About the correct handling of the deerskin
Beer, chicken fat, sweat - anyone who has celebrated the Oktoberfest season extensively will find that Lederhosen can put up with a lot, but at some point they need cleaning. Unfortunately, you can't just put the good pieces in the washing machine, but have to take quite a bit of care when cleaning them to protect the delicate material.
When should the Lederhosen be washed?
In many people's minds, the belief still persists today: you don't wash Lederhosen. Never! Of course, this always depends on the individual stain pain threshold. But if you think about what the Lederhose comes into contact with in the course of time, the need for cleaning develops almost automatically. Not every stain immediately requires a complete cleaning. Smaller stains can often be easily treated with a stain remover. More on this in the next section! A good pair of Lederhosen made of fine deerskin lives on a certain patina, but if this is at some point too strong, it is time for a treatment. You realize that the right time has come when the leather hardens. This happens when the leather is suffocated under the patina, that is, practically sealed.
This is how the Lederhose survives the wet wash undamaged
When brush and eraser are no longer of any use, there is no way to circumvent a deep cleaning of the Lederhose. The most important rule: Never use hot water for hand washing, because this makes the leather hard as a board and destroys any wearing comfort. Simple curd soap has proven itself as a cleaning agent: It ensures that the leather remains soft and the "greasy" shine is preserved. Gently apply hand-warm water and soap and remove both without leaving any residue. This may take longer, just like the process of drying. After carefully squeezing the water out of the Lederhosen (wringing out also damages the structure), they are dried lying down, preferably on a towel. During drying, you should turn the pants over again and again. If they seem harder than before washing, knead, lengthen and stretch the material until the leather pants feel "like before".
Lederhosen cleaning: Once with professionals!
If you consider the cleaning of your Lederhose as too time-consuming or too risky, you can of course turn to the appropriate professionals. They know exactly what your Lederhose can tolerate and what they can't, and they take the same time for washing and drying to get the leather as supple as it was before. For a professional Lederhosen cleaning you pay depending on the length between 40 and 50 euros - an investment that is worth it. Die-hard leather pants wearers know it: "Genders come, genders go, deerskins endure." Meaning: with good care, your leather pants will outlive everything else in your closet.
