How to Remove Wrinkles from a Leather Coat: Shoulders, Sleeves and Folds From the Box

To get wrinkles out of a leather coat, hang it on a wide, shaped hanger and give it a couple of days, then use shower steam or a cool iron through brown paper on any panels that stay creased. Leather Collection's care advice is to let wrinkles hang out and to keep coats on a wide wooden, plastic or padded hanger. Keep heat for last, and never use the clothes dryer.

This is the coat-specific version of our tutorial on how to get wrinkles out of leather. It's part of our guide to shaping leather and removing wrinkles.

Tools and materials

• A wide-shouldered wooden, plastic or padded hanger, not thin wire
• Acid-free tissue or a rolled towel to pad the sleeves and shoulders
• A dry towel for blotting
• Thick books for flat panels such as the back or a collar
• An iron with the water emptied, plus heavy brown paper or a 100% cotton cloth
• A breathable cotton garment cover for storage

Step by step

Step 1: Empty the pockets and hang the coat

Take keys, phones and wallets out. Heavy objects in pockets stretch leather. Hang the coat on a hanger whose shoulders match the coat's shoulders, so pulling on it later doesn't add creases across the shoulder line. Hang it from something sturdy, such as a wardrobe rail, not a curtain rod or a small nail.

Step 2: Pad the shoulders and sleeves

Fill rounded shapes with acid-free tissue or rolled paper, as conservators do, so the sleeves and shoulders hang in their natural shape. Don't overstuff, because that can stretch the leather or loosen stitching.

Step 3: Wait 48 to 72 hours

Most box and travel wrinkles drop out with time. One jacket retailer suggests 48-72 hours of hanging before using any heat. For small wrinkles, pull the hanging panel gently in opposite directions for about five seconds, rest, and repeat.

Step 4: Wear it

Body warmth and movement may ease minor creases on their own, according to one jacket retailer. This suits elbows and the back, where the coat moves most.

Step 5: Steam it in the bathroom

Hang the coat in the bathroom during a hot shower, out of the spray, and leave it for the shower and a little longer. Then smooth the panels by hand and let the coat cool on its hanger before you wear it. Blot any droplets right away without rubbing.

Step 6: Flatten the collar, lapels and back panel

For a stubborn fold on a flat area, lay that part of the coat flat with nothing folded underneath. Put thick books over the crease for a day or two.

Step 7: Iron the panels that still won't relax

Test 3 seconds on a hidden area, such as the inside of a front facing, and stop at any change in color, shine or texture. Then press through heavy brown paper or cotton with the iron on low and the water emptied, using light pressure and never stopping in one spot. Lambskin needs shorter presses, about 2-3 seconds against 3-5 for heavier leather, according to one retailer. Hang the coat straight afterward. For the full method, see can you iron leather?

What about a steamer?

Sources disagree, so it's your call. One maker says don't put a steamer on leather goods. Other sellers use one on low at distances from about 4 in (10 cm) to 10 in (25 cm), kept moving. The details are in can you steam leather to remove wrinkles?

How to unwrinkle a coat without an iron

Hanging, pulling, wearing, shower steam and weights (steps 1 to 6) all work without an iron. Hanging is the store's first choice.

Common mistakes

• Dry cleaning it to press out wrinkles. The store says normal dry cleaning removes oils and can make leather crack, fade and shrink.
• Storing it in a plastic cover. Plastic causes excessive drying; use breathable cotton.
• Folding it into a bag or suitcase for weeks. Leather shouldn't stay folded or creased for long.
• Ironing suede trim. One retailer says heat and pressure flatten the nap; see how to remove wrinkles from suede.
• Treating faux leather like leather. It's plastic and can melt; see how to remove wrinkles from faux leather.

When the leather itself is wrinkly

If the whole coat has become wrinkly leather that feels stiff or dry, rather than folded, the methods above won't do much. Conservators say leather that has stiffened out of shape is hard, often impossible, to reshape. Some makers condition it, but conservation bodies say dressings can darken or stain leather, so this is disputed. For a coat you care about, a leather specialist is the safer route. You can find one through leathershopnearme.com.

FAQ

Do wrinkles in leather go away?

Storage and box wrinkles usually hang out. Creases where the leather bends, like the inside of an elbow, tend to come back.

Can you steam wrinkles out of a leather coat?

Shower steam is the gentle option. Sources disagree on garment steamers.

Can I iron wrinkles out of a leather coat?

Yes, on low through brown paper or cotton, after hanging hasn't worked.