How To Clean Your Antique Leather Chair

An antique leather chair is a gorgeous addition to any traditional decor, and you will want to make sure that you keep it looking as clean and supple as the day you brought it home. Luckily, it’s easier than you might think to maintain your antique leather chair. Here’s some simple tips for maintaining your new-to-you treasure.

Antique Leather Chair Cleaning Tips

Leather is a very versatile fabric, and has been used since antiquity for all sorts of purposes.
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From clothing to shoes to furniture, leather is durable, pleasing to the eye, and wonderful to look at.

It does, however, require some special care. Leather comes from a variety of sources, and as such there are a corresponding variety of different leather cleaners available.
It’s a good idea to know exactly what your antique leather chair is made from. Is it cow or buffalo? Sheep skin? If you intend to use a commercial leather cleaner, then you’ll want to make sure that it will work as needed on the type of antique leather chair you have.

You can hire professional leather cleaners, and that is admittedly the easiest way to do it… if you don’t mind lugging your antique leather chair around town to their location. Some may be willing to come to your home to clean, but unless you have a lot of leather furniture it is probably not worth the expense.

Cleaning Your Antique Leather Chair Yourself

You can make your own leather cleaner easily at home. Not only is it more cost-effective, these recipes eliminate the need for separate cleaning and conditioning of your antique leather chair.

Leather Cleaner: mix together 1 part regular white vinegar, and 2 parts either raw/food grade linseed oil or neat’s foot oil. Neat’s foot oil is oil rendered from an animal. Simply rub it on with a lint-free cloth, leave it overnight, and then buff the next day.

Mildew Remover: mix equal parts rubbing alcohol and water, and just spray right on any mildew. let it dry naturally. You can use a fan to help speed up the process.

Removing Stains From Your Antique Leather Chair

While not all stains can be removed, here are some home remedies to try. Most small stains can be treated with toothpaste… scrub it in and then wipe it away. Ink stains come off when wiped with non-acetone nail polish remover. For tough stains, spray hairspray right on it and then wipe off (use aerosol, not pump sprays). For water stains, try rubbing mayonnaise in to the stain and letting it sit for a few hours before wiping it off.

With these simple tips, your antique leather chair will stay looking as good as new!