Leather Care & Cleaning
How to Wash Faux Leather Pants Without Ruining Them
Inside out, mesh bag, delicate cold cycle, low spin, then air dry. Step-by-step washing for faux leather pants, plus how to fix wrinkles without an iron.
You can usually wash faux leather pants if the care tag allows it: turn them inside out, zip them into a mesh laundry bag, and run a delicate cycle in cold water at the lowest spin speed with a detergent for delicates. Then hang them to air dry, never in the dryer. If the tag says hand wash only, use cool to warm water, never hot.
This tutorial is part of our leather care and cleaning guide.
Key takeaways- Check the care tag first; it decides machine, hand wash or neither.- Inside out, mesh bag, delicate cycle, low spin.- No hot water and no dryer: heat can warp, shrink or split faux leather.- Steam out wrinkles; never let an iron touch the surface.
Can faux leather pants go in the washing machine?
Often, yes. Faux leather (also called pleather or vegan leather) is a plastic coating, usually polyurethane (PU) or PVC, on a fabric base. PU types are washable, while PVC types are not easily cleaned.
So the label matters more than the name on the tag. Some linings are not machine washable even when the outer is. If the tag says not to wash, use the wipe-clean method in how to clean faux leather.
Real leather pants are a different job entirely; see how to wash real leather pants.
What you need
- A mesh laundry bag
- A detergent for delicates
- A drying rack or hanger
- A clothes steamer, or an iron with a steam setting, for wrinkles
How to machine-wash faux leather pants
Step 1: Read the care label
The label should tell you whether to machine wash, hand wash or not wash, and how to dry. US labels may use ASTM care symbols instead of words. Our guide to reading a faux leather care label explains the symbols.
Step 2: Turn the pants inside out
Faux leather clothes are usually dirtiest on the inside, from body oils, so turning them inside out lets the water reach that side.
Step 3: Zip them into a mesh bag
The bag stops the pants catching on anything that could snag or tear them. Close any zips and buttons first.
Step 4: Set a gentle cycle
Choose the delicate cycle, cold water and the lowest spin speed, with a detergent for delicates. A low final spin also helps limit wrinkling.
Step 5: Air dry
Take the pants out promptly, wipe off excess water, and hang them or lay them on a rack to air dry. Keep them out of the dryer.
Step 6: Steam out wrinkles
A steamer is the best tool for wrinkles in faux leather. No steamer? Hold an iron on the steam setting just above the fabric, and never let the iron touch it.
How to hand-wash faux leather pants
If the label says hand wash only, fill a sink with cool to warm water, never hot, and add a mild detergent. Turn the pants inside out, swish them gently, then rinse in cool water. Press out water with a towel and air dry as in Step 5.
Cold or warm water? The sources differ
Neither recommends hot water, and The Spruce warns against it. Cold is the cautious choice when the label gives no temperature.
| Source | Water for faux leather clothing | Fact |
|---|---|---|
| Tide Cleaners | Cold water, delicate cycle | – |
| The Spruce | Cool to warm water; never hot | – |
Mistakes that ruin faux leather pants
For why the dryer is the biggest risk, see can you put leather in the dryer. And keep strong solvents off unless the maker allows them: rubbing alcohol on leather. For quick touch-ups between washes, see spot-cleaning pleather pants.
| Mistake | What can happen | Fact |
|---|---|---|
| Hot water | The faux leather can shrink, warp or melt | – |
| A high-heat dryer | The faux leather can come apart | – |
| Dry cleaning | Can damage the plastic in the material | – |
| Ironing directly on the surface | Tide Cleaners says never let the iron touch faux leather; steam from a distance | – |
| Machine-washing PVC | PVC types are not easily cleaned; follow the label | – |
Faux vs real leather pants: care compared
If you are moving up to real leather, Leather Collection men's leather pants are cut from cowhide and stitched by hand, and they need the real-leather routine, not the washer.
| Column 1 | Faux leather pants | Real cowhide pants |
|---|---|---|
| Washing | Often machine-washable, per label | Wipe with a dry cloth; spot clean a stain with a damp cloth and a little mild soap |
| Drying | Air dry, no dryer | Dry at room temperature, never in the dryer |
| Extra care | Steam out wrinkles | Condition a few times a year |
Quick answers
Is faux leather washable in a washing machine?
PU faux leather is washable; PVC is not easily cleaned. Follow the care tag, and use a delicate, cold, low-spin cycle in a mesh bag.
How do you unwrinkle fake leather pants?
Use a steamer, or hover an iron on the steam setting without touching the faux leather.
Does faux leather shrink in the dryer?
Heat is the risk: hot water can shrink, warp or melt faux leather, and a high-heat dryer can make it come apart. Air dry instead.
What ruins faux leather?
Hot water, high dryer heat, dry cleaning and direct ironing are the main risks.
hosob Editorial Team
hosob articles are researched from published sources, cited in the text, and reviewed before publication.