Ideal Bite

LEATHER CLEANERS

Saddling Up

08.06.2009

Submitted by tmeronek on Wed, 08/05/2009 - 11:00pm.

The Bite:

Should you put toxic leather cleaners out to pasture? Boy howdy. Switch 'em out for versions that'll get 'em just as clean (minus the gnarly chems) and save you some moo-la.

The Benefits:

Doing more than just hiding stained hide. These just plain work, whether you're talkin' shoes or sofas.
Spurs dry cleaning savings. Skip the dry cleaner for those leather pants to save cash and reduce waste (as many as 3.5 billion wire hangers get tossed into landfills each year).
Not horsing around with certain chems. Some leather cleaners contain solvents like butyl cellosolve, which permeates skin pretty easily, and can cause liver damage.

Personally Speaking:

Jen, who really does saddle up regularly, uses an old-school (and eco-friendly) technique to keep her tack in good shape - extra virgin olive oil to condition the leather, and white vinegar to clean the stainless steel bit, buckles, and stirrups.

Wanna Try:

Po-Zu Edible Shoe Cream - shoe cream made from coconut oil, so you could actually eat it if you got hungry midshine ($15).
Woodlore Cura Suede and Nubuck Bar and Brush - the bar erases spots and the brush helps bring back nap to suede and nubuck; packaged in recycled materials ($8).
Method Leather Love - compostable bamboo wipes that clean off grime and leave your leather looking supple ($6).
DIY Bite: except for suede, try a banana peel (for reals) or rub on some olive oil.

Cocktail Fact

Leather biodegrades in 25-40 years.

Bang For The Bite

If 10,000 Biters opt for a bottle of eco-cream instead of the regular stuff, we'll keep the weight of a horse in harsh solvents out of the waste stream.

26 comments

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Richard Pozefsky on August 06, 2009 at 03:02 AM 1

Car detailer gave me advice on leather seats. Simply Use Dove Soap,Wet towel,then dry with third towel.Be sparing with the water and dry as soon as possible. There are some soaps that maybe better than Dove,so read ingreadents. I have leather sofas and two messy children, so I know this works and a bar of hand soap is cheap. It works for me !

Robin on August 06, 2009 at 03:42 AM 2

So, how do you get odors (like spilled perfume or stale cigarrette smoke) out of suede? I have a very expensive handbag I'd like to clean but I don't want to ruin it. Help!

Katie on August 06, 2009 at 05:22 AM 3

I've always just used Murphy Oil Soap. Like Jen, I also have actual horse tack to clean and I've tried a number of other cleaners and none of them work any better (and some of the creams are harder to use cause they get in cracks and leave icky residue). Like the above comment with Dove, just be sparing with the water and buff with another cloth afterward.

Celeste Okano on August 06, 2009 at 06:33 AM 4

Skidmore's is the best product I have ever used on wood or leather. Natural ingredients, hand made in a beautiful shop built by the maker. The real deal. Doesn't get any better. please check it out. http://www.skidmores.com/

kim murdock on August 06, 2009 at 06:42 AM 5

I am a bit disgusted to see you recommending things for leather. Buying leather couches, pants, etc is not environmental and cruel.

Barbara Posey on August 06, 2009 at 06:47 AM 6

I thought that everyone would be interested in a non-toxic way to clean leather and suede. We all should Green UP.

Colleen on August 06, 2009 at 07:27 AM 7

Better yet, skip the leather in the first place. Cattle farming and leather tanning are both environmental nightmares, not to mention the suffering imposed on the cattle.

Anita on August 06, 2009 at 08:09 AM 8

Not to dis the Po-Zu, but if it's only ingredient is 100% pure unrefined, organic, cold-pressed coconut oil, couldn't you just buy the same product in a larger jar the grocery section of your local natural foods store for less and save the extra bucks for some other environmentally responsible product? Is there something about this product that justifies the extra expense?

valerie on August 06, 2009 at 09:13 AM 9

Horrible that this is on Idealbite. Noone should buy anything leather. Does IDEALBITE not realize the horrible suffering the animal goes through, being skinned alive, to satisfy some stupid jerk that wants to impress everyone. I almost am thinking about deleting IDEALBITE.

Amber Raven on August 06, 2009 at 09:40 AM 10

To all you "leather is so awful, I can't believe you're posting about it" peeps. The folks at Ideal Bite are realists, in case you hadn't noticed. The fact is, there are people who have leather furnitures, clothing, and horse tack. We can ignore this and they can continue to use toxic products to keep them nice, or we can be pragmatic and give them eco-friendly alternatives. Not everyone is a saint. Why are veggie heads and vegans so damn judgemental? It doesn't help you get your message across. Personally, I use a synthetic Cordura saddle on my horses because it's lighter weight and easier to care for. I don't have to worry about it cracking when I ride through a river, and if it gets dirty I can just spray it off with a hose. Not sure how eco-friendly the synthetic saddles really are, though . . . any thoughts, Jen?

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