Can You Use Coconut Oil On Leather? (Myths Debunked)

Leather goods are always a treasure for us and are well known for their durability, texture, shine and their long lasting nature. But leather also tends to fade away in the long run.

In other words, the natural shine of the leather goods goes away after some years. So, you need to continuously maintain leather goods be it your leather furniture or your leather boots!

But maintaining the leather items isn’t an easy task. It needs utmost delicate care and handling and you need to know the appropriate products and methods used to maintain leather shoes.

Often people tend to do some grave mistakes while thinking that they are actually taking care of the leather. Like, some do use and some often asks the question “can you use coconut oil on leather?”

In our detailed study we have found out that ‘YES’ you can use coconut oil to condition your leather boots, provided the temperature around is warm and no residue of the oil is left behind after the conditioning is done!

Today in this article I am going to tell you all the positive as well the negative effects of using coconut oil on your leather boots, how to use coconut oil on boots the right way and what precautions you should be taking during the process.

So, let’s read on…

Coconut oil for Leather Boots? Yes or No?

While some say that coconut oil has worked for the good for their leather boots and furniture, the others simply vote against the usage of coconut oil. Whatever it is, we are going to tell you the positive as well as the negative sides of using coconut oil for your leather goods:

Arguments against the usage of Coconut Oil:

1.) If you are not cleaning your leather boots, garments or furniture rigorously, you can keep moisturizing products with coconut oil from time-to-time to keep its shine intact. Leather is going to absorb the oil that is going to get applied to it, and then after some time, the oil will resurface.

2.) It may sometimes lead to the appearance of oil spots in some places. So it is better to use authentic leather oil to maintain the shine. We recommend using Leather Cleaner by Leather Honey.

Arguments in favor of using Coconut Oil:

1.) Some say coconut oil is good for conditioning leather because it is hypoallergenic, and it will not destroy the leather because of its moisture repelling quality.

2.) You will have to clean the leather garment or furniture with water –vinegar combination. Once it has dried, apply the oil delicately with a soft cloth. It has to get done in room temperature otherwise; the leather will absorb more oil.

When can you use coconut oil on leather boots?

Coconut oil works fine in conditioning leather boots but at certain temperatures only. You need to understand the temperature conditions when coconut oil can be applied on leather. 

If you live in cold countries, it might not be a right choice to use coconut oil as it will freeze very fast and leave a white cast on the leather. This is because coconut oil freezes in cold temperatures. But if you live in hot weather conditions, you can surely use coconut oil without any hassle.

But for the ones living in cold countries too there is an easy hack to use coconut oil. The only problem you face with coconut oil is that it freezes right? For that we have found an easy way out: just after you apply the coconut oil on your leather boots, place it near a heating source.

The heat will not allow the coconut oil to freeze and therefore you will be saved from the white cast on the boots. Just don’t forget to wash off the oil with soap-water solution afterwards.

Homemade Coconut oil Leather Conditioner

Coconut oil can be used just alone as a leather conditioner and it works great for your leather boots!

But for some the smell of coconut oil feels a bit disturbing and also when used alone, coconut oil might leave behind a white cast on the leather!

Therefore, here is an awesome DIY hack to make coconut oil leather conditioner with a few more ingredients that will turn your leather boots like never before:

Steps to follow:

1.) Mix all the ingredients in a microwave bowl

2.) Heat the bowl in the microwave for 5 minutes and then take it out

3.) While the mixture is still hot, stir it to mix all the ingredients finely

4.) Transfer the mixture while still in the liquid state to a glass jar that is air tight

5.) Cool down the jar and keep it in the refrigerator, and your coconut oil leather conditioner is ready!

6.) Using your finger tips apply the conditioner on the leather boots in small circular motions. The friction created between the fingers and the boots will produce the heat and melt the coconut oil and the application will be even and smooth.

7.) Now take the horsehair brush and brush the boots to bring on the shine on the leather boots

8.) Use the piece of clean cloth to take off any excess oil from the boots.

9.) Once again use the horsehair brush to brush the leather boots to once again polish it and increase the shine.

Benefits of the ingredients:

Lemon juice and white vinegar will not allow the leather to rot and ad shine to the leather, while essential oil will cancel the smell of coconut oil and give you nice smelling boots!

And obviously, coconut oil will nourish, replenish and soften the leather fibres and add lustre to the leather boots!

Benefits of Oiling your Leather Goods:

• • 1. Oils tend to replenish the leather fibers
    2. It offer resistance from water
    3. It can stop the mildew trouble, which causes the leather boots to rot
    4. It makes the leather flexible

What is the perfect time to begin oiling the leather boots?

You can begin oiling your leather boots just a few days after they have completely broken-in because this is the time when the leather fibers will have no more danger from oils.

To be very specific, you can begin oiling your boots just 4-5 days or 80-100 hours after the break-in is done to start with the preservation process.

What Kind of Oils Should you put on Leather Boots?

Obviously you don’t want to cook or deep fry your leather boots, right?

So, avoid any oil that is heavy or sticky or else they will settle in the pores and fibers of the leather and damage them entirely. They will create a cast of oil on the leather which would be very difficult to take off. 

Therefore, you should always go for the oils which are non-sticky and get absorbed instantly leaving behind just the shine. Oils such as mink oil, obenauf oil are good options for your leather boots. The oils should have the following features:

1.) Waterproofing feature:

Other than giving shine, the next work of oil for your leather boots is to provide waterproofing against water, snow salt and perspiration stains. For this, the oil should have ingredients such as pine pitch and beeswax.

2.) Conditioning:

The oil should be effective enough to provide conditioning for a long period in one single application. It should be from a good brand read the reviews carefully before selecting the oil.

3.) Natural blend and non-toxic oils:

Chemical or toxic blends can ruin the natural fibers of the leather and decrease its lifespan. So, go for the oils which are natural blend.

4.) Light-weight and non-sticky:

The oil should be very light textured and non-sticky. Or else, it will make the leather fibers drenched in it and never come off completely, ultimately ruining your leather boots forever.

Does coconut oil waterproof leather boots?

Coconut oil definitely adds a bit of waterproofing coating to the boots but that does not last for a long time. If you only use coconut oil, it might keep your boots waterproof for not more than 2 to 3 days because heavy water flow will wash off the coconut oil layer from the leather boots.

So, if you want to waterproof your leather boots for a longer period of time, you will have to add a few more ingredients to the waterproofing process along with the coconut oil. Let’s find out the amazing hack:

Now let’s have a look on what all these 3 ingredients do to your leather boots:

1.) Coconut oil: Coconut oil will condition the leather boots, provide a bit of waterproofing effect and also darken the color of the boots to a certain extent. So, if your boots are of light color, add a bit less quantity of coconut oil. 

2.) Beeswax: Beeswax has been used since ages to waterproof leather boots and the effects last for a long time.

3.) Carnauba wax: The carnauba wax offers a high-gloss finish to the leather boots and also adds to the waterproof coating.

Steps to follow:

Preparing the mixture of the waterproof coating:

1.) At first fill in a pan with water and turn on the stove.

2.) Keep a bowl in the boiling water and pour the beeswax in it in order to melt the wax.

3.) Now add the coconut oil and the carnauba wax in the bowl and stir the mixture until all the ingredients have melted and have mixed up well.

4.) Remove the bowl from the boiling pan of water.

5.) Keep it in normal temperature for a few minutes and then transfer the bowl in the refrigerator in order to solidify the mixture of wax.

Preparing the boots for waterproofing:

• • • Take the boots and take out the laces from the boots.
    • Clean the boots using a wet cloth to remove dirt from the boots.
    • Dry the boots under the fan.

Applying the waterproof coating to the leather boots:

1.) Take a microfiber cloth and rub the cloth on the wax mixture.

2.) If rubbing the solidified wax becomes hard, you can melt the top layer of the wax mixture using your hair dryer.

3.) Now, using the microfiber cloth spread the wax mixture over the leather boots. Do not forget to coat the seams of the boots as well.

4.) Once one coating is done, you can go for another coating to make the waterproofing effect last longer.

5.) Now, take a heat gun and blow it over the boots in order to melt the wax mixture so that the wax enters the porous areas of the leather boots.

6.) For a finer finish coat the leather boots with another coating of the mixture.

7.) You can now take off the excess wax and give polished look to the leather boots by smoothening the boots using the clean microfiber cloth.

Will coconut oil darken leather?

Yes, coconut oil might darken your leather boots and therefore, it is advisable not to use coconut oil on light coloured leather boots.

But, a very thin coat of coconut oil applied with a soft lint free cloth and then polished well, will not darken the leather to a great extent.

It will only darken the leather too much when you apply multi layers of the oil and let the oil soak in thoroughly in the boots. Check out the complete guide to darken boots>>

Will coconut oil soften boots?

Coconut oil is an excellent conditioning agent and will definitely soften the leather fibres to a great extent.

We know what wonders coconut oil does for our hair and skin and it works similarly on leather fibres.

But there is a limitation to the use of coconut oil and that is it becomes hard and might leave a white cast on the leather and therefore, it is essential to follow the correct procedure for oiling your leather boots with coconut oil:

1.) Keep the leather boots in the sun for half an hour

2.) Heat the coconut oil in a pan or bowl

3.) Bring the leather boots from the sun and while its still hot, apply the coconut oil with the help of your finger tips

4.) Remember to move in small circular motions with small quantity of coconut oil at one time. Do not use excess oil as it might leave a white cast afterwards

5.) Let the coconut oil soak in the leather boots by keeping the boots in the sun for 1 hour

6.) Again, bring the boots from the sun

7.) Now, you need to remove the excess oil from the boots and you can do so by wiping the boots with a microfiber cloth

For better results, clean your boots thoroughly and then apply coconut oil on the boots and gently rub with your fingers so that the oil soaks in completely to soften the leather fibres.

You can apply this process once a month for extremely damaged boots. Check out the complete guide on how to soften boots>>

Can you use coconut oil on suede?

Yes you can definitely apply coconut oil on your suede boots, but only at the proper time!

Do you know what the proper timing is?

The best time to use coconut oil on your suede boots is when the suede has started to fade its color. It is then you should know that it’s time to oil your suede boots to revive them and give them back the color and lost lustre.

But, you need to be very careful while the application of coconut oil on suede boots, wherein you have to apply the coconut oil in the liquid state that is after heating the oil and then you have to use a soft lint free cloth to rub off the excess oil from the suede fibres and at last you need to use a good suede brush to give your boots a good polish and bring on the shine!

Which oil is the best for leather boots?

1.) Natural blend specialized oils:

Specialized oils such as Obenauf oils, Red Wing Heritage All Natural Boot Oil contain natural preserving oils, beeswax, pine pitch and propolis which nourish your leather fibers without making any damage to them, thus increasing their lifespan. Check out the list of best oils for boots.

Beeswax and propolis provide waterproofing effect and natural oil blend nourish the leather fibers from the roots and protect, shine and condition them for the better.

2.) Animal oils:

Animal oils such as mink oil is a good and cheap alternative to specialized oils which have quite the similar properties and protect and condition the leather boots in a similar way.

How to oil your leather boots?

• • 1. Clean your leather boots using soap water or saddle soap using a wet cloth.
    2. Dry them using a dryer.
    3. Then take minimum amount of oil on a piece of lint free cloth and work in small circular motions on the leather.
    4. Next, take a dry cloth and take off the excess oil from the boots.
    5. Dry them using a dryer.

You can know more on how to condition your leather boots in our article 

Before we say Good Bye:

We must value our purchases or else they will turn into ruins too soon. But at the same time, we should also be careful on the selection of the products to maintain them.

Things which are easy at hand often tempt us, but we should be guided only by knowledge to get the best results out.

Hope that this article was able to answer some of your queries on oiling your leather boots and shoes and you know now what is the best for your leather possessions.

That’s all guys for today. We will be back soon with another exciting article!

Till then…

Take care, stay safe and…

Happy Walking!