How to Fix Worn Out Leather

Leather furniture makes a home feel warm and rustic, but it does wear out over time. There’s nothing cozy and inviting about the dull, faded texture they can acquire. Luckily, if your leather decor is looking run down, there’s an easy fix that might already be sitting in your house.

Australian “cleaning guru” Anita Birges shared this handy trick with Daily Mail while going over a few of her favorite techniques. Her recommendation for using vodka to revive leather definitely jumped out at us. That’s right, the liquor we usually only associate with a nice happy hour cocktail can also help your furniture come back to life.

All you have to do is use a rag or paper towel to wipe vodka all over the leather surface — gently. Birges warns against scrubbing or rubbing too hard and ruining the fabric rather than revitalizing it. Once it’s softened to a nicer texture, you don’t have to reach for an expensive leather conditioner to lock in moisture. Instead, grab some oil from your kitchen pantry! “Use something as simple as olive oil, canola oil, or rice bran oil,” she explained.

You can’t get much easier than that! It’s probably best to tackle this leather issue as soon as you notice it fading. The worse it gets, the more likely it is to crack, and no amount of vodka can help you at that point (except perhaps to drown your sorrows).

And if you’re wondering about other leather items that aren’t furniture, you’re in luck! Birges said the trick works just as well for leather shoes. We can only assume that leather purses, jackets, and accessories are included in that, too.

Of course, you should make sure what you’re attempting to clean is real leather, not synthetic. It’s also a good idea to test out this boozy trick on a small patch first before going all in.