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Best Leather Conditioners

Updated January 2023
Bottom line
Pros
Cons
Best of the Best
Leather Honey Leather Honey Conditioner
Leather Honey
Leather Honey Conditioner
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Top Brand
Bottom Line

Hand-bottled conditioner made by 50-year-old family business rejuvenates old-looking leather, softens newer leather goods, too. Our cleaning appreciates that a little goes a long way.

Pros

Use on gloves, boots, purses, leather furniture, and saddles to restore luster to leather goods. Natural, nontoxic, easy application. Soaks in, hydrates, moisturizes leather. Repels water.

Cons

May leave tacky residue after applying. Could deeply darken lighter leather products.

Best Bang for the Buck
Obenauf's Heavy-Duty Leather Preservative
Obenauf's
Heavy-Duty Leather Preservative
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Most Comprehensive
Bottom Line

Heavy-duty conditioner with waxy consistency increases lifetime of worn-out leather bags, boots, saddles, and more, but not ideal for furniture.

Pros

Removes old scuff marks, and a little goes a long way. May increase lifetime of leather item. Protects leather from soil and mold growth.

Cons

Application time is lengthy process and requires a lot of elbow grease. Takes time to dry thoroughly.

Bickmore Bick 4 Leather Conditioner
Bickmore
Bick 4 Leather Conditioner
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A Little Goes a Long Way
Bottom Line

Premier wax-free leather conditioner made by longtime company and good for restoring bevy of leather goods with smooth finish.

Pros

Leather looks like new again after just one application. Returns items to soft, supple texture. No greasy film or shine. Only small amount needed.

Cons

Strong acidic smell after first application. Could leave leather much darker and discolored from original shade.

TriNova Leather Conditioner and Cleaner
TriNova
Leather Conditioner and Cleaner
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Most Versatile
Bottom Line

One bottle, three uses: cleans dirty leather, conditions, and protects all leather goods from future cracking.

Pros

Revitalizes cracked leather, breathes new life into items needing some TLC. No glossy finish; cleans dirty leather and restores leather like new.

Cons

Could leave car seats feeling slippery. Has odd odor that smells fruity, pungent.

Chamberlain's Leather Milk Leather Milk Leather Conditioner and Cleaner
Chamberlain's Leather Milk
Leather Milk Leather Conditioner and Cleaner
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Nice Scent
Bottom Line

If you have kids or animals, or cleaning expert recommends this natural non-toxic cleaner that works well on tired, dried-out bags, boots, and purses.

Pros

Good for cowhide and natural leather restoration. Cleans and conditions. Saves time and money. Non-greasy residue and comes with applicator. Has attractive, sweet smell.

Cons

Hard to apply, applicator could be better. Leaves sticky finish, may remove dyes and leave white residue.

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BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. About BestReviews  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. About BestReviews  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We buy all products with our own funds, and we never accept free products from manufacturers.About BestReviews 
HOW WE TESTED

We recommend these products based on an intensive research process that's designed to cut through the noise and find the top products in this space. Guided by experts, we spend hours looking into the factors that matter, to bring you these selections.

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Consumers
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Buying guide for Best leather conditioners

If you’ve ever been impressed by the rich color or supple condition of a well-cared-for leather sofa, chances are its owner has kept the leather in top shape by regularly applying a leather conditioner. Whether you’re investing in a new leather sofa or caring for a favorite pair of shoes, a leather conditioner is essential to renewing and prolonging the life of leather goods.

However, not all leather conditioners are the same. Some are expressly designed to be used with leather furniture, while other conditioners are best for shoes, and still others for leather coats. Leather conditioners keep these expensive goods supple and can protect against water damage and mildew while imparting an attractive patina to the leather. Some conditioning products are combined with leather cleaners or leather protectants, too.

At BestReviews, we want to make sure you know the differences between leather conditioners, and which types are best for the leather items that you want to protect. 

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If you don’t want to use a combination leather cleaner/conditioner on protected or pigmented leather, clean the surface first using a solution of saddle soap and lukewarm water applied with a soft cloth. Rinse with a clean, damp cloth.

Key considerations

Match the conditioner to the leather

The type of leather conditioner you choose should be formulated specifically for the leather goods you will use it on. A leather conditioner for a sofa might contain very different ingredients than one made to condition leather shoes. And even the correct conditioner can have an undesired effect on the item it’s used on – it might darken the leather or leave an unwelcome sheen.

This can be very pronounced on nubuck and aniline leather, which absorb liquid much more easily than other types of leather. Pigmented or protected leather, on the other hand, is more water repellent and less likely to change color when a conditioner is used.

Furthermore, leather conditioners can darken your leather item – and you won’t know to what degree until you apply the conditioner to it. With some leather, this darker hue only lasts a few months, but if you apply conditioner regularly, eventually the color change will be permanent. Some owners love this effect, while others will be disappointed.

Expert tip
Before choosing a leather conditioner, research whether or not the product you're considering is best on shoes or furniture or whatever it may be that you’ll be using it for. 
BestReviews Cleaning Expert

Conditioner plus cleaner

Some leather conditioners include a leather-cleaning component as well, which can save a step when protecting your leather goods. Just make sure the cleaning chemicals in the product are safe to use on your leather item.

Frequency of application

Leather conditioners should be applied every three to six months, depending on the manufacturer’s recommendations. It’s a long enough period that you’ll have trouble remembering when the next application is due, so you might want to add a reminder in your calendar.

Waterproofing

While leather conditioners offer some protection to leather, they don’t make a leather item waterproof. You’ll still need to protect the leather against water, and the degree to which you do this depends on how the item is used and how often it’s exposed to the elements.

Leather conditioner features

Just as not all leather goods are alike, not all leather conditioners are the same. Their ingredients can have very different effects; for example, a conditioner that contains lanolin might soften a leather item too much.

Leather types

Pigmented or protected: These types of leather have an exterior coating of either silicone or polyurethane. “All-around” leather conditioners are just fine for these because they’ll work well without damaging or discoloring the leather.

Aniline: This rich and supple leather is very susceptible to staining, fading, and wear if not conditioned regularly with a product designed specifically for it.

Nubuck: With a “distressed” or suede-like finish, nubuck is somewhat easier to maintain than aniline, but it is essential that you use a leather conditioner specifically formulated for this type of leather.

Expert tip
A little goes a long way when cleaning leather and conditioning it. Use leather conditioner sparingly. 
BestReviews Cleaning Expert

Leather products

Furniture: Conditioners for leather furniture might contain a UV protectant to keep sunlight from fading, drying, or cracking the leather over time.

Bags: Leather purses, briefcases, and other bags are often vegetable-tanned with tannin and can discolor and shrink when they get wet. Higher-end bags often require a specific leather conditioner, so check with the manufacturer or the retailer.

Shoes: Shoe conditioners are often part of a combination cleaner/conditioner solution.

Clothing: Consider using a naturally derived conditioner to keep your leather jacket or other garments supple and soft.

Application

Creams and lotions: These leather conditioners are simply rubbed in with the fingers or with a soft, lint-free cloth. A microfiber cleaning cloth is a good choice for applying the leather conditioner and then buffing the leather.

Spray: These leather conditioners are delivered through either a pump- or trigger-action spray bottle or aerosol spray bottle.

Wipes: Convenient cloth or paper wipes treated with leather conditioner are wiped across the surface of the leather item.
 

Use caution if you’re trying a two-in-one cleaner/conditioner or three-in-one cleaner/conditioner/protectant. The chemicals and waxes in some of these products might not be right for your leather goods.

STAFF
BestReviews

Leather conditioner prices

Inexpensive

Combination leather cleaner/conditioners are among the lowest-priced products for conditioning leather, starting at around $10.

Mid-range

Easy-application conditioners, such as spray bottles, cost around $12 to $14, but these might not be the best choice for more delicate leather.

Expensive

For more delicate leather, consider conditioners in the premium price range of $18 to $20.

"For small, supple leather items, applying beeswax after conditioning can provide extra protection from rain and sun. But test it first because it can discolor some types of leather."
STAFF
BestReviews

Tips

  • Spot test first. Before using a leather conditioner for the first time, do a spot test on an inconspicuous part of the item to make sure it won’t damage or discolor the leather.
  • Look for a neutral pH. A leather conditioner with a neutral pH is less likely to negatively affect the condition or appearance of the leather.
  • Protect against sun damage. Leather goods that are regularly exposed to sunlight should be treated with a conditioner that offers UV protection.
  • Check the label. Reach the manufacturer’s label for any recommendations or warnings against using specific ingredients on the leather item.
  • Clean the leather before conditioning. Clean the leather item before applying a leather conditioner. Use a damp cloth to wipe down the leather item between conditionings to keep it free of debris and dust buildup.
  • Stick with a neutral color. Choose a leather conditioner with a neutral or natural color to stay as close to the original hue of the leather product as possible.
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Keep leather goods out of areas that are either very humid or very dry because these extremes can damage the leather.

FAQ

Q. I heard that lanolin is the best conditioner for any type of leather. Can I safely condition my shoes with it?

A. Lanolin, a natural secretion found in sheep’s wool, is very good at softening leather – it makes just about any leather more supple and soft. But it’s probably too good because what’s great for leather jackets and some handbags isn’t necessarily a feature you want in a pair of sturdy shoes. In that case, lanolin could weaken the leather.

Expert tip
Leather conditioner can be stored in any dry and cool place, such as under a cabinet or in a closet.
BestReviews Cleaning Expert

Q. Does leather conditioner also make leather waterproof?

A. Leather conditioner doesn’t make leather waterproof, but it can impart some protection to the leather. Conditioners are formulated to penetrate leather and keep it moisturized. Most small leather goods made today, such as shoes, bags and jackets, have a protectant added that offers some waterproofing.

Q. Do I really need to condition leather every three to six months?

A. That’s a guideline rather than a rule. In dry climates, you might want to condition your leather items every three months. For temperate climates, every six months is fine. Owners who have leather items with a “rugged” look often wait a full year before conditioning.