The Best Natural DIY Leather Couch Cleaner
Clean your couch and other leather products gently and naturally with this DIY leather cleaner.
This homemade solution cleans and conditions with essential oils and olive oil giving new lift to your leather furniture.
You can make this DIY leather couch cleaner with only 3 ingredients you probably have on hand! You can actually use this cleaner on your hardwood floors too!
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what you need to make DIY leather couch cleaner:
Ingredients
- Distilled Water – using water in homemade cleaners, bacteria can start to grow over time while the solution sits in the sealed container. To keep this from happening, always use distilled water.
- White Vinegar – just regular old white distilled vinegar you use in cooking! I buy mine in bulk at Sam’s Club.
- Castile Soap – an all around great thing to have on hand. Its gentle enough to use on your skin, but strong enough to clean with! This is the kind of castile soap I like to use in my homemade cleaning products. Read more about the many ways you can use castile soap in your home!
- Olive Oil – olive oil helps condition your leather furniture as you clean it! An off brand is fine. No need to spend more than you have to since you aren’t needing to be worried about flavor.
- Essential Oils (Optional) – for additional cleaning power and a fresh smell, add a couple drops of citrus, cedarwood, eucalyptus, citronella or any other essential oils known for their cleaning power.
I use a castile soap in these other recipes too: homemade face wash and homemade thieves cleaner
Tools to Use:
- Funnel
- Glass Amber Spray Bottles
- Labels (just for fun)
how to make dIY leather couch cleaner:
Combine – In an empty spray bottle, combine 4 teaspoons white vinegar, 1 teaspoon olive oil and 1 teaspoons of castile soap. Fill the rest of the way with warm water.
Mix – Shake well to combine.
Tips for success:
Store – Store the DIY leather cleaner for up to 6 months.
Variations – Essential oils can add to the cleaning power and make your house smell fresh as you clean! Just add 20 drops to your spray bottle.
Substitutions – Fractioned coconut oil can be used instead of olive oil.
Dish soap or another mild soap can be used in place of the castile soap in a pinch.
About this DIY leather couch Cleaner:
Its all natural
Most store-bought leathers contain harsh chemicals that aren’t safe to use around children and pets.
Making your own homemade leather cleaner you can make sure that your spray is made of only natural ingredients, so it’s a much better option for a non-toxic home.
Easy to make
It takes just a couple of minutes to mix the ingredients in a spray bottle, shake it up and your leather cleaning spray is ready to use!
Much cheaper than store-bought
Making homemade cleaning products is almost always way cheaper than buying commercial cleaners.
Conditions as well as cleans
This leather spray is best used for regular cleaning and routine maintenance, but it will condition leather furniture as well!
For leather items that need a more deep conditioning, try making and using this homemade leather conditioner recipe. It also doubles as a shoe polish.
how to use this dIY leather couch cleaner:
- Shake the spray bottle to make sure the oil isn’t settled on the top of the cleaner.
- Spot test the DIY leather cleaner on a small area to make sure your furniture reacts well to it before using on the entire surface.
- Once you are sure its safe to use, continue cleaning the entire couch.
- Spray the leather cleaner onto a section of your furniture.
- Using a soft cloth, rub the cleaner into the leather in a circular motion.
- After you’ve cleaned the whole couch, wipe it down with a clean, dry cloth to remove any excess cleaner.
Its best to clean your leather couch or chairs at night that way the oil in the cleaner has a chance to soak in.
FAQ about DIY leather couch cleaner:
Can you use olive oil on leather?
Rubbing olive oil into your leather couch can restore and rehydrate it. Olive oil can also repair small scratches and discolored areas.
Olive oil should be used in small amounts, and rubbed gently in a circular motion over your leather furniture. Its best to let the oil soak in overnight before using the furniture so that the oil doesn’t come off onto your clothes.
Can I use any soap to make a leather cleaner?
It’s best to use a mild soap like Castile soap or dish soap, since harsh soaps or detergents can damage leather. Avoid using products with strong chemicals or additives.
what Essential Oils can you use to clean leather?
Essential oils are a great addition to DIY leather cleaner! You want to choose essential oils that are anti-bacterial and have cleaning properties.
Orange, lemon, grapefruit, eucalyptus, citronella and cedarwood are the best essential oils to use for cleaning leather.
Essential oils should always be diluted before you use them on your leather furniture.
I’ve made the mistake of using straight lemon oil to clean a pen mark on my couch. It did work to remove the ink stains, but also took some of the color of the couch off too!
How often should I clean my leather items with a homemade cleaner?
How often you clean each of your leather items will depend on how often they are used and exposure to the sun. Generally, a light cleaning every 3 months is enough to maintain leather upholstery.
Will homemade leather cleaner remove stains?
It can help with general cleaning and light stains. However, stubborn stains may require professional treatment.
Can I use homemade leather cleaner on colored or dyed leather?
Yes, homemade cleaners are safe for colored or dyed leather. However, it’s important to test a small, inconspicuous area first to make sure the cleaner won’t affect the color.
Other things you can use this DIY leather cleaner for:
- cleaning leather chairs and other furniture with leather upholstery
- dusting plants
- dusting and polishing wood furniture
- cleaning hardwood floors
More All Natural Cleaning Tips:
If you liked this recipe, I think you’ll really enjoy these other natural cleaning tutorials on the blog!
- Homemade Laundry Stain Remover Spray
- How to Clean a White Enamel Sink
- Homemade Hardwood Floor Cleaner
- Homemade Toilet Bowl Cleaner
- DIY Thieves Cleaner From Scratch
I hope you like using this spray to clean your leather furniture! If you make it, I’d love for you to come back and leave a comment and rating so that I know how you like using it!
Pin these steps to try later. Tag @athomeontheprairie on Instagram to share what you’ve made with us!
DIY Leather Cleaner
Clean your couch gently and naturally with this DIY leather cleaner. This easy solution cleans and conditions with essential oils and olive oil leaving your furniture looking refreshed and renewed!
Ingredients
- 4 teaspoons white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon castile soap
- 20 drops essential oils
Instructions
- Combine – In an empty spray bottle, combine 4 teaspoons white vinegar, 1 teaspoon olive oil and 1 teaspoons of castile soap. Fill the rest of the way with water.
- Mix – Shake well to combine.
Notes
Store – Store the DIY leather cleaner for up to 6 months.
Variations – Essential oils can add to the cleaning power and make your house smell fresh as you clean! Just add 20 drops to your spray bottle.
Substitutions - Fractioned coconut oil can be used instead of olive oil.
How to use this DIY leather cleaner:
- Shake the spray bottle to make sure the oil isn't settled on the top of the cleaner.
- Test the DIY leather cleaner in an inconspicuous spot to make sure your furniture reacts well to it.
- Once you are sure its safe to use, continue cleaning the entire couch.
- Spray the leather cleaner onto a section of your furniture.
- Using a cloth, rub the cleaner into the leather in a circular motion.
- After you've cleaned the whole couch, wipe it down with a clean, dry cloth to remove any excess cleaner.
Its best to clean your leather couch or chairs at night that way the oil in the cleaner has a chance to soak in.
I have the ikea couch and you are right, it is so much work to keep clean! I have to keep it covered with blankets. Seriously considering switching to leather, thank you so much for sharing!
Such a simple recipe. I’ll keep this in mind.
Super helpful! Do you think that it would work for a leather bag? My diaper bag is leather and in need of some serious help!
Yes! If it’s looking pretty dry I’d follow up with some straight olive oil and wipe off any excess.
I have a beloved (aka well worn) chair that will greatly appreciate this.
While I do not have leather furniture, I do have leather seats in my vehicle. I have cringed every time I clean them with other cleaners. Definitely going to make some of this to use instead. Thank you for sharing!!
Great idea! Definitely doing this although i may use a different oil
Is it 20 drops or 2 drops of essential oils cuz your description said 2 and then later it said 20.
Also about how often do you use to clean and condition your couch? We often an ottoman and it is always getting dirty.
Thanks for catching that! It’s 20 drops.
You can use it as often as you need to to keep the ottoman looking clean. I aim for every 6 weeks or so.
I have peppermint Castile soap, can I use that????
You can use any Castile soap you prefer or have on hand! The scent just might not go as well with the essential oils in this recipe.
Why on earth would you recommend Olive Oil to clean leather when it turns rancid??