Essential oils such as lavender, eucalyptus, citronella, lemon, and orange are all antibacterial, anti-viral, and provide a cleansing action to the leather.
Olive oil, and every oily substance for that matter, will not “nourish” your leather, but actually accelerate its deterioration. Leather is extremely permeable, and will soak up any oils you put on it. When oil first saturates leather, it seeps to the back—to the part you can't see.
Mild soap and water.
If you can, use saddle soap to give your leather a deeper clean. But if you can't get your hands on it, dilute mild unscented hand soap or dish soap in water as a replacement. You can then dampen a washcloth with the soapy solution to gently remove stains.
Treating leather with coconut oil does have a few upsides: it will soften the leather and provide a thin layer of waterproof protection. Because coconut oil is a natural oil (like neatsfoot oil, olive oil, and mink oil), it will darken leather boots when applied.
Neatsfoot oil, lanolin, almond oil, and mink oil are best for softening your leather. All of these are natural oils that moisturize leather, keeping it from drying and cracking. The fats in these natural oils will deeply moisturize the hide in leather products. Use neatsfoot oil for quick fixes.
Essential oils such as lavender, eucalyptus, citronella, lemon, and orange are all antibacterial, anti-viral, and provide a cleansing action to the leather. You are not only protecting your leather with this cleaner but also yourself and your horse from any unwanted germs and dirt.
Mix a solution of warm water and dish soap. You can also make a cleaning solution of one part vinegar to one part water. Dip a soft cloth into the solution, wring it out and wipe the jacket. Use a second clean, damp cloth to wipe off the cleaning solution.
Any cleaning product with a high pH, like vinegar or lemon juice, damages leather fibers and results in excessive drying that creates unsightly cracks. Also avoid products like olive or coconut oil and furniture polishes.
Vaseline can be used for softening leather. Before applying Vaseline to leather, start by dabbing a small cotton pad with rubbing alcohol over the leather surface. You'll want to dab each section of the surface until it starts to shine. Try to make the shine even across the entire surface.
Baby oil is a pretty light lubricant (it's mineral oil with some fragrance added) but will still over-soften the leather, much like mink oil would do. So you might find that the leather has turned to something akin to mush.
Apply a dime-sized amount of designated leather conditioner (like mink oil) to a soft cloth (microfiber is best but not necessary). Avoid using DIY leather care products, like olive oil or coconut oil, which can potentially harm your item. Begin rubbing the clean leather in circular motions with the cloth.
The best way to remember what you can and can't use on your leather is to keep this in mind: The two most commonly used chemicals that will cause severe damage to your leather are alcohol and acetone. Stay away from products that contain these substances at all costs, regardless of what you read online.
What can I use instead of a leather conditioner? You can use various oils such as coconut, lemon and baby oil. Not Olive oil as it can worsen the condition rather than preventing the damage.
How to Clean Leather: Apply Vinegar Cleaning Solution. Mix a 50/50 vinegar and water solution in a bowl and use a microfiber cloth to apply it to your furniture. Rub the leather in a circular motion to lift the dirt out of the natural fibers. Return your cloth to the bowl often, wringing it out and rewetting it.
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.
Use a high quality leather soap or nubuck cleaning cloth to clean leather as it needs it. When choosing leather soap, be sure that it doesn't leave a residue as this may be harmful to the leather by giving bacteria a place to thrive. This can eventually break down the leather and/or have irreversible effects.
Make Your Own Solution
The best way to clean a leather couch and the entire surface, mix 2 parts white vinegar with 1 part olive oil in a spray bottle and shake well. (You can also add a few drops of fragrant essential oils to cut the vinegar smell).
There are many products on the market for leather upholstery, but a number of old-fashioned remedies can do the job just as well: saddle soap, and various mixes of olive oil, vinegar, eucalyptus oil and lemon oil, can clean and rejuvenate your leather items without the expense or the chemicals.
Beeswax Rejuvenates, Nourishes, and Protects Leather
If you've been wondering how to protect leather boots, beeswax leather dressing is your answer! Beeswax is not just for waterproofing boots; it also improves their durability by rejuvenating and hardening the leather.
Using household oils on your leather will damage it. Instead, use a leather cleaning and conditioner product, like Leather Honey Leather Cleaner and Leather Honey Leather Conditioner.