No one likes to see wrinkled fabrics, whether they are on a cotton dress shirt, a silk jacket or a leather skirt. Unlike other garment materials, leather is not hand-washed or laundered in washers and dryers. It develops wrinkles when it is not stored properly. Stubborn creases can also develop when leather goods are packaged and delivered. When you pull out the item, you might be unpleasantly surprised to see some deep wrinkles.
Things You'll Need
Wide wooden, plastic or padded hanger
Iron
Ironing board
Clean, heavy brown paper or 100 percent cotton cloth, such as a towel
Blow dryer
Breathable cloth, such as cotton sheets
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How to Get Wrinkles Out of Leather
Step 1: Hang Leather Garments
To get started, hang your leather garments on well-made, sturdy hangers. Clip hangers are suitable for securing things in place, but they could leave marks if they squeeze too tight. Cover the clips with material or socks if they are not padded. When the garment is secured, gently stretch out the wrinkles to smooth them out.
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Step 2: Hang the Garment in the Bathroom
You can also try hanging a wrinkled leather garment in your bathroom right before you take a shower. Keep it nearby and then hang it on the shower rod as soon as you turn off the water. The steam should work to flatten out the wrinkles. Give it some time and then put it on a flat surface and smooth it out with your hands.
Step 3: Iron Out the Wrinkles
You can iron leather, including genuine leather, artificial leather and eco-leather. Put the iron on its lowest setting and lay the garment flat on your ironing board. Turn it inside out and then cover the back side with heavy brown paper or a 100 percent cotton cloth, like a towel. The cloth or paper should be white or neutral in color since some materials will bleed. Don't apply the iron directly onto the garment, as the heat can ruin the leather material.
Once you have this set on top of the garment, gently press your iron using a quick, light hand. Put the iron right onto the crease and if you don't see it beginning to smooth out, increase the temperature very slightly. Never use steam or water when ironing wrinkled leather. When the wrinkles are gone, wait for the leather to cool and hang up the garment.
Step 4: Use a Blow Dryer
Blow dryers can smooth out wrinkled leather in some cases. When using a blow dryer, hang the garment in a dry area close to a power outlet. Put the dryer on its lowest setting to ensure you don't scorch your garment. Hold the dryer 3 to 6 inches away and move it continuously over the crease for up to five minutes.
Check whether the crease has become flexible and if the leather feels warm. You can try increasing the heat, but you may want to step back a little further. Do not point the dryer directly at the other parts of the garment, only the crease. If this doesn't work, you can try it a second time, but make sure this second attempt is in a steamy room since the steam and heat can work together to smooth things out.
Step 5: Protect Leather Garments in the Future
Once those creases are gone, you can hang up the leather garments on sturdy hangers. Never cover leather goods with plastic bags or other materials that are not breathable because this can dry out the garments. Instead, cover them with something like cotton sheets. This covering will protect them from dust.
Step 6: Properly Store Garments
You should store leather garments in well-ventilated, cool and dry places, like bedroom closets. Make sure that you leave room between each garment because crowding causes wrinkles. If you have leather purses, you should store them in cotton dust bags on shelves.