Did you finally found a perfect pair of faux leather leggings but don’t know how to wash them properly? Simply reading the care label feels like not enough information to clean and wash your leggings.
Since the material is different than regular spandex or polyester, faux leather requires more attention to preserve its condition. So what is the best way to keep faux leather leggings clean?
How do you wash faux leather leggings? There are two ways to wash faux leather leggings: hand wash or use a washing machine. Flip the leggings inside out and use mild detergent in the washer on a delicate cycle.
Do not wring or use dryer! Instead, air dry flat in a drafty area with indirect sunlight.
Faux leather looks very similar to real leather visually. However, towash faux leather leggingsis quite simple and does not require professional dry cleaner.
Simply run it in on a gentle cycle in cold water and then air dry on a flat surface. Any creases or wrinkles will be very difficult to get out.
In this article, you will learn how to properly use washer and hand washing method to clean the faux leather leggings the correct way so that you avoid cracking or pilling. In addition, you will get answers to frequently asked questions and expert tips to wash your favorite faux leather leggings at home quickly.
Can you wash faux leather in a washing machine?
Yes, you can wash faux leather in a washing machine. Just run in on a cold cycle and place them into a delicates bag.
Do not put them in the dryer, but air-dry by hanging straight or placing them flat to sustain their shape.
Faux leather leggings, jackets or skirts can be either machine-washed or even hand-washed for a more delicate approach.
The right temperature setting of the water is recommended and mild homemade detergent is just the key to washing faux leather in a washing machine.
Faux leather is easier to wash and line-dried flat to maintain its original shape.
Does faux leather shrink in the wash?
Faux leather can shrink in the wash if it is run on a warm water cycle. Avoid high heat washing as this may damage the material.
However, trying to shrink faux leather can harm the plastic-like fibers easily which may result cracks, melting, and potential pilling. It is essential to remember that faux leather is not made of natural fibers, so the synthetic material is vulnerable to heating.
Always air dry or hang dry the faux leather after washing. Also, avoid wring to remove the excess water.
Do not put faux leather in a dryer to shrink the leggings as the heat from the dryer can distort and even melt the material. Not only will the leggings be ruined, but it may stick to the dryer walls making an even bigger mess.
Be aware that shrinking leggings does occur with warm water, so run the machine on a gentle cycle in cold water for washing the leggings.
Hanging dry helps the material to sustain its shape and not dry or brittle out. You can use a towel to mop up some of the excess water before hanging so that the leggings aren’t too heavy and that they dry in a reasonable amount of time.
What is the best thing to clean faux leather with?
In certain times, you may need some spot cleaning before placing into the washer or hand washing. Without pretreating or spot cleaning, the stain will create visual marks that will never remove even after multiple washes.
The best way to clean faux leather is a non-abrasive cloth and gentle or mild washing soap.
Take a soft microfiber cloth, dip the cloth in a mild soap solution and wring the cloth with no dripping water. Then, wipe it over the faux leather and use another soft cloth to dry it off right away.
To clean stains on faux leather:
- Dirt stains: When you see faux leather having stains, then use a microfiber cloth that is made damp with warm water. Use gentle detergent on the soft cloth and scrub very lightly over the stain.
- Water mark, coffee, or juice stains: Use water and gentle soap for any liquid stains. Use a spray bottle to mix a water-soap solution and spray over a soft cloth. Wipe and dry with a soft cloth.
- Dye or ink stains: These stains are known as set-in stains which require a little isopropyl, also known as rubbing alcohol or vinegar can also be used. Take a bit of rubbing alcohol over a cotton swab or a soft cloth and rub it over the stain outside-in to prevent it from becoming larger. Wipe with plain water dampened cloth and let it air dry.
How to wash faux leather leggings?
There are two ways to wash faux leather leggings either by hand or in a washing machine. Using the right detergent, cold water temperature and gentle agitation are what is needed to wash the faux leggings, be it by hand or machine washed.
Whether you select hand or machine wash method to wash your faux leather leggings, here are few additional cleaning tips and some important things to remember:
- Make sure that you are not using hot water as it can distort or melt the faux leather.
- Always use a mild detergent for both hand or machine washing methods.
- When hand washing, swish your hand around rather than scrubbing the leggings for even distribution.
- Always run the washing machine on delicate cycle and in hand washing, simply soak the leggings instead of wring.
- Stretching, twisting or pulling the fabric while it is wet can warp the shape.
Machine Wash Method
- Have a gentle detergent, cold or regular water, and a laundry mesh bag to load.
- Turn the faux leggings inside out.
- Place the leggings in the mesh bag and pop them in the machine to run on a gentle wash cycle. By doing so, it will ensure additional protection to the faux leather leggings during the wash.
- Minimize the spin cycle to a lesser speed to prevent wrinkling.
- Select the delicate cycle for a wash.
- Use a large dry towel to soak up some of the excess water before drying.
- Air-dry the faux leather leggings flat.
Hand Wash Method
- Take the water-mild detergent solution and soak the leggings for around 5 minutes.
- Any extra detergent can stiffen the leggings or even crack them. So, thoroughly rinse in cool water.
- Do not use any fabric softener.
- Soak up some of the excess water with a large dry towel before drying.
- After washing, avoid wringing the leggings instead air-dry flat to sustain the shape.
Washing Faux Leather Leggings: Conclusion
Faux leather is a very trendy fashion item that replaces denim jeans in many situations. It may look impossible to wash faux leather legging at home, however with correct cleaning and washing techniques you can easily do so at home without running to the dry cleaner.
Before washing the leggings, review the front and back of your legging to make sure there is no need to pretreat or spot clean. Identify what type of stain it is and whether it is water or oil based to treat them correctly.
Effective treatment can prevent the stain from remaining forever, even after multiple wash.
When it comes to washing faux leather leggings, you may use washer or hand washing method, one it not better than the other. If you are using washer method, read the care label first to ensure that the legging is washer friendly, and if not then go with the hand washing method.
Turn the leggings inside out and place in a mesh bag to protect the surface. Put it in the washer, add mild detergent and set the machine on cold wash with delicate cycle.
For hand washing method, simply use cold and mild detergent-water mixture in a large container and soak the leggings for 5 minutes. Do not add any fabric softener as it may cause the legging to stiffen.
After washer machine or hand washing method, avoid twisting or using a dryer. Instead, air dry flat to prevent melting and cracking the faux leather fabric.
Depending on your timing and comfortability, you may use hand wash or machine wash to clean faux leather leggings. However, machine-washable make your job much easier on a busy schedule.
Simply follow these guidelines and clothing cleaning tips to protect and give a care to your favorite faux leather leggings. When done properly, they can last a really long time!