We don't recommend cleaning your leather with any sanitizing wipes or sprays as that can damage your leathers finish. Soap and water is the best way to sanitize your hands, and it's perfectly safe and effective for leather seats, too!
Armor All® Leather Wipes are perfect for use on most leather surfaces, including treated leather furniture, clothing and of course, car seats. Our specially formulated products condition your leather, whether in your car or house, helping to keep your leather looking like new.
The chemicals used in many disinfectant wipes remove the natural layer of protection on your seats and will dry out the leather, which leads to cracking. It can also discolor the leather and cause permanent damage.
Many baby wipes contain chemicals, or other ingredients, that may cause leather to peel and crack over time. We strongly encourage you to limit baby wipe usage to its intended purpose and refrain from wiping down your leather furniture, apparel or anything else with baby wipes.
Never use Clorox or disinfecting wipes on leather. The alcohol in the wipes will dry out the leather and make it brittle. White vinegar is not as effective as alcohol but you can rub on white vinegar and allow it to sit for 10 minutes. Then, wipe it off with a soft cloth.
Do not place any chemicals directly on the leather. Instead, submerse the cloth in hot water, spray a little Dettol on it and then manipulate it around the area that needs attention. Wrap the cloth around your fingers, and gently massage the surface of the leather.
Leather. Here's that alcohol problem again: Many disinfectant or antibacterial wipes contain it, and alcohol can dehydrate supple leather. Repeated use may leave your leather goods looking dry and chalky.
Be sure to avoid these products when cleaning your leather: Baking soda, white vinegar, cream of tartar, and lemon juice.
Never use ammonia or bleach-based products, as they're too harsh and can damage leather's natural finish. Water should also be used very sparingly when cleaning, because too much liquid can cause stains of its own. Be sure to use only damp (rather than fully saturated or dripping) cleaning cloths.
You can use a commercial leather cleaner, or you can make your own. Mix warm water and Castile soap or liquid dish washing soap together in a bucket. Use a ratio of 5 parts water to 1 part soap. Dampen a cloth with the solution and wipe down the seat surfaces.
Spray with Clorox® Disinfecting Mist
Hold the trigger 6–8 inches from the surface of the couch and spray lightly over it until wet; do not saturate. To sanitize, the surface should remain wet for 1 minute.
Mr Sheen Leather Wipes can be used on leather goods such as sofas, chairs, bean bags, car seats, handbags, luggage, jackets and shoes. On antique leather surfaces we recommend you consult a furniture specialist before use. Do not use on suede or nubuck leather. Do not use on carpets, upholstery or on any other fabrics.
Cleaning leather is a gentle art that requires the right products. You can seriously damage your leather furniture by using the wrong stuff to clean it. It's widely agreed that plain old dish soap and water are the best cleaners for all types of leather.
You should not use Windex on leather. It will ruin your leather product because it usually contains alcohol. Alcohol will dry out your leather, eventually making it unusable.
Extra Tipes & Things to Avoid
Always use a cleaner that is designed for leather care. Do not use baby wipes, vinegar, or other so-called “home remedies,” as these often do more harm than good. Such products can leach color, set stains, dry out the leather, cause grease build-up, and/or other problems.
A little water won't hurt leather at all, and most leather products have a protective layer that gives you enough time to clean up water spills before leather soaks it up. When spills and small amounts of water do damage leather, it usually just makes the leather stiff.
In a nutshell, baby wipes are possibly the worst thing you can use to clean leather; they're an alkaline product designed to neutralise acid on urine, and destroy the finish on your suite (even if it isn't apparent while you're doing it!).
Leather can be cleaned using simple household products. Mix a 50/50 vinegar and water solution in a bowl and use a microfiber cloth to apply it to your furniture.
There are many oils, chemicals and cleaning products that will ruin or shorten the lifespan of leather. Hides can be torn, scratched, stretched, left in the sun, heated, burnt or covered in water. Generally, any alcohol, paint thinner, turpentine or petroleum based product will degrade leather.
Use beeswax and oils to make homemade leather conditioner. Use a small amount on a soft cloth to rub into the leather and buff it to a shine. Melt the mixture over water on medium heat, stirring constantly, until it is completely melted.
One oil that has shown promising benefits for your favorite leather goods is lemon essential oil. All you need is a soft cloth and around 10 drops of the essential oil, which you can massage into your leather. But according to Rapinchuk, the best bet for a natural oil is beeswax. "Beeswax in a tub is my go-to.
Some antibacterial wipes are OK for your hands. But don't use disinfectant wipes. You could have an allergic reaction. It might make your skin red, itchy, and swollen.
Wet Ones antibacterial hand wipes are just as effective as gel hand sanitisers in killing 99.9% of bacteria, but they clean better than hand sanitiser gels by wiping away dirt and messes. They are also hypoallergenic and won't irritate skin.
Unfortunately, you really cannot use window cleaner on leather upholstery because almost all of it contains alcohol. Alcohol will damage the surface of your leather, especially breaking down the protective top coat on fully-finished leathers that make up the vast majority of the leather upholstery market.
I suggest rubbing it down with a HOT cloth that you can barely hold, along with a dab of light shampoo because it's PH balanced for the leather. For generally dirty leather, I recommend just hot water.