Wondering how to breathe new life into your old, dried, cracking leather? Look no further than leather conditioners. These creams contain the magic elixir that keeps your leather seats looking and feeling their very best. They can prevent, mitigate, or even partially restore rough patches, wrinkles, and even cracking.
Our automotive expert reviewed dozens of leather conditioners, and he chose Leather Honey Leather Conditioner as his top pick. Free of solvents, animal products, and silicone, this non-toxic leather conditioner leaves no oily residue behind while working to repair and restore leather.
Our Automobile Expert’s Top 5 Leather Conditioners
We’ve read the reviews and scrutinized the labels in an effort to find the best products on the market. The following five conditioners seen here are the best of the bunch and the ones we’d spend our own money on.
| Expert's Picks | Brand | Rating | Cleaner | Application | Contains natural oils |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best Overall | Leather Honey Leather Conditioner | Oil | |||
| Best Budget Buy | Lexol Leather Conditioner | Cream | |||
| Best Cleaner and Conditioner | Chemical Guys Sprayable Leather Cleaner and Leather in One | Spray | |||
| Best Leather Care Wipes | Armor All Car Leather Conditioner & Cleaner Wipes | Wipe | |||
| Best Leather Conditioner Spray | Weiman Leather Cleaner & Conditioner Care Kit | Spray |
*Ratings are on a scale of 1 to 5 and based on reviews, feedback, and opinions of actual customers
In This Article
Who Should Buy a Leather Conditioner
- Those with leather upholstery – If your vehicle has leather seats, a leather conditioner can help ensure they look pristine for years to come.
- Motorcycle riders – Want to keep your leather jacket soft, supple, and waterproof? A regular application of a leather conditioner will do the trick.1
- Those with leather goods – If you want your handbags, wallets, and other small leather goods to last a lifetime, apply a leather conditioner regularly to keep them in peak condition.
- 2
Who Should Not Buy a Leather Conditioner
- Faux leather owners – If your leather isn’t the real deal, conditioners won’t cut it – if anything, they may cause more harm than good. Instead, use products that are suitable for cleaning leatherette and other faux leather.3
- Cloth car seat owners – For those whose seats wear cloth, a leather conditioning product will be a waste of money. Care for cloth upholstery is entirely different than the care required for leather upholstery.
Research Tips (from an Expert)
Here are some expert tips and best practices to consider when purchasing a leather conditioner. Oh, and while we’re on the subject: don’t use Vaseline to clean your leather. Though petroleum jelly is used in many leather cleaners, a product like Vaseline is not intended as a leather cleaner and may actually harm the leather in the long run. For the best protection of your leather, stick with products marketed and sold as genuine leather conditioners.
- Ease of application – If you’re looking for the easiest way to condition your leather seats, look for products that are easy to apply. All-in-one cleaners and conditioners in spray or wipe format work well.
- Two-in-one formulas – You’ll want to clean your leather before applying a conditioner for best results. Unless you prefer the separate step of cleaning your seats before applying the conditioner, look for a product with a 2-in-1 formula.
- Look for lanolin – Look for a leather conditioner that contains lanolin or another natural oil, which has been used for centuries to condition leather. Using an inappropriate oil can cause the leather to become sticky, rancid, or even ruin its appearance. For example, coconut oil can darken leather.
How Much Do They Cost?
Between $10 and $20For most leather conditioners, you can expect to pay between $10-$20 and still get a quality product. Purchasing a larger-sized bottle will typically provide a better price per ounce than buying a smaller size. There are also a few natural and homemade recipes floating around the internet using ingredients commonly found around the house; such a concoction is the most affordable method but not something we would recommend, as one of the mass-market cleaners highlighted set the standard in leather care. If you’re feeling spendy, you could spend upwards of $30 per container or more on the most premium product lines.
The Best Leather Conditioners: Full Reviews
Leather Honey Leather Conditioner took the top spot on our list of the best leather conditioners for a number of reasons. Boasting a non-toxic formula that is family-made in the USA, it works to repair and restore leather. Unlike some other products, it doesn’t leave an oily residue and it’s free of animal products, silicone, and solvents.
Its completely odorless formula is water-repellent for added protection. It is also suitable for use on leather clothing and small leather goods. It comes with a 100% satisfaction guarantee for added peace of mind. If you want the best standalone conditioner available, this is it.
- Available in a choice of sizes
- Non-toxic formula and natural ingredients
- Provides up to 6 months protection
- Satisfaction guarantee
- Must clean leather before applying
- Pricey
For a more affordable leather conditioner choice, Lexol Leather Conditioner is a solid pick. It helps to preserve, protect, and prolong the life of your leather seats, clothing, and small goods in just minutes.
A little goes a long way, and this conditioner offers twice the product at half of the price of our top pick. It is designed and formulated in the USA, and won’t leave a greasy residue. If you don’t mind the smell and don’t care that it contains synthetic chemicals, this is the choice for you.
- Works in as little as 3 minutes
- Won’t leave a greasy residue
- Suitable for leather goods of all kinds
- Protects against cracking
- Strong lingering odor
- More watery than other leather conditioners
The Chemical Guys Sprayable Leather Cleaner and Leather in One is a great option for those looking for an all-in-one leather cleaning and conditioning solution. It works on all things leather, including vehicle seats, interiors, jackets, shoes, boots, and more. You only need one application to both clean and protect your leather goods.
The pH balanced formula is easy to apply and dries quickly, leaving no grease or other residue. The conditioner contains both vitamin E and lanolin to help nourish leather and reduce UV damage. We’d go with this if we didn’t have the time or the inclination to follow the traditional two-step, two-product leather cleaning process.
- Single application both cleans and conditions
- Satisfaction guarantee
- pH balanced formula
- Contains lanolin
- Suitable for all kinds of leather
- Some claim it has a strong odor
- Handful of reviewers noted greasy residue remained afterwards
Armor All Car Leather Conditioner & Cleaner Wipes is similar to the Chemical Guys all-in-one product, but may be even easier to apply thanks to the quick-wipe design. Simply giving the seats a good rub down with the wipe is enough to temporarily clean, condition, and protect the leather upholstery. It’s a quick and easy to give your seats a little TLC in between more in-depth treatments.
The container contains 30 wipes, each formulated with a blend of cleaning agents, conditioners, and blocking agents. With regular use, they will help protect against stains, cracking, and fading.
- Safely removes dirt and oil
- All-in-one design
- Money-back guarantee
- Streaking is a concern
- Strong odor
- Is intended as stopgap measure between more thorough cleaning treatments
Weiman Leather Cleaner & Conditioner Care Kit makes it easy to condition and protect your leather. The handy spray-on application is designed to clean and condition your leather, while the conditioning wipes can be used between more thorough cleanings to touch things up. The set is handy for maintaining soft, supple, protected leather.
Weiman’s non-toxic formula is safe for use on any finished leather surface, including leather accessories. This conditioner also contains a special sunscreen that helps protect leather from sun damage. One thing, however: wear gloves when handling the wipes. More than one reviewer mentioned that it irritated their skin, so gloves provide an easy level of protection from any such adverse reactions. Otherwise, this is s a great choice from a brand highly respected in the leather-cleaning arena.
- Contains a blend of six natural oils
- UVX-15 sunscreen protects against sun damage
- Can use on all kinds of finished leather
- Multi-step application
- The lemon scent may not suit everyone
- Some reviewers found this product left a residue
- Skin irritations occurred for some reviewers after handling product
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I condition leather with?
What is the best natural leather conditioner?
How do you stop leather from cracking?
Is beeswax good for leather?
Article Sources
Motor Sports Village uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
- MacDonald S. How to properly care for your leather motorcycle gear. Cycleworld.com. Published August 2, 2016. Accessed June 11, 2021.
- Stocker S. How to maintain leather bags. Wikihow.com. Updated July 14, 2020. Accessed June 11, 2021.
- Meurice. A guide to pleather: Faux leather care. Meurice.nyc. Published January 17, 2019. Updated January 23, 2019. Accessed June 11, 2021.
- Realeather. Beeswax and leather. Realeather.com. Published April 10, 2019. Accessed June 11, 2021.
