When I was a fashion intern, I once tried to remove wrinkles from a pair of leather pants just minutes before they were to be shown on a runway. Instead, I burnt them. It’s not just me who struggles to remove wrinkles from leather clothing. Irons, steamers, and other wrinkle-releasers can ruin the delicate material. There’s an easier way. We’ve rounded up the best ways to remove wrinkles from leather clothing, and some advice on how to prevent them.
How To Remove Wrinkles from Leather
Use Steam from Your Shower
You can gently remove wrinkles with steam from the shower instead of a regular clothes steamer. This can be done while getting dressed, without taking any additional time.
Hang your leather garment in the bathroom on a door or hook. Be careful not to let water droplets touch your leather. Let the steam work its magic while you are in the shower to make the fabric more flexible. Allow it to sit for 10 minutes in order to remove wrinkles.
Spray It With Rubbing Alcohol and Water
To release wrinkles, you can stretch a leather garment. Pour this, mix one part water and one part alcohol into a spray bottle. This method is not recommended if your leather is unfinished or suede.
Spray the leather garment lightly from a distance. Test the method first on a small section of leather to ensure that it won’t rub off. Then spray the entire leather item. Alcohol will soften the fabric and allow you to smooth out any wrinkles.
If your leather garment is dirty, you will need to clean it completely with alcohol so that it does not leave stains. Alcohol can dry out leather, so finish with a leather conditioner to moisten it.
Iron It
This method brings back memories of my internship days. If you must use an iron, lower the temperature to the lowest setting. After you have placed your leather garment on the ironing surface, spread a towel or pillowcase on top. This extra layer will protect the garment from the heat of the iron, making it more safe to use.
Remove any water that may be present in your steam iron. Make sure that the iron does not touch the leather unless a protective layer is in place.
How To Prevent Wrinkles on Leather Clothing
Preventing wrinkles in leather trousers, dresses and tops can be easier than correcting those that already exist. To avoid creases and indents, I prefer to hang my leather items instead of folding them.
Cheap hangers can make leather jackets wrinkle more, even if you don’t like to hear it. We recommend these affordable, high-quality hangers from Amazon.
Even if you are diligent in storing your clothes, wrinkles may still occur. The wrinkles that are the most difficult to remove from leather may have been created before the garment even arrived at your home (an unintended downside of online shopping).
The packaging that is air-sealed may be convenient for shipping, but leather items tend to get a permanent crease. We recommend shopping in store if you do not want a leather garment that is wrinkled. You can then see how the leather has been treated.
