Where to get leather and wool jackets professionally cleaned?

[Oscar2]

i recently brought back some of my clothing from Europe.

where to go to get some nice jackets professionally cleaned? two are 70% wool, 30% synthetic with 100% leather sleeves. the other pure leather. i paid about 500 Euros for one of them and don't want it damaged. any ideas? and how to store them in this climate? one of them already began to mold on the sleeves until i cleaned it.

thanks.

[elektrified]

I'd be interested in knowing where to go to clean a leather jacket as well.

[Oscar2]

any ideas on where to get leather/wool jackets cleaned? looked around but came up empty. lots of "mai roo". thx.

[FolkGuitar]

The problem with cleaning leather jackets is a big one. Even in major metropolitan cities, cleaners will have a 'not responsible' clause for leather goods, and they don't do them 'in house.' I once visited one of the commercial leather cleaning facilities and it just about blew my mind! They wash the leather coats, jackets, pants, skirts, etc., etc.(except suede) in giant washing machines and use a very strong detergent soap solution to get the job done. Who knew? Then, and where the problems start, is that when they are finished in the machines the garments are water-logged and weigh a ton. So much so that they can (and often do) tear apart at the seams when they hang them up to dry! Most folks think that leather get ruined if it gets wet, but that just isn't the case. It get's ruined if it dries incorrectly. Leather shoes and boots get wet all the time. So do saddles, bridles, leather sporting equipment, etc. and simply dry as good as they were before. So... the cleaning shops don't want the responsibility of old stitching falling apart under the weight of wet leather.

If you want to clean leather (not suede!) yourself, it's not that hard. But a bar of 'glycerin' soap in the drug store or supermarket, (unscented is best...) and a sponge. Wet the sponge, work up a lather and 'wash' your jacket, coat, or pants. Don't worry about getting the leather wet. Wash it well, rinse it with clean water, and then LET IT DRY NATURALLY, OUT OF DIRECT SUNLIGHT. If you can support it at several points, you won't have to worry about the stitching breaking apart. You 'may' wish to rub it down afterwards with some neutral color 'shoe cream,' (NOT wax shoe polish! Shoe CREAM!) Just rub a few 'dots' into the leather to rejuvenate it, working the cream into the leather, and you coat will be as good as new. Suede needs a different technique.

Edited October 16, 2015 by FolkGuitar

[Oscar2]

The problem with cleaning leather jackets is a big one. Even in major metropolitan cities, cleaners will have a 'not responsible' clause for leather goods, and they don't do them 'in house.' I once visited one of the commercial leather cleaning facilities and it just about blew my mind! They wash the leather coats, jackets, pants, skirts, etc., etc.(except suede) in giant washing machines and use a very strong detergent soap solution to get the job done. Who knew? Then, and where the problems start, is that when they are finished in the machines the garments are water-logged and weigh a ton. So much so that they can (and often do) tear apart at the seams when they hang them up to dry! Most folks think that leather get ruined if it gets wet, but that just isn't the case. It get's ruined if it dries incorrectly. Leather shoes and boots get wet all the time. So do saddles, bridles, leather sporting equipment, etc. and simply dry as good as they were before. So... the cleaning shops don't want the responsibility of old stitching falling apart under the weight of wet leather.

If you want to clean leather (not suede!) yourself, it's not that hard. But a bar of 'glycerin' soap in the drug store or supermarket, (unscented is best...) and a sponge. Wet the sponge, work up a lather and 'wash' your jacket, coat, or pants. Don't worry about getting the leather wet. Wash it well, rinse it with clean water, and then LET IT DRY NATURALLY, OUT OF DIRECT SUNLIGHT. If you can support it at several points, you won't have to worry about the stitching breaking apart. You 'may' wish to rub it down afterwards with some neutral color 'shoe cream,' (NOT wax shoe polish! Shoe CREAM!) Just rub a few 'dots' into the leather to rejuvenate it, working the cream into the leather, and you coat will be as good as new. Suede needs a different technique.

thanks for that and i don't mind washing the leather myself. actually i already did when it started to mold. and i dried it for hours and no mold since. but how about the wool portion of the jackets? i shipped the clothing from Europe in a cedar box with moth cakes inside and it really stinks.

thanks.

[FolkGuitar]

I always used to wash my heavy wool hiking socks in ordinary hair shampoo. When followed by conditioner, even old socks felt new!

[LivinLOS]

https://www.google.co.th/maps/@18.809219,98.9797796,3a,33y,343.76h,86.24t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1ssTLPIqxsssE3k1GV3qrUWg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

They have cleaned my leather / suede bike jackets and race gear.. No issues or problems.

[LivinLOS]

OK forum mangles the link.. try here https://goo.gl/mDjT6e

[Oscar2]

OK forum mangles the link.. try here https://goo.gl/mDjT6e

thanks!