Dry cleaning is a big expense for a family budget, and especially if it’s large garments or outerwear that need cleaning (a sheepskin coat, for example). So, the question of how to clean a sheepskin coat at home is very relevant. Do you need special devices, or can you use means readily available in your kitchen or bathroom to clean the garment at home?
General rules
Before starting the process, you need to choose a cleaning compound suitable for the material of the sheepskin coat. Leather and suede sheepskin coats need different products for home cleaning. Be prepared for the fact that the fur accents will need to be cleaned separately.
Before you start cleaning sheepskin coat at home, test the cleaning product on an obscured area (like a seam on the reverse side – in case of failure, no one will notice the damaged area).
After using cleaning products do not dry the garment near any heating devices or with a hairdryer or iron. It is best to hang a sheepskin coat at home on hangers and place it in a well-ventilated area. You can dry the garment the same way if it was exposed to snow and got wet.
You should place the sheepskin coat in a natural fabric garment bag for storage in between seasons. Make sure to clean off all the stains and dry the garment well beforehand.
Choosing a cleaning product
Leather garment
Sheepskin coats were always held in high esteem, they indicated the status of their owner. At the same time maintenance of such things at home requires some knowledge. Crafty housewives use the following products to clean such garments:
- Semolina.
- Starch.
- Rubber.
- Gasoline and kerosene.
- Ammonia and tooth powder.
Semolina
To remove stains at home, pour some semolina on them and rub lightly. Semolina does a great job of absorbing dirt and moisture, and helps you get rid of greasy stains. It is a good method to use on dark leather-it will not lighten.
Starch
As well as semolina, it should be applied on the surface of sheepskin coats and gently rubbed (you can roll contaminated area a few times with hands). It does not lighten the natural sheepskin of dark colors.
Rubber
Before you start cleaning a leather sheepskin coat at home with the rubber, you need to soak the rubber in a container with kerosene and dry the stain itself a little (no need to dry it completely). Rub the stained area with soaked rubber several times. This method works for removing non-greasy stains.
Gasoline and kerosene
One of these products will help you remove old stains from a sheepskin coat at home. You will need to dip a gauze cloth or a cotton swab into one of these substances, and rub the stained areas with it several times. After removing the stain, dry the product well on the hangers in the fresh air.
Ammonia and tooth powder
If you do not see stains on the sheepskin coat, you still need to refresh the item after the wearing season. For that, and to treat worn-out places ( cuffs; shoulder, on which you usually carry a bag; pockets) use a mixture of of ammonia alcohol solution and tooth powder (mixed to a paste consistency). Clean the problem areas with a stiff brush, and then apply the mixture on the entire surface. After such cleaning at home, your leather sheepskin coat will look like a brand new one.
Do not use water when cleaning the leather. If there are still some wet spots, they should be well dried at room temperature, and the spot should be periodically kneaded with your hands (so the leather here does not harden).
Tips for owners of light sheepskin coats
You can use any of the methods mentioned above to clean a light natural sheepskin coat at home, except gasoline and kerosene.
Particulars of cleaning a suede sheepskin coat
Items made of suede require even more precise care than things made of genuine leather. Not only are stains more noticeable on suede items, but so is accumulated dust. Therefore, it is necessary to care for suede coats more frequently and carefully.
Before you clean the suede sheepskin coat, you should purchase some products: sprays and aerosols for suede, as well as a special brush for this material (you can use the solutions made for cleaning suede shoes).
Special brush
Shiny areas can be cleaned with a special brush at home. It can be made of one of the following materials:
- Brass.
- Rubber.
- Hard bristles.
If there was no suitable brush at home, then use fine-grain sandpaper. It is necessary to constantly maintain the bristles in a fluffed state.
Salt
If the stained area of suede sheepskin coat is not that large, then you can clean it at home with the help of table salt. Apply a little bit of salt to the affected area, and then gently rub. It is important not to press hard on the material, because you can irreversibly ruin the garment.
Burlap
Soak canvas or burlap in gasoline. You can clean greasy stains or any old dirt using this “brush” at home. All you need to do is rub the dirty places a little.
Cleaning white sheepskin coats at home
White suede items should be brushed out almost daily, if you want to preserve their good appearance. If the color has faded, then homemade bleach will help to return it to its original whiteness.
Ammonia and hydrogen peroxide or water and ammonia. Put a teaspoon of ammonia and the same amount of hydrogen peroxide (3% solution) in a glass of water. Only bleach a garment that has already been cleared of dust and dirt. It is better to apply the solution to the item with a cotton swab, then wash off the remnants of the solution with a cloth soaked in water, and then completely dry the item (at room temperature).
Milk and baking soda. The whiteness lost during storage can be returned with a mixture of baking soda and milk (a tea spoon per glass of milk). Use this warm solution to clean the sheepskin coat, and then wipe the item with a damp gauze cloth soaked in vinegar solution. Dry the item at room temperature.
If you decide to buy an expensive high-quality garment, then get ready for the fact that it will require extensive care.