How NOT To Treat a Leather Jacket, and How I Kind Of Fixed It
In this story I start out an idiot, then a bit more of an idiot, then kind of smart, then foolish, then, finally, a great deal wiser.
Two years ago I was given a vintage leather jacket but found I couldn't wear it comfortably because the previous owner had been a smoker-- this jacket spent over twenty years soaking it all up. So I put it out in the yard thinking some fresh air might help. Then it rained, but I left it out figuring it would dry and then I would wear it. And that cycle continued: I would forget it was out, the elements would hit, I might remember, and before I knew it winter had arrived and my jacket cooled its heels under four feet of snow. Spring comes, blah blah blah, it spends summer and a second winter in the elements.
Two years ago I was given a vintage leather jacket but found I couldn't wear it comfortably because the previous owner had been a smoker-- this jacket spent over twenty years soaking it all up. So I put it out in the yard thinking some fresh air might help. Then it rained, but I left it out figuring it would dry and then I would wear it. And that cycle continued: I would forget it was out, the elements would hit, I might remember, and before I knew it winter had arrived and my jacket cooled its heels under four feet of snow. Spring comes, blah blah blah, it spends summer and a second winter in the elements.
This season's snow receded early and I guiltily crept to my backyard to survey the damage. Sun and water had definitely faded parts of the leather, and moss and lichen were growing in the grain. All of the snaps appear to be lightly rusted though amazingly its front zipper looks quite good. Another amazing sight is the quilted polyester lining-- some dirt and leaves, but no fading or rotting.
Day 1
Remember how I said I am an idiot in this story? It wasn't until today that I actually looked up this label's provenance. Looks like I've been abusing a 1980s Schott Perfecto motorcycle jacket. Not Chanel, but still, if I had bothered checking this years ago I might have paid for a professional leather cleaning.
Apparently submerging leather in soaps or detergents is a capital crime, but I am not slipping my body into this little number without a wash. Using a plastic scrub brush I vigorously scraped off the mossy growths and then repeatedly lifted and squished the jacket in and out of the water. After around ten minutes of this I emptied the filthy water, refilled it (with less oxiclean), turned the sleeves inside out and agitated the jacket again. I brought the jacket inside and rinsed it as thoroughly as I could with cool water in the shower.
After turning right side out and leaving it to drip outside for a little less than an hour, I get a soft wash cloth and my Kiwi Saddle Soap. This soap smells so good it is a joy to use. My process went as follows: dampen wash cloth, scoop up a generous amount of saddle soap and rub into the leather in a circular motion. I went over all the leather areas two times.
After turning right side out and leaving it to drip outside for a little less than an hour, I get a soft wash cloth and my Kiwi Saddle Soap. This soap smells so good it is a joy to use. My process went as follows: dampen wash cloth, scoop up a generous amount of saddle soap and rub into the leather in a circular motion. I went over all the leather areas two times.
The general consensus is to allow leather to dry as slowly as possible, of course without allowing it to turn moldy. I have no idea how well my treatment will work, but I am amazed that the only area any leather has cracked is a small amount on the collar's interior. Hanging up now, my Perfecto is going to spend the night in a cool, dry place.
Day 2
Jacket still very damp. I hang it in a warmer room, not directly in front of the heater, but near enough with the theory that warm, circulating air will be a good thing. Maybe six hours later I decided to try oiling the leather. This is a good time to write that all of my research and subsequent course of action have come from reading a lot of online advice for dealing with leather, so whether I am doing what is "right" or disastrous I have no idea.
Based on my reading I've chosen coconut oil. I already own it, and though I want this restoration to go well, keeping costs as low as possible is important. This is organic unrefined expeller-pressed food grade coconut oil. Though this should be obvious, I will be clear that I took a clean spoon and scooped about a tablespoon out of my jar and into a disposable plastic container to work with. I rip a few pieces of paper towel in half and take a small amount of coconut oil, rubbing it into the leather in a circular motion. I am intentionally applying a very thin coat; a tablespoon was all I used for my entire jacket. I assume the paper towels were dirty from the leather dye or stain that has been lifted from all the washing.
Working with leather is like working with hair-- our hair is dead, and any damage we do to it cannot be un-done, only managed with external conditioners to mimic healthy strands. Leather is dead skin, and we all know I have passively treated this jacket to some punishment it was not meant to handle. It is feeling pretty decent, but I am sure that is just because the material is still very water logged. Hanging the jacket back up, good night Mr. Perfecto.
Working with leather is like working with hair-- our hair is dead, and any damage we do to it cannot be un-done, only managed with external conditioners to mimic healthy strands. Leather is dead skin, and we all know I have passively treated this jacket to some punishment it was not meant to handle. It is feeling pretty decent, but I am sure that is just because the material is still very water logged. Hanging the jacket back up, good night Mr. Perfecto.
DAY 3
Oh my goddess, Mr. Perfecto is feeling really stiff as he dries. I am, to put it mildy, extremely concerned. Also, my friend says the jacket smells moldy. Fact is, I know it did get moldy during two years outside, which is why I cleaned it with oxiclean. Yet I also know that I am very sensitive to mold and the jacket isn't making me sneeze, and leather has never been a nice smell to me so... unsolved mystery.
Now, more importantly, I am regretting the coconut oil step. Anyonymous internet people are either lying or doing something different from me, because coconut oil is white at room temperature, meaning after it was rubbed into my jacket, it has left streaky white marks. It looks like I should condition the leather first, but why the words conditioning and oiling are sometimes used interchangeably I can't tell. Maybe more coconut oil would be required, but with this streaking issue I am not going to risk it. So I purchased a bottle of Leather Honey online. I didn't want to spend anything, but all of this research has informed me that cleaning my leather L.L. Bean boots without conditioning them after makes me a monster, so I have a legitimate reason for this purchase other than trying to refurbish an old coat I don't even need. At least that's what I tell myself.
Now, more importantly, I am regretting the coconut oil step. Anyonymous internet people are either lying or doing something different from me, because coconut oil is white at room temperature, meaning after it was rubbed into my jacket, it has left streaky white marks. It looks like I should condition the leather first, but why the words conditioning and oiling are sometimes used interchangeably I can't tell. Maybe more coconut oil would be required, but with this streaking issue I am not going to risk it. So I purchased a bottle of Leather Honey online. I didn't want to spend anything, but all of this research has informed me that cleaning my leather L.L. Bean boots without conditioning them after makes me a monster, so I have a legitimate reason for this purchase other than trying to refurbish an old coat I don't even need. At least that's what I tell myself.
Day 4
I find myself researching leather dyes. As is evident in the "Day 3" photo, the more my jacket dries the amount of bleaching caused by the sun is growing clearer. Unfortunately I have a serious, irrational aversion to brown, even more to tan. But dyeing is more work, more money, and as it would have to be done before the conditioning I won't know if I am applying dye to a jacket that a conditioning treatment can't help. Is the dilemma clear? If this works, maybe it will force me to work out my issues with brown. Maybe this is all a waste of time. Maybe cats are the true rulers of our galaxy. I just don't know.
Days 5-8
Waiting for the Leather Honey and second guessing this quest. I am so grumpy I fell for using coconut oil and had to scrub away all of the white streaks.
DAY 9
Leather Honey arrived two days ago. I sidetracked and treated my L.L. Bean boots first. Even though I was prepared for the leather to darken it still freaked me out, but they were this dark when new which was around four years ago. After five hours or so the boots have lightened slightly but remain uniform in color. To apply it you must use a "lint-free" cloth, which for me meant cutting up an old cotton tea towel. Also I am thrilled that the Leather Honey is completely odorless; I don't know what is going on with "fresh" leather products but I have always hated the smell.
I treated the entire jacket as well. It stands to reason that the darkest leather areas were the ones least bleached by the sun, so they already feel softer and smoother. The back of my jacket, however, still feels more like cardboard than leather. Also, I really need to face the fact that this jacket does smell weird, and I am in denial, and I would not want to wear this in public if I smell like an old cellar. Supposedly apple cider vinegar and water will treat mildew smell in leather, but that is just as likely propaganda disseminated by the national cult of ACV.
I treated the entire jacket as well. It stands to reason that the darkest leather areas were the ones least bleached by the sun, so they already feel softer and smoother. The back of my jacket, however, still feels more like cardboard than leather. Also, I really need to face the fact that this jacket does smell weird, and I am in denial, and I would not want to wear this in public if I smell like an old cellar. Supposedly apple cider vinegar and water will treat mildew smell in leather, but that is just as likely propaganda disseminated by the national cult of ACV.
Day 10
The Leather Honey is WORKING! My jacket is definitely feeling softer and nicer. Mr. Perfecto needs more treatments though, which brings me to a quandary... I have faced reality that this smells like a strange blend of oxiclean and mildew. Do I treat the smell first? Will the smell fade with time? If the smell is not fixable, then I won't waste more Leather Honey. But I won't know if I can remove the smell unless I spend more time futzing. And last, but not least, why am I doing this? Will I even wear this jacket? I think I will, but maybe I won't. Why am I obsessed with fixing it? I DON'T KNOW! I am going to have to do some serious soul searching.
In conclusion, don't leave your leather jacket outside for two years, don't trust advice on the internet, and take my internet advice-- Leather Honey is pretty awesome.
In conclusion, don't leave your leather jacket outside for two years, don't trust advice on the internet, and take my internet advice-- Leather Honey is pretty awesome.