How to Clean a Chamois Leather Jacket at Home

Chamois leather originally came from antelope but now comes from sheep.

Chamois leather is a very soft, supple form of suede that originally came from the chamois antelope but is now taken from the skin of sheep. In the 18th century, leather manufacturers would soak the skins of the chamois antelope in cod oil because that made the leather extremely water-absorbent. Nowadays, you can find chamois leather in car interiors, as gloves, bags and jackets. Because it's so expensive to get your chamois leather jacket professionally cleaned, it's more cost-effective to do it yourself at home.

Things You'll Need

• Spray bottle
• Mild detergent or bar soap
• Towel

Instructions

1. Fill a spray bottle with warm water. Spray your chamois jacket with the warm water until it is rinsed well.

2. Lather the exterior of the jacket with a mild detergent or bar soap. Rub the soap gently against the leather with your fingers.

3. Spray the jacket repeatedly with your spray bottle to rinse the soap off the jacket.

4. Lather the exterior of the jacket with mild detergent or bar soap again.

5. Shake the excess soap and water off the jacket. Gently squeeze excess water and soap out of the jacket.

6. Lay the jacket on a towel to dry, out of direct sunlight and away from heat. Turn the jacket over every couple of hours as it dries.

References

• Wordnetweb.Princeton.edu: Chamois
• Chamois.com: Care
• "Clean It Fast, Clean It Right"; Jeff Bredenberg; 1999
• Kent Car Care: History of Chamois Leather

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish