Leather Jacket Restoration: How to Restore Leather Jacket

A leather jacket is a prized possession that, when cared for correctly, can be worn proudly for life. However, leather jackets start to dry out and fade after years of wear. When your old trusty jacket starts to look worn, or you find a vintage leather jacket in a thrift shop that’s seen better days, you’ll want to restore the jacket to its original glory. The process is actually pretty straightforward and can be done with little more than leather preservative and your own pair of hands. Once you’ve brought your jacket back to life, make sure you know how to make accidental scuffs and scratches disappear so you can keep it looking fresh!


Method
1
Restoring Dry and Faded Jackets
Restore a Leather Jacket Step 1
1
Lay the jacket out on a flat work surface like a table. Place the jacket face-up and spread out the arms so you can access the whole front side of the jacket. Smooth it out so that there are no creases hiding parts of the leather. Undo any buckles or buttons so you can get in all the cracks.[1]
This method will work for leather jackets of any color. Use it to restore the color to a jacket that is dry, cracked, and faded due to age and wear. It will also help to protect and preserve the jacket, so you can wear it for years to come.

Image titled Restore a Leather Jacket Step 2
2
Brush the entire jacket off with a horsehair brush to remove loose dirt. Start on the front side and brush the entire front of the jacket off using short, even strokes away from you. Flip the jacket over, smooth it out again on your work surface, and brush off the entire back side in the same manner.[2]
Horsehair brushes are typically used for shoe shining or caring for other leather products. They help to clean and polish leather without damaging it. You can usually get one wherever they sell shoe shining products or leather goods.
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3
Wipe the entire jacket down with a damp lint-free cloth. Moisten a lint-free cloth with clean, cool water and wring out the excess water. Wipe down the entire front and back of the jacket with the cloth to remove any remaining dirt and get the jacket ready to restore.[3]
A microfiber cloth works well for this. However, if you don’t have one, you can also use an old cotton T-shirt cut up into smaller pieces as a good substitute.
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4
Use a neutral-colored, wax-based leather preservative to restore the jacket. Leather preservative is a natural preservative, often made of beeswax and lanolin, that is also sometimes called leather conditioner or boot wax. It moisturizes, waterproofs, and protects leather against scuffs and scratches.[4]
As the leather absorbs the preservative, the shine will be restored and the jacket won’t look dry and faded anymore.
You can get leather preservative in a shoe store, a leather goods store, or online.
Warning: Don’t use shoe polish, a pen, or any other kind of colored substance to try to restore your leather jacket or you might end up ruining the leather. All you need is a neutral leather preservative that will restore the natural color of the jacket and help moisturize and protect it.

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