For years people have used oils for leather conditioning but we have seen that not all oils are good for your leather, especially older and vintage leather. Conditioning your leather is important because it prevents it from cracking and becoming overly dry and damaged and simply keeps it looking nice for longer.

 

Remember that only unfinished leather should be conditioned with oils because anything with finish on it should only be cleaned and conditioned with appropriate soaps and water.

 

First, you want to take a microfiber cloth and dampen it with water. If you do not have a microfiber cloth, anything that does not attract lint would be ideal for this use.

 

Next, you want to apply the conditioner to the cloth directly and never, ever apply the conditioner directly onto the leather.

 

Rub the conditioner into the cloth and then in a circular motion apply it to the leather until the whole area of conditioning has been covered. Instead of a heavy application try a few smaller ones at first just to ensure no damage comes to the leather itself.

 

After the conditioner has sat for about 30 minutes then you should take a damp cloth and remove the conditioner from the leather.

 

Can washing machines be used for leather conditioning?

There are some people out there who claim that if you place a leather item into the dryer on a low tumble that it will condition it. However, that is quite a high risk seeing as leather typically dries out and shrinks when exposed inside of a dryer. Instead just clean and condition the leather by hand and if you need to condition large furniture then you may to call in reinforcements.

 

Is leather conditioning expensive?

The great thing about cleaning and conditioning leather is that a lot of larger cleaning companies offer it as a service for an affordable price. Depending on the area you live in there could be a cleaning company who can get your leather conditioned within a few hours and without breaking the bank. Check the services offered of your local companies first to see if any of them meet your needs. Always do your research when it comes to conditioning leather because not all products are good for leather. For example, olive oil is commonly suggested to be used for conditioning but the substance is just too oily and it will only damage your leather rather than condition and clean it.