Leather Care & Cleaning
How to Make a Homemade Leather Cleaner That Won't Harm the Finish
The safest homemade leather cleaner is lukewarm water with a tiny drop of mild soap on a barely damp cloth. Recipes compared, steps, and what to leave out.
The safest homemade leather cleaner is lukewarm water with a very small drop of mild detergent or soap flakes, wiped on with a cloth wrung out until it is barely damp. Some home guides use equal parts white vinegar and water instead. Test any mix on a hidden spot first, and keep it off suede, nubuck and unfinished leather.
This page shows how to mix and use it on smooth, finished leather. For a store-bought option, see water-based leather cleaners, and for everything else, our leather care and cleaning guide.
Check your leather before you mix anything
Wet a white cloth with distilled water and wipe a hidden spot. If color comes off with water alone, any cleaner, homemade or bought, will also lift color.
| Leather | Homemade cleaner? |
|---|---|
| Smooth, finished leather (most jackets, bags, sofas) | Yes, damp-cloth method below |
| Suede or nubuck | No; the water-based cleaners we checked are not made for them. See can you use suede cleaner on leather? |
| Porous aniline leather with water marks | No; extra water can make the mark worse |
| Faux leather | Different rules; see how to clean faux leather |
Homemade leather cleaner recipes compared
None of these sources show a test, so the plain soap-and-water mix is the one we recommend. It is also what the store's own care advice describes.
| Recipe | Who suggests it | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Lukewarm water + a very small drop of mild detergent or soap flakes | Glove maker Dents; the store's care advice uses a little mild soap | Our first choice; the glove maker says no liquid soap |
| Mild dish soap in lukewarm water | A motorcycle maker, for minor stains on jackets | Wipe off all soap residue afterward |
| Equal parts white vinegar and water | A home-improvement site, for leather furniture | No test given; read is vinegar safe to use on leather? first |
| Mild soap, warm water and a little white vinegar | A leather-kit seller | It uses less vinegar on delicate leather |
| White vinegar + olive oil spray | A leather-bag maker | Disputed: another guide says avoid olive oil on leather |
What you need
- A small bowl of lukewarm water (distilled if you have it)
- Mild detergent or soap flakes, a very small drop
- 3 soft, clean cloths: one to clean, one damp to rinse, one dry
- Optional: white vinegar, if you choose the vinegar mix
How to make and use it in 6 steps
- Mix a small batch. Stir a very small drop of mild detergent or soap flakes into a bowl of lukewarm water. If you use the vinegar version, mix equal parts white vinegar and water.
- Test it. Try the mix on a hidden area and let it dry before going further.
- Dust first. Wipe off dust with a soft, dry cloth so you don't grind dirt into the grain.
- Wipe with a barely damp cloth. Dip the cloth, wring it out well and wipe one section at a time without soaking the leather. Rinse the cloth often so you don't spread dirt around.
- Rinse and dry the surface. Go over the area with a clean, barely damp cloth to lift soap residue, then with a dry cloth.
- Air dry, then condition. Let the leather dry away from sun and heat, then condition it once dry. See how to apply leather conditioner.
In this TV segment from KY3 News, a cleaning expert lathers a neutral soap onto a soft cloth, wipes a leather jacket and buffs it dry, after testing in a hidden spot. It also buffs coconut oil onto the jacket and uses baby wipes on shoes; we found no source that tests either, so this page sticks to the soap method.
Mix a fresh batch each time. One seller keeps leftovers in a labeled, airtight container for no more than two weeks.
Should you add oil to the cleaner? Sources disagree
Some recipes add olive oil to moisturize as they clean. Other guides say to avoid olive oil on leather, and neatsfoot oil, a common leather oil, darkens light colors. The Canadian Conservation Institute notes that oils oxidize over time and can leave sticky surfaces, writing about museum objects.
Our advice: keep cleaning and conditioning as two separate steps. If you want a homemade conditioner too, see how to make homemade leather conditioner.
What not to put in a homemade cleaner
More on single ingredients: is rubbing alcohol safe to use on leather? and is baking soda safe to use on leather?
| Ingredient | Why | Fact |
|---|---|---|
| Saddle soap | Alkaline and harmful to naturally acidic leather; the store says avoid it | – |
| Rubbing alcohol | Can damage the finish on leather | – |
| Bleach | Never use it on any leather | – |
| Window cleaner, hairspray, nail polish remover | Listed as harmful on leather furniture | – |
| A soaking-wet cloth | Saturation is the main risk | – |
Quick answers
What can I use as a substitute for leather cleaner?
Lukewarm water with a very small drop of mild detergent or soap flakes, on a well-wrung cloth.
Can I put Dawn dish soap on leather?
A motorcycle maker suggests a small amount of mild dish soap in lukewarm water for minor stains, while a glove maker says to avoid liquid soap. We found no source that tests Dawn by name.
Should you use vinegar to clean leather?
Some home guides use equal parts vinegar and water, but none we found shows a test. Read the vinegar page linked in the recipe table before trying it.
What should you not use on leather?
Saddle soap, alcohol, bleach and harsh household cleaners.
For the store's own cleaning and storage advice, read the Leather Collection leather care instructions.
hosob Editorial Team
hosob articles are researched from published sources, cited in the text, and reviewed before publication.