What would happen if I wash my leather jacket at 60 degrees?

theoretica

How big/cold is your freezer? If you pack your jacket up in an airtight bag (without too much extra air) and freeze it for a few days that will kill dustmites. Let it warm up before opening the bag to stop condensation, and you need a decent freezer, not an icebox.

cashmonger

theoretica wrote: »

How big/cold is your freezer? If you pack your jacket up in an airtight bag (without too much extra air) and freeze it for a few days that will kill dustmites. Let it warm up before opening the bag to stop condensation, and you need a decent freezer, not an icebox.

This wouldn't solve the problem I don't think since I read that freezing doesn't kill the allergen and it will be the allergen that is causing the problem not them living on the leather because I doubt they can take root on leather. It will be because I cleaned the coat with the dusting sponge I had just used which would have been loaded with allergen.

cashmonger

Coming back to this as I still have not got it sorted yet and been avoiding the issue yet that coat is so huge it has just been taking up loads of room in my flat hanging on a door doing nothing.

I have been looking into dry cleaning but does anyone know if it kills the allergen as well? I read online that it does but I am not sure if those were just testaments from dry cleaners wanting to ply their trade. I read the wiki that it only goes at 30 degrees however the drying process is at 60. So it would only be the drying that gets rid of the allergen which I could do at home unless the chemicals used would also kill them.

It isn't a bad idea to get it cleaned anyway since it has never been cleaned but I wouldnt waste the money on it if it wasn't likely to work to kill them.

I do need to try all my options and if they didnt work Ill sell it on ebay because its so huge and I keep my flat very spartan it is ridiculous keeping that great thing lying around doing nothing.

I admittedly haven't tried just tumble drying yet just because I was too skeptical it wouldnt get rid of all the allergen and it would still just be resting on the surface vs actual washing with water but I guess I dont have much to lose.

However dry cleaning I think I wanna do if it has a high liklihood of sorting the issue then I know I have done 'belt and braces' and proceed from there either continuing to use it or sell it.

DomRavioli

Hi OP,

Have you tried vacuuming your coat with a HEPA vacuum? it may help, the same way cleaning another surface with HEPA may.

Nicki

What does the care label on the jacket say? Is it a soft delicate leather or a hard biker style leather or something in between. I would guess that the more delicate the leather the more careful you need to be.

http://m.wikihow.com/Clean-a-Leather-Jacket

This site suggests that it is possible to wash leather in a washing machine but on a cool water setting, and then to tumble dry it carefully at medium setting provided you stop every 10 mins of drying and stretch the leather back into your normal shape otherwise it could shrink. If heat kills the allergen then it won't matter whether that's from the washing machine or the tumble dryer surely? If detergent and heat combo kills it, a cool wash with detergent followed by tumble drying should have the same effect as a warm wash only.

But only you can see the jacket and the care label and assess the risk versus the amount you would get if you sold the jacket on eBay. Personally I wouldn't wash my leather jacket but I don't have a dust allergy so that won't arise for me.

cashmonger

Nicki wrote: »

What does the care label on the jacket say? Is it a soft delicate leather or a hard biker style leather or something in between. I would guess that the more delicate the leather the more careful you need to be.

http://m.wikihow.com/Clean-a-Leather-Jacket

This site suggests that it is possible to wash leather in a washing machine but on a cool water setting, and then to tumble dry it carefully at medium setting provided you stop every 10 mins of drying and stretch the leather back into your normal shape otherwise it could shrink. If heat kills the allergen then it won't matter whether that's from the washing machine or the tumble dryer surely? If detergent and heat combo kills it, a cool wash with detergent followed by tumble drying should have the same effect as a warm wash only.

But only you can see the jacket and the care label and assess the risk versus the amount you would get if you sold the jacket on eBay. Personally I wouldn't wash my leather jacket but I don't have a dust allergy so that won't arise for me.

Yes it is the hard biker style leather.

Ye it was 80 quid when I got it which is why I am timid of ruining it. I don't care preserving it aesthetically really but like you say I don't want to squander its possible resale value because I could sell it and just buy several thinner synthetic tops with the money -to probably make up for it heat wise- since it is worn purely for health reasons rather than to 'look cool'.

At least with dry cleaning although it will cost me a few quid I could be confident they won't wreck it.

jenniewb

OP, take it to a dry cleaners and explain what has happened. Most of the time from what I can gather, clothes are dry-cleaned in batches together and if there is any risk to allergens spreading to other items no dry cleaners worth their salt is going to put other clothes at risk unless they are sure the problem is going to be resolved. Ask them what they would advise and if they know of any specialist cleaners out there for issues like this. I presume you've not asked yet and rather than risk ruining a jacket/coat (because lets be certain here; it would be ruined without a doubt) and would suggest asking further to see if it can be cleaned by a specialist rather than your tumble drier.


The issue with leather clothing is that most will be formed of two layers. A suede under-layer and a smoother top layer which is the part you see. Some even cheaper coats will have even more layers than this.

Not only will washing the coat with a detergent peel apart those layers and create not just cracking, but cracking and peeling, but it will also likely shrink as the coat is warmed-both the washing and the drying will cause this and the leather will look unwearable- not a shabby-chic but a cheap-is-that-even-real-leather type of look because most people assume leather is all one piece when most of the time it isn't.


If the coat means enough to you (and one would ask why start a thread about it if it has no importance to you) take it to a dry cleaners and ask them for their advice. If it can be fixed they will tell you, if they think the jacket will fall apart they will tell you and if they are insured at all they will be able to tell you this too in the case of the jacket not being cleaned the way they say it will.


Just to add though; for the sake of others if you do decide to sell it on ebay it is important to let people know what they are getting themselves in to as it could potentially put others lives at risk if for example people have small children or even themselves are not in optimal health (eg recovering from something like Cancer when their immune systems are wiped out for a while after treatment). If you want to sell that's fine but just make sure to be very clear what you are selling to others as it's normally assumed items are in fit-to-wear condition rather than something which potentially risks their health.

cashmonger

jenniewb wrote: »

Just to add though; for the sake of others if you do decide to sell it on ebay it is important to let people know what they are getting themselves in to as it could potentially put others lives at risk if for example people have small children or even themselves are not in optimal health (eg recovering from something like Cancer when their immune systems are wiped out for a while after treatment).

LOL melodramatic much?

You make it sound like I'm selling a car with no brakes.

Your other points are sound though

HappyMJ

jenniewb wrote: »

Just to add though; for the sake of others if you do decide to sell it on ebay it is important to let people know what they are getting themselves in to as it could potentially put others lives at risk if for example people have small children or even themselves are not in optimal health (eg recovering from something like Cancer when their immune systems are wiped out for a while after treatment). If you want to sell that's fine but just make sure to be very clear what you are selling to others as it's normally assumed items are in fit-to-wear condition rather than something which potentially risks their health.

Attack of the Killer Zombie jacket....

suki1964

Ok so I'm being dense perhaps....

You wiped the jacket with a cloth that was covered in dust, therefore transferring the dust to you jacket

You have a severe dust allergy

Yet the jacket which is covered in the dust is still in your pristine flat

Surely if it was co contaminated, you wouldn't be able to go near it, let alone have it hung on the back of the door this length of time?

Is it really that contaminated ?

Serious question, I'm not mocking or taking the mick. I'm allergic to cat dander, even being in a house where a cat has been sets me off with streaming eyes, cough and hives. I certainly couldn't have clothes with cat hair on them lying around for so long