A varsity jacket is a clothing article that holds a lot of value and importance for anyone who owns one. It’s simply a jacket that you’ve got to earn. The varsity jacket shows your grit and strength and the hard work that you’ve put in to achieve excellence. This is why everyone wants to preserve these garments and always these varsity jackets to be with them.
Though varsity jackets can be made out of any materials they are normally made out of leather and wool. To start cleaning these bad boys, first of all, you need to check the care instructions tag present inside these coveted jackets. These instructions will help you understand the materials used in making your varsity jacket and will give you an idea as to how you should go about the cleaning process.
You should always want to try to get a professional to clean these for you but if you still insist on cleaning them yourself you should go for spot cleaning first as there is a high chance that completely washing your jackets may damage them.
Cleaning the Stains on the Leather
Make a mild soap and water solution and then dab it on the dirt.
If the leather part of your varsity jacket is dirty, make a mix of mild soap and water and then use a rag and dab gently on the dirt. Refrain from rubbing vigorously as the rubbing can leave marks on the material. Remember, you just want to dab on the dirt and not soak the jacket and make it completely wet. When you are done with the dabbing, hang it out to dry
A little booze can come in handy.
If you’ve got small pen marks on the leather or the vinyl part of your varsity jacket, rubbing alcohol might be the perfect fix. Use a small piece of rag or a cotton swab. Dip it in the rubbing alcohol and dab it onto the pen marks. The alcohol will dissolve the pen marks. Remember to dry the residue up after the dabbing quickly with a hair dryer (on the lowest setting) as leaving the rubbing alcohol on for too long can fade away the color of your beloved jacket.
Wet the complete jacket to get rid of water stains.
We’ve all faced the issue of water stain. You know the stains in which a bit of water dries up on the jacket. To get rid of it, simply use a piece of cotton and dip it in water. Use it to mildly wet the complete jacket and then hang it up to dry.
For oil stains, go for cornstarch.
Cornstarch is an element that absorbs oil very effectively. Whenever you get oil onto your jacket, sprinkle some cornstarch onto the oil as soon as possible. Let the cornstarch sit on the oil for about five minutes and then simply brush it off. If the oil stains are oil, sprinkle cornstarch onto the oil mark and rub the cornstarch using your fingers. Set it sit for about five minute and then brush it off.
Cleaning the stains on the Wool
Absorb the liquids quickly
If you spill some liquid onto your jacket, try to absorb the excess liquid quickly. Dab a clean cloth or a tissue paper onto the spill and try to absorb as much liquid as possible.
Use white spirits on oil stains.
When you have an oil stain or an oil-based stain on the wool o your jacket, the first thing to do is scraping the top with a butter knife. Doing this gets rid of the excess oil present on the wool. After the scrapping is done, you should then use a cloth and dab white spirits onto the oil. The oil-based stains won’t have a chance.
Use white spirits and vinegar/rubbing alcohol on other stains.
For stains such as ink, eggs and milk. Dab a bit of white spirit onto the stain. Once you’ve done that, use some rubbing alcohol or diluted vinegar (water and vinegar) and put it on a clean cloth and again dab onto the stain. This will surely get rid of these nasty stains.
For tougher stains like the ones of coffee use a mix or rubbing alcohol and vinegar.
For tough stains like that of coffee, tea, chocolates use a clean cloth and a solution of rubbing alcohol and vinegar (equal portions). Dab the solution dipped cloth onto the stain and press on it a bit. Wipe it off later with a clean cloth.
How to get rid of stinky smells
Clean the liners
A liner of the jacket is the part that typically gives off unpleasant smell after the jacket has been used quite often. It is the part where most sweat gets trapped which results in foul smell. The best remedy is to hand clean the liner and the surrounding area. Make a mix of detergent and water and then dip a clean cloth in it and rub it onto the liner and smelly areas. Dip and rub 3-4 times and then clean it off with a fresh cloth and warm water.
Deodorize method also works for jackets
The deodorizing method works for jackets. To deodorize a jacket take an airtight container and put your jacket inside with a deodorizer (cat litter, baking soda, activated charcoal). Leave the jacket inside for 2-3 days. You can repeat if necessary.
Indirect sunlight is your jackets best friend
Another way of deodorizing your varsity jacket is by using indirect sunlight. Get your jacket inside out and hang it in an area that receives indirect sunlight. The indirect sunlight will help remove the stench without ruining your beloved varsity jacket.
