How to Clean Leather Naturally

You can care for your leather naturally with natural soaps made from oil. Always condition leather after cleaning by coating them with mink oil or other natural oils.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

1. With a slightly damp cloth wipe the entire area to remove dust and dirt. Do not get the leather wet, simply wipe the surface gently.

2. For stained areas mix 1/8 teaspoon of liquid castile soap with 1/4 cup of water. Leather is an expensive natural textile, so test the cleaner first in an inconspicuous place to ensure the cleaner will not damage the leather. Rub the stain gently. If the leather has a mold or mildew stain you may treat it with rubbing alcohol. For wet leather allow it to air dry naturally. Do not try to hurry the drying process along with heat. This will dry and crack leather. Greasy stains can be removed by applying corn starch to the area and allowing it to rest to absorb the stain. Blot the area periodically.

3. Condition the leather with mink oil or coconut oil. Mink oil is a traditional leather conditioner. Coconut oil is more readily available and will work to soften and condition the leather.

Resources

• Green Cleaning Recipes