Leather, the pleasure and the pain of all those of us who ride a motorcycle. Even today, leather is among the best materials that can be used to protect us motorcycle riders. Whether it’s a jacket, a full track suit or a pair of gloves, leather provides the highest degree of protection on technical motorcycle garments. It’s also definitely the most fascinating material, as well as having the longest history. It’s a pleasure to look at, touch and even smell… It does, however, require a certain amount of care, especially if we use it year-round, in all weather. That’s especially true before the season starts, something like what we do with our bikes before we get back on them after the winter break. Sure, but how do you keep the life in it, the shine and the softness, without damaging it? Here are some useful tips on cleaning your leather jacket properly, even at home.
You might not realize it, but you often sweat when riding, especially if you use your bike in summer. The air dries most of the sweat, but a lot builds up right inside the jacket. So our advice to you is to clean the inside area of your leather jacket with neutral soap and water, rubbing with the help of a cloth. That will get rid of bad odors.
Your jacket has been sitting in the basement or garage all winter, and now you wanted to wear it you get a nasty surprise – mold has developed on the leather. In most cases, you can deal with it. The important thing is to not get carried away. As in the case of sweat, we recommend that you use only neutral soap and water, with the help of a microfiber cloth. Avoid stiff brushes or abrasive materials (completely avoid bleach or harsh stain removers), as they’re likely to damage leather. The same also applies to non-neutral creams or solvents. If you want some advice, and have the option, keep your unused leather jacket on a hanger in a cool place, but above all a dry one. That way you can avoid the problem of mold.
For more thorough cleaning of a leather jacket, however, nothing beats our Dainese kit, which can be purchased from authorized dealers. The kit consists of a strong leather cleaner (such as for removing flies or other insects, or grease and oil stains) and a protective cream (ensures that leather is nourished and protected from external agents). In any case, avoid using it on suede garments.
One of the most frequently asked questions about cleaning leather is whether it can be machine washed. The answer is no – putting leather jackets in the washing machine may damage the leather permanently. Unfortunately, with leather motorcycle jackets you have to equip yourself with good old-fashioned elbow grease!
Our advice for cleaning the inside of your leather jacket is to use neutral soap and water, wiping carefully with a soft cloth. In some cases there’s padding inside the leather motorcycle jacket as well as the lining, for colder climates, which can be machine washed at a low temperature. But in this case too, we recommend using a liquid detergent instead of powder, which could be abrasive.
After cleaning the jacket, leave it to dry away from direct heat sources like heaters or sunlight; you’d risk drying and wearing the leather out. As we said, it’s best to let it dry in a sheltered area (for this, we recommend taking advantage of a hot, dry, maybe even windy, day).
If you want some impartial advice , and you can, clean your leather jacket after every ride (if you need to, of course). It’s easy to see why. If you get rid of it right away, dirt doesn’t have the time to work its way into the pores of the leather, so it’s much easier to clean. But if you leave it for a whole season… you’ll need to settle down for the long haul. But above all remember that settled dirt has to be softened in stages – so moisten it and wait a few minutes before going on to remove it physically.
If your leather jacket is in critical condition, however, or you just don’t trust yourself to clean it on your own and want a professional service, you can always use the Dainese leather jacket cleaning service (there’s one for the suit, too). It’s a genuine “leather garment regeneration” service dedicated to everyone who wants to place their trust in the care and experience of professional craftspeople.
Don’t keep putting off caring for your leather garment until tomorrow. As charming as the ‘lived-in’ look of a jacket may be, no one wants to wear a dirty or a smelly jacket. And remember that if you don’t want to do it yourself, you can always rely on our expert craftspeople.