Can I put leather jacket in the freezer?

[StickyFloor]

I buy most of our stuff from charity shops and anything that can't be washed in machine or by hand eg cuddly toys, shoes, handbags, I sponge wash, dry and then put in the freezer to kill off any germs.

Today I bought a leather jacket which is totally spotless so I don't really want to pay dry cleaner £££s just to freshen it up but I am not going to just put it on - what do you think? How can I freshen it up?

[gamerchick]

Hang it on the line for a bit?

[PigletJohn]

you can sponge the outside and let it dry, that will remove most of the fag smoke smell and surface dirt. You can use a little soap (not detergent) if you want.

[PigletJohn]

p.s.

What made you think that freezers kill "germs?"

[MirandaWest]

If a jacket were totally spotless I wouldn't be worried about getting rid of germs tbh. Would probably just hang it outside for a bit if I felt it smelt.

[Katz]

I don't think i'd freeze a leather jacket, it might crack the leather.

As an aside freezing things doesn't kill germs.

[StickyFloor]

I'm sure I read it somewhere, probably on MN! Surely no germs can survive being frozen can they???

Thanks for the suggestion Piglet - I thought leather and water had to be avoided at all costs, are you sure I won't be left with a tide mark if I sponge dry?

[trikken]

Hang it outside, maybe a little spray of febreeze I would think putting it in the freezer would wreck the outside of it.

[Katz]

it might kill the odd one or two but mainly freezing renders the bacteria and germs inactive. This is certainly true for food based bacteria and germs

[StickyFloor]

OK the freezer idea is abandoned, thanks.

It doesn't smell at all, tbh it looks like new, it's just that feeling of knowing it has been worn by persons unknown and handled in a charity shop, so it doesn't feel clean even though it looks clean.

[StickyFloor]

Could be right Footle, moth larvae / germs / lice - kills any bugger in my mind!

[PigletJohn]

I haven't had a Fashion leather jacket, but biker leathers can be sponged with soap, and polished off. You are not supposed to get leather wet through with water, as it will need re-oiling afterwards or it will go hard and dry. Water may darken the surface, but sooner or later you are bound to wear it on a rainy day.

Ordinary hand/face/toilet soap is "superfatted" to leave the skin soft, and does slightly oil the surface. Saddle soap works the same way and smells nicer, you work up a foam first rather than using lots of water.

I am beginning to think you need advice from people who have ladies' fashion jackets, as they might be more delicate, especially if it is a pale colour.

[ThatBloodyWoman]

If it smells ok, why not just wear it?

Go on, you can do it -it'll be fine!

If you buy a new one people (some with dubious hygiene) will probably have tried it on, and shop workers (some with dubious hygiene) will have handled it.....

[poppycarew]

Do as PJ suggests and clean the outside (leather side ) with saddle soap or similar )
Sponge lining with Napisan or similar ( do advanced search on MN and you will get the point)

Also hang out to air as pps suggest

Oh and well done for getting a practically new leather jacket in Charity Shop.

[Bumply]

Freezing kills off house dust mites as this was the recommended way of making ds2 soft toys safer for him when first diagnosed with asthma.

[StickyFloor]

Thanks everyone - jacket update - in the end I sponged down the inside material lining with a damp cloth with a vague splash of diluted detergent, and lightly wiped the outside with plain water, then left on the line overnight.

I don't know that any of this really achieved anything but it now smells like all my other clothes and in my mind it feels cleaner than it was!

THATBLOODYWOMAN - you make a very good point about buying brand new clothes, I don't know why I never thought of that. Of course this means that I will be washing any brand new clothes that I buy too in future!

I am so happy with it, it's supersoft black hip length sort of blazer shape from Zara, such a lucky find!