Polish, Shine and Buff, Conditioning isn’t that Tough.

From DIY quick gleaming potions to elegant, emollient ultra-revival hydrating high-end creams, let these fabulous five tips help you care for the leather of your dreams.

Make Carpets Clean Again

Styling is beguiling.

Stylers, beware whether you love the old worn in look or the sleek contemporary sharp lines of modern patent flair. The number one DON’T do is overdoing it. Just because it is leather, that shouldn’t be a title invitation for excessive cleaning and polishing. Leather, cowhide for lack of a better name, is porous. When you continually rub in oils, pastes, and sprays, the pores will eventually clog up and leave you with sticky dirt and dust, collecting shabby dull shadows of what it used to be, full of unnatural wrinkles and puffy dimples. Think of your leather as the perfect hairstyle. Too much pomade or gel, and the end result is an entire Saturday night spent at home washing it all out of your new “doo”. Little dabs every once in a while will add miles.

D.I.Y. Wonders from baby soap to beeswax; 5 recipes to try.

Quick to make, easy to use and environmentally safe and sound, these suggestions are great penny-pinching alternatives to OTC and name brands balms, creams and wash’n’go sprays. One of the greatest things about leather cleaners is their multi-use versatility. So effective not just as your go-to leather couch conditioner, if you have belts, shoes, handbags, jackets, boots or even car seats and dashboards, with just one product, you’ve got them all covered with:

• Baby soap: any liquid baby soap ( approx. one tablespoon ) to 4 cups of warm water and a few drops of regular vinegar in a spray bottle. Shake it, mist spray, and wipe away. Simple shine, clean, long last luster and super clean fresh odor.
• Oil be seeing you: don’t fall into the “olive oil” foil. It is far too aggressively damaging to leather over time. Alternative? A simple few drops of household lemon oil. The light acid undertone will gently clean in place of vinegar solutions that some find too olfactory indicative of a salad dressing. Added bonus with lemon oil? You betcha! Multipurpose this find as a furniture shine and shower door and stall polish. (paying particular attention to the amount used. ) Literally, just a few tiny drops will go a long way with this clean bright real citrus smelling polish. Buff the surface after for an added elegance that will shine into even the late-night hours.
• Is a paste more your taste: Tropical, beachy and well within reach, this thicker emollient cream will penetrate the deeper creases and get right down into the core of the leather without clogging the pores in humid weather. In a saucepan over medium heat until just melted, combine one part beeswax, one part cocoa butter and 2 parts almond oil. This will thicken as it cools and within 45 minutes in a cool down area like your fridge, you’ll be armed with a conditioning paste worthy of any store or factory tallow purchase.
• Touch up spot and go: A smidge or two of petroleum jelly applied with a cotton ball on finger smears or small creases followed with a quick shammy shine will leave your leather looking fine.
• Designer fragrance spray: You can custom make your own scent to compliment your style. This spray borrows from the baby soap variety and instead uses half a cup of vinegar, a couple of drops of liquid dish soap, a quarter cup of coconut oil and up to 20 drops of your favorite essential oil. The most commonly used leather oils are clove and orange, gently wafting out a warm, rich scent.

Whatever you choose to use with your leather furniture, always take the pre-check steps by checking your furniture for any tags, warning labels and cleaning instructions before starting a conditioning program. Give a quick pre-test on an inconspicuous spot and if you have any doubts, go with a pro’s choice. Try contacting a manufacturer, leather boutique, even a local equestrian shop that sells tack like reins and saddles. Still, need some nudging? Never hesitate to give your local furniture, upholstery, and home cleaning service center a call. After all, they are your number one all-weather friends when it comes to leather and it’s trends.

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