How to Restore Worn Leather Jackets With Mink Oil

Like a pair of denim blue jeans, a leather jacket only gets better with age. Over time, the leather softens and shapes to your figure so that it won't fit anyone else quite as well as it does you. After long-term storage or everyday use, the leather of your jacket may begin to dry out, crack or fade. Mink oil, composed of fats derived from animals, restores leather's supple texture. It may also be used to darken your faded leather jacket by several shades.

Instructions

1 Shake out the leather jacket to remove dust, dirt or other debris from the inside and outside of the garment.

2 Brush the entire outside of the jacket with a soft bristled brush to remove dust and dirt from inside the pores of the leather. Brush the inside of the jacket also if it is not lined.

3 Scoop a generous amount of mink oil from the container with your fingers. Beginning with the sleeves, rub the oil into the leather using a firm, circular motion. Coat the entire jacket with an even amount of mink oil.

4 Allow the oil to penetrate the leather for 15 to 20 minutes. Wipe off any excess oil with a soft terry cloth.

5 Buff all areas of the jacket with a flannel cloth; use a rapid circular motion to add a subtle polish to the leather. This restores the leather's natural sheen and gives the jacket a like-new look.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep your leather jacket away from excessive moisture. Though mink oil serves as a protectant against water, long-term exposure to high humidity can rot the leather.
• To achieve a darker shade, apply two to three coats of mink oil to the jacket.
• Never use chemical-based products to clean or restore your leather jacket. These will erode or stain the leather permanently.