Tried using hair conditioner to soften leather for a book cover, big mistake

I read online that hair conditioner can work as a leather softener so I slathered some on a scrap piece and let it sit overnight. Next morning it smelled like a salon threw up on my bookshelf and the leather got all sticky and gross. Has anyone else had a DIY leather treatment go totally sideways?

3 comments

3 Comments

taylor_miller1022d ago

Heard saddle soap is the only safe way to go with leather...

mark_mitchell22d ago

Hate to hear that man, I've been there with bad DIY fixes that just made things worse. Leather can be so picky about what you put on it.

oscar74318d ago

Whoa hold up, @mark_mitchell, saddle soap is actually pretty harsh on leather if you use it too much or don't rinse it off properly. It can dry out the hide and leave it feeling like cardboard. Better to just use a gentle cleaner made for car seats or a damp microfiber cloth instead.