How to Clean a Letterman Jacket

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: March 25, 2023 References

A letterman jacket is a meaningful garment that you want to preserve. To start cleaning it, check the care instructions, as letterman jackets can be made from a variety of materials, though traditionally they are leather and wool. The care instructions will give you an idea of wear to start. Consider letting a professional clean your jacket, as they are trained to clean those materials.^{[1]
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Research source} If you still want to clean it at home, try spot cleaning first for both the leather part and the wool part. If all else fails, you can try washing it, but that can damage it for good.

Part 1

Part 1 of 4:

Using Spot Cleaning for the Leather/Vinyl

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Dab at dirt with a mild soap and water solution. If the leather is dirty, try just dabbing it down. Add a bit of mild soap to a couple of cups of water. Stir in the soap. Dip a rag in the solution, and wring it out some. Dab it on the jacket. You don't want to rub, as that can leave marks.^{[2]
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- You just want to dab so that you don't get much water on the jacket. Hang it to dry when you're done.
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Try rubbing alcohol on small stains. If you get a small pen mark on your leather or vinyl, use a bit of rubbing alcohol. You can apply it using a bit of rag or a cotton swab. Dab it on, and then dry it quickly with a hair dryer on the lowest heat setting.^{[3]
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Wet the whole jacket to remove water stains. If water dries in one spot on your jacket, you're likely to end up with a stain. To remove it, you need to dry it at as a whole, which means you need to use a cloth to lightly dampen the whole thing. Hang it up to dry.
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Use cornstarch on oil stains. Cornstarch can absorb oil so that the leather/vinyl doesn't, so sprinkle some on as soon as you spill if possible. Let it sit for five minutes or so before brushing it off. You can use it on old stains, too. Just rub it in with your fingers so that the heat helps get rid of the oil.

Part 2

Part 2 of 4:

Cleaning Stains on Wool

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Absorb the spill first. If something spills on your jacket that is liquid, try to absorb as much as you can first. Blot at it with a clean cloth to pick up the liquid. Keep dabbing until you've gotten as much as you can.
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Use mineral spirits on oil-based stains. If you get an oil, grease, or sauce stain on your jacket, start by scraping at the top of the stain with a butter knife, which removes some of the grease. Next, use a lint-free cloth to blot the stain with mineral spirits.^{[4]
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Use mineral spirits and vinegar on other stains. For other stains, start by dabbing the area with white spirits. After dabbing with mineral spirits, use a solution of diluted vinegar (try half white vinegar and half water) to dab the stain. You can also follow with rubbing alcohol instead of vinegar.^{[5]
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- This process will work on a number of stains, including ink, egg, and milk.
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Use an alcohol and vinegar solution on black coffee stains. For a coffee stain, start with a cloth (lint-free) dipped in a solution of half rubbing alcohol, half white vinegar. Dab the stain with the cloth to moisten it. Press a clean cloth up against the stain to absorb it.^{[6]
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- You can also use this method for tea, chocolate, or coffee with milk, but you need to dab the edges with mineral spirits first.
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Use plain vinegar on blood. If you get blood on the wool, first use a damp sponge or cloth to absorb as much as you can. Next, apply pure white vinegar to the stain, dabbing at it. After the vinegar, use clean (lint-free) cloth with cool water.^{[7]
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Part 3

Part 3 of 4:

Getting Rid of Smells

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Clean the liner. If the liner is coming up with a smell, try hand cleaning just that part. Add a single tablespoon of laundry detergent or mild soap to four cups (about a liter) of water. Swish it around to mix it up. Dampen a cloth with it, then wipe down the lining with the solution. Focus on smelly areas, such as armpits. Use a clean cloth with water to rinse off the liner.^{[8]
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Deodorize the jacket. If the jacket has developed a smell, try deodorizing it. The best way to deodorize it is to put it in an airtight container with a deodorizer. For instance, you can use kitty litter, baking soda, or even activated charcoal. Leave the jacket there for at least a day, but you may need to leave it longer to completely get rid of the smell.^{[9]
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Air out the jacket. Another possibility for deodorizing the jacket is using indirect sunlight. For instance, hang it near a window in your house, but don't let the direct sunlight hit it. The sunlight may help deodorize the jacket.^{[10]
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Part 4

Part 4 of 4:

Washing a Jacket

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Turn the jacket inside out. Button the jacket with the inside out. That will help protect the leather from the washing machine. You can also add other similarly colored items to the machine in an attempt to cushion the jacket.^{[11]
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- Washing a jacket in the machine should be a last-ditch effort. It can ruin a leather jacket.^{[12]
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Set the washer to cold and use the gentle cycle. Wool shouldn't be washed in hot or even warm water, so set your washer to cool. Turn it to the gentlest setting you have. Also, set it up to only rinse once, and put it on the smallest load possible.^{[13]
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Research source} Add a couple of tablespoons of a gentle wool detergent.
- Also, skip the spin cycle if possible.
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Wash the jacket by hand if you prefer. Add the detergent to a sink with water, and gently swirl the jacket in. Try not to agitate it. Rinse it by putting it in the same sink with clean water, preferably at the same temperature.
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Lay the jacket out flat to air dry. It's likely best to air dry the jacket by laying it flat. First, wipe down the leather to dry it out as much as possible. Lay the jacket on a towel with the inside out so it can dry properly. It may help to blow dry the lining a bit to dry it out.
- Some people recommend drying the jacket inside-out in the dryer on medium. However, that could damage the wool. If you do, be sure to check it every 10 minutes or so. You may need to stretch the sleeves a bit as it dries to make sure they stay the same length.^{[14]
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Community Q&A

Question

How do I clean the letters and numerals on the jacket?

Andrej Waliłko

Community Answer

I treat the patches like a low pile wool rug. First, blot the stain with 8 parts water + 1 part vinegar + a small drop of mild dish soap. Gentle scrubbing is OK if you avoid pulling up the fibers. Once your stain starts lifting, blot again with plain water to rinse, and air dry. You could also use a Tide pen or similar. Oxyclean can remove dye from wool so I'd avoid it (even if you have a white patch, it could spill over the edge onto the wool field of the jacket).
Question

How should I store a wool and leather jacket?

Andrej Waliłko

Community Answer

I use a hefty plastic suit hanger to avoid creasing the tops of the sleeves (the hanger is about 1.5" thick and shaped like shoulders). If you are putting away the coat for the season, clean and deodorize first, and put the jacket in a garment bag with a cedar block to keep moths off the wool. Don't hang it in a basement where it can pick up musty smells.