A Guide on How to Care for your Shearling Coat
Shearling coats can be extremely expensive, but they sure do a great job of keeping you warm and looking stylish. Although they are expensive, they can last a very long time if cared for properly. They do need more care than most other materials, especially while cleaning them as they can easily be damaged if not treated in the correct manner. This guide will help you understand how to properly care for your shearling coat.
Never use a washing machine or dryer when cleaning your shearling coat. It\’s always best to either dry clean or air-dry your shearling coat. Using these machines could seriously damage your jacket, if not ruin it.
The next rule can be tough to follow. I always recommend frequent cleanings of your jacket. Of course this depends on how often you wear the jacket, but shearlings pick up dirt very easily. Without frequent cleanings, the dirt gets settled into the shearling and it can become tough to remove. With frequent cleanings, you can easily avoid this problem and keep your shearling jacket looking new for a very long time!
Winter goes hand in hand with fires and heating. Any source of high heat, especially an open fire can easily destroy your shearling and the leather. Never place your jacket near the fire or near any heating system.
Sunlight can also damage your shearling coat. If you keep the jacket in front of a window that gets a lot of light this can bleach out the shearling. It obviously won\’t happen in a day, but if it\’s for weeks at a time it can easily fade out.
It\’s very common people store their coats in a plastic garment bag. It seems like it\’s a good idea to protect it, but it will damage your coat. Shearling coats need to breathe and the plastic will trap the moisture in the bag and jacket. The best solution for this is always using a cloth garment bag, which will allow for the jacket to breathe.
This rule depends on how much space you have, but always try to give the shearling jacket some space when hanging it. Let it hang loose and naturally, not in some twisted way. While on the topic of hanging, make sure you\’re using a stout hangar. You don\’t want it hanging on a door knob or other round points.
By following this short list of rules, your shearling will look beautiful for years to come. It\’s easy to forget some of these rules, but considering the investment you\’re making in your shearling coat, it\’s definitely worth following!
To read more on shearling coats and even on caring for a faux shearling coat check out this authors blog at shearlingcoats.org.