Make Your Own: Leather Cleaner

Along with cleaning and organising your home, keeping your leather furniture in great shape is a must once the weather starts getting warmer. Fresh Spring air and hot Summer sun can cause cracks and dryness in your favourite leather furnishings, which doesn't make for a happy house. Instead of spending money on expensive cleaners and cleansers, make your own with ingredients you have in your kitchen. Free of any chemicals, this eco-friendly cleaner does an awesome job at refreshing all your leather furnishings. And did we mention that it costs basically nothing to make?

What You'll Need:

• Paper towels
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 10 drops lemon or orange essential oil (optional)
• Small bowl

Directions:

1. Start by vacuuming your leather furniture, removing any bits of food and dust lurking about. Then gently wipe the leather item with a damp paper towel.

2. Mix together the vinegar and olive oil in a small container, whisking to incorporate. The oil and vinegar won't completely come together because the liquids have different densities. The vinegar gently cleans the leather, and the olive oil breaks up dirt and stains while conditioning the furniture. Adding essential oil gives the cleaner a nice scent, which leaves your furnishings smelling fresh.
3. Dip a clean paper towel into the homemade cleaner and then gently rub on a small test area of the leather item. Let dry for 20 minutes and check for discolouration before coating furniture. Working in a circular motion, coat the entire piece, rubbing the cleaner into the leather. Use a clean and dry paper towel to gently wipe down the furniture, removing any remaining oil. Now sit back and enjoy your freshly cleaned leather!

For more cleaning products that won't break the bank, check out our list of DIYs!