How to smooth leatherette

Tags: #Linen

Leatherette has a number of advantages, but flexibility and shape retention are not among them. You can eliminate small cracks and restore smoothness at home.

How to stroke artificial leather

Follow the following instructions:

Read the information on the label. Find out if this item can be ironed and steamed.
Based on the information received, select the optimal straightening option.
Before using any chemicals or home remedies, test them on a small area. It is better to do this in the evening to get reliable results by the morning.
If you are going to iron, set the temperature to the lowest possible setting.
Please evaluate the lining before ironing. If the fabric is too thin and dyed, then you should not expose it directly to a hot iron. It is better to use multi-layer gauze. A worn-out pillowcase made from natural materials will also work.

You should also consider the following nuances:

Leatherette is also classified as leatherette, but removing folds from it is extremely difficult;
Before treatment, shoes made from this material must be tightly stuffed with old newspapers, and the straightening procedure itself boils down to applying cream and waiting a long time for the effect.

How to iron a leatherette jacket

Ironing

Do a test ironing. See how the lining and leatherette react to the process.
Turn the product inside out.
Fill the sleeves with rolls of paper or towels.
Iron the item with light movements without pressure.
Turn it inside out.
Shape using paper rolls or towel rolls.
Leave it alone for an hour.

Steam with an iron or steam generator

Take a practice test.
Hang your jacket on hangers.
Apply steam from an iron or steam generator to the problem area. Duration of exposure: several seconds. Recommended distance: 10–12 cm.
Leave it alone for 30 minutes.

Steam in the bathroom

Hang a piece of clothing on a hanger in the bathroom. Turn on the hot water. Wait until the humidity in the room increases and smudges begin to form on the mirror. The steam will straighten out small wrinkles, so you won't have to use an iron, provided there are no drafts and the door is tightly locked.

This method has disadvantages. First: it takes a lot of time. Moreover, you will be required to maintain the temperature in the room and add hot water. This will take 2 hours, no less. The second controversial point: you cannot leave the jacket unattended. It is necessary to correct the thing, smooth out the folds, set the direction.

After the specified period, transfer your outerwear to a heated room. Hang it away from radiators and other heat sources. Let dry.

Attention! When steaming, location plays a role.Place the jacket directly above the bathtub so that it is exposed to the rising steam. The thing itself should hang high. Make sure it doesn't touch the water.

Other possible ways

Small defects can be eliminated by walking in clothes in the rain. The main condition: the item must be completely wet and dry naturally. The second method of delicate straightening:

Turn the item of clothing inside out. Make sure that the sleeves do not remain in the same position.
Hang the item on hangers.
Pour soft drinking water warmed to room temperature into a spray bottle.
Wet the lining of the product evenly. Ideal condition: the jacket is already wet, but it is not dripping.
Leave alone for 12 hours. During this time, the clothes should dry completely. If this does not happen, increase the period.

Important! Do not use dryers, hair dryers, or other heat sources. The process should take place naturally and under normal room conditions. There is only one way to speed it up: by preventing temperature changes and preventing the formation of drafts.

It is not recommended to frequently resort to this technology for eliminating defects in leatherette. Use it once per season. For example, before the first wear. If the need arises more often, use the following option:

take an undyed rag made of natural fabric;
soak a rag in glycerin;
Treat problem areas of the product 2–3 times, and then the entire front side;
hang the item on hangers, but not in the wardrobe, but in the room (it should not come into contact with other wardrobe items);
leave alone until completely dry.

It should be noted that some synthetic materials, which are classified as leatherette, are extremely sensitive.It is impossible to predict their reaction to glycerol. Be sure to conduct an experiment to find out whether the fabric will change its original properties when in contact with chemicals.

Instead of glycerin, you can use shoe polish. To avoid making a mistake with the shade, test on a small area. Apply the product to it and wait until it is absorbed. Check to see if the color has changed. If not, then proceed to process the entire product.

Experienced housewives create and use homemade straightening mixtures. To prepare the solution you will need:

vinegar essence (3%);
fabric softener;
soft water.

Mix the ingredients in equal proportions. Fill a spray bottle with the mixture. Spray the deformed surface. Application should be spot-on; do not go beyond the damaged area.

Immediately after treating the problem area, pick up the jacket and pull the facing material in the area of deformation in opposite directions. When choosing a direction, start from the crack. If it runs from bottom to top, then you need to pull left and right.

Duration of action: 2–3 minutes. Then you can move on to another area. There is no need to wash off anything. The mixture is non-toxic, leatherette will not lose color from contact with it.

If you don't have vinegar on hand, replace it with a double dose of conditioner. Then the composition of the home remedy will schematically look like this: 2 parts conditioner, 1 part water.

You can shape the sleeves of your jacket at the beginning of the season without resorting to clever manipulations. It is enough to fill them with rolls of paper or towels and leave them alone for a day.

How to iron a leatherette skirt

To straighten this outfit, simply machine wash it.Optimal mode: hand wash with a minimum spin speed. Immediately after stopping the household appliance, remove the skirt from it. Hang it vertically. Let dry at room temperature.