry it in this position. An ironing board or a special clothes dryer is suitable for this.
You don’t have to turn the artificial leather right side out, but continue to dry it on the wrong side. It is recommended to dry leatherette backpacks turned right side out .
Do not place leatherette products on heating appliances. Do not dry even near radiators. You should not dry such clothes with a hairdryer. Do not hang eco-leather in the sun to dry. It makes the thing wrinkle quickly.
Eco-leather shoes and leatherette bags are recommended to be stuffed with dry paper . It will absorb excess moisture faster. It is important to periodically change the paper filler. Items should be stored in a room that is regularly ventilated.
You will find maximum useful information about washing clothes and various fabric products here.
Washing in a washing machine
Considering that the skin is sensitive to prolonged exposure to moisture and mechanical stress, you should be careful when using washing machines.
If the label does not prohibit this procedure, then perform it in the following order:
- Set the gentle mode to the “delicate fabrics” indicator.
- Select the “no spin” program with a temperature of 30˚C. The number of revolutions should not exceed 300.
- The product is inspected. If marks of dirt and dust are found, remove them with a soft rag soaked in liquid soap.
- The jacket or skirt is turned inside out, removing the decorative parts that can be removed beforehand. Place the item in the drum. To ensure uniformity of the process, it is recommended to additionally put a single-color piece of fabric that matches the shade.
- Pour liquid detergent without aggressive or bleaching components into the compartment.
How to machine wash a leather skirt
Machine washing for leather goods is not the best option, but if there are icons on the clothing label that allow this method, then you can wash it in an automatic machine. The main thing is to follow a number of simple rules and recommendations. How to wash a skirt made of faux leather (leatherette):
- The water temperature when washing should not exceed 30-40°C. Water with higher temperatures can damage the skin; the skirt can either stretch or shrink in size.
- The washing mode should be selected Delicate, and some modern washing machines have a Leather function.
- Spinning and drying must be turned off before starting the machine.
- The number of revolutions should be minimal - 300-400.
Products made from genuine leather must be washed in the same way as items made from leatherette.
You can dry a leather skirt on a hanger or simply lay it out on a horizontal surface.
Note! Leather products should be dried away from heating devices and direct sunlight.
Partial washing and removing stains
- Take a mild detergent and add it to warm water.
- Hang the product above the bathtub (the most convenient way is on a hanger with clothespins).
- Use a soft sponge to apply soapy water to the stains.
- You can wash off the solution immediately or wait a little.
- Rinse off the detergent with a shower.
- Leave the item over the bathtub until the water drains.
- Dry at room temperature.
If the contamination is minor, you can simply wash it with water without detergent.
In the same way, you can refresh leggings or pants from the wrong side.
