You might know The Ironing Lady mainly for doing, well, ironing!And you’d be right. We do offer a much-needed collection and delivery service in Reading for washing and ironing.
But what about those awkward items that sit in a bag waiting to be taken somewhere to be sorted out? Or worse still, left languishing in the wardrobe while you hope that the magical cleaning fairies will come and sort them out while you sleep?
Suede and leather – tricky customers!
Anything made of suede or leather usually comes into this category. You fully intend to sort out any stains and make them look more presentable, but somehow that job falls to the bottom of your list. Maybe you’re not quite sure which product to buy and you don’t want to make the situation any worse. Leather and suede cleaners are difficult to buy as you’re never really sure what works or how to use them.
We know a lady who spilled something on her Ugg boots and didn’t know what to do, so she started scrubbing at the stain. Five minutes later and the stain had got much worse, the nap was damaged, and the boot was ruined. And we all know how costly Uggs can be.
Why are Ugg boots so difficult to clean?
Uggs are made with sheepskin and suede and lined with wool, so they have to be cared for. They’re great in that they’re breathable and absorb sweat, so they keep feet warm but not too hot.
Here’s a quite interesting fact: Uggs were originally used to keep pilots warm! Australian WWII pilots used them to avoid frostbite during unpressurised flights at altitudes of up to 40,000 feet. That’s like driving with the windows open at 200 miles per hour at 50 degrees below zero. Pretty chilly. The boots were known as flying uggs, which was short for ugly! No one would argue that they’re the most stylish boot you can buy, but they do the trick on cold winter nights.
In the 60s and 70s they were worn by Australian farmers, and then surfers, to keep their legs warm after being in the sea. In the 2000s they were hugely popular with celebrities including Paris Hilton and Oprah Winfrey, who bought a pair for all 350 of her members of staff!
Love them or hate them, once you’ve tried wearing them, you can’t deny their comfort. But what about keeping them looking fresh?
It’s not that suede and leather are particularly difficult to clean – it’s just quite difficult to find anyone willing to clean them! Your high street dry cleaner probably won’t touch them with a barge pole in case they make it worse and have an angry customer on their hands.
As you’ll know if you’ve read our previous blogs, our method is kinder and less expensive. Plus there’s the added bonus that the items don’t have to be sent away to specialists and not come back for weeks!
How can I clean my Ugg boots at home?
Ugg Australia sell a cleaning kit you can use at home if you dare. They’ve created a video with instructions on how to do this at home.
How can I clean my leather clothes at home?
We found this handy video which demonstrates how to clean a leather jacket. Of course if you’re a bit nervous about trying it yourself we’d be happy to help.
What can you do to stop them getting stained?
If you’re planning on buying a new pair of Uggs, buying the protective spray along with it will lengthen the life of the boots and you’ll be able to wear them for longer. You spray a coating of the waterproofing on the boots, leave it for a day, then lightly brush them with a suede brush in one direction. Waterproofing helps to prevent the sheepskin from being stained or damaged by puddles, and makes it easier to remove future stains. That said, we recommend you avoid wearing them on rainy days and definitely not in the snow, or they’ll still get potentially smudged and stained.
Don’t forget that we can fix any broken zips or do clothing alterations too. So if your leather skirt is a bit too long and needs shortening just bring it in and we’ll clean it and alter it and you’ll be able to wear it again very soon.
If you’d like us to clean your suede or leather clothing or footwear, just give us a call and we’d be delighted to help.
