1-800-DryClean Special Services: Suede and Leather Cleaning
Suede and leather garments are high quality items we love. They require special care to maximize wearing life, beginning at home. Always store your leather in a cool, ventilated area to prevent drying and mildew. Never use plastic bags as storage, and always let wet garments air dry away from heat. Since leather and suede are very susceptible to staining from perspiration and body oils, make sure to protect vulnerable areas by wearing scarves and shirts with sleeves.
Taking Leather to the Dry Cleaner
Stains should always be cared for by a professional dry cleaner as soon as possible. If you have special care information that came with your garment, please provide it in your 1-800-DryClean Bright Blue Bag for pick up. Also, be sure to indicate exactly where the stain is on your article of clothing so the dry cleaner does not attempt to remove an old or set stain. It is generally a good idea to clean any matching pieces simultaneously, to ensure color consistency.
In most cases, leather and suede articles are made from the skins of various portions of an animal and/or several different animals. As such, there are many natural and man-made reasons why cleaning leather results in changes in the garment’s appearance.
- Color and texture variation and color loss Uniformity among animal skins used in a garment may not be perfect. While manufacturers tend to match colors and textures as best as possible, cleaning may accentuate minor differences. Each skin possesses its own colorfastness that may also be altered by cleaning.
- Texture and shade change Different textures vary in how they absorb chemicals during the cleaning process, which may result in some leathers darkening more than others.
- Loss of oil Tanners apply oils to leather garments to preserve the skin’s supple feel. Some of these oils may be stripped during the cleaning process. Though professional leather cleaning involves using additives to restore suppleness, your item may still feel slightly different than it did before the process.
Much of this information is provided to us courtesy of the Dry Cleaning and Laundry Institute (DLI), the premier trade association for garment care professionals. Please visit http://www.ifi.org for further details.