Leather Cleaner | Homemade Leather Cleaner Recipes

Leather is a popular type of material that is well appreciated for its versatility and it is used in a wide variety of garments and furniture.  Leather can come from a variety of sources such as cattle, swine, lamb, and even alligator.  No matter the source, the cleaning of leather should be handled with care as it is a very difficult fabric to get stains out.  You might be doing more harm than good if you do not use proper leather cleaning methods.

The homemade leather cleaner solutions that I’m going to describe are for what is known as protected aniline leather (otherwise known as finished leather) only.  This is because pure aniline leather (or unfinished leather) can only be cleaned by professional leather cleaning kits and even with that it might be impossible to fully get stains out.  Finished leather on the other hand has a protective coating on the leather making spills and scuff marks easier to remove.  So how can you tell if you have pure aniline or protected aniline leather?  You can probably differentiate by the feel and the look of the fabric.  Pure aniline leather is ultra soft and buttery.  It has the natural look of leather with its markings and all.  Protected aniline leather is stiffer to touch and it might have a dull sheen to it.  This is because of the transparent layer of protective coating applied to the surface.  On the bright side, this is what makes it easier to clean.  However, to be sure, you should always test out leather cleaning solutions on a discreet corner of the garment or furniture to make sure the color doesn’t run.   It would be absolutely heartbreaking to ruin a set of matching classic retro leather chairs.

For a cheap and general leather furniture cleaner, you can try mixing a recipe of 1 part vinegar and 2 parts linseed oil.  Use a clean white cloth to apply on the couch and wipe dry.  For harder stains such as ink on the couch, use an equal mixture of isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) and water.  Start at the outer edges of the stain and work towards the middle.  You do not want to enlarge the area.  It might take a few more cleanings but the ink stain should lift.  Do not rub into the couch.

If you find that the stains still persist on the leather garment or furniture, try a commercial grade leather cleaner.  They are specifically formulated to deal with the leather’s pH level and their tendencies to absorb liquids.

By keeping leather clean and well maintained, you can enjoy it for years to come.