How to Clean a Leather iPhone Case

Co-authored by Susan Stocker

Last Updated: July 28, 2022

Cleaning Leather Safely

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Keeping Leather Clean

Natural leather iPhone cases are great-looking and durable, but they need regular maintenance to keep them clean. Fortunately, cleaning leather cases is simple and can be done in a matter of minutes. You can also buy a variety of products to protect your leather case and help it age gracefully.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Cleaning Leather Safely

1
Remove your iPhone from its case. Make sure that the phone itself doesn’t come into contact with the soap and water used to clean the case. Take everything out of the case and double-check to make sure it’s completely empty.^{[1]
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- If you have a wallet phone case, be sure to take out your cards and cash so they don’t get damaged during cleaning.
2
Add a small amount of leather cleaner to a wet, cotton cloth. Use only a pinch of leather cleaner, as a little goes a long way. Squeeze the cloth to rub in the soap until it’s evenly spread across the cloth.
- Use warm water to wet the cotton cloth.
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3
Rub the case in a gentle, circular motion. Focus mostly on the dirty spots as you wipe. Go over each part of your case multiple times to ensure you’re cleaning it thoroughly. Apply very little pressure as you clean the case.^{[2]
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- Putting too much pressure on your case will cause the leather to stretch and possibly detach from the plastic layer underneath.
- Make sure to wipe away any excess leather cleaner.
4
Allow the case to dry fully before putting your phone back in. Let your case sit in a cool, dry area once you’re done cleaning it. It should take a few minutes for your case to dry completely.^{[3]
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- Always double-check to see if your case is completely dry. You don’t want to risk your phone or credit cards getting damaged!

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Keeping Leather Clean

1
Keep your case away from heat and intense sunlight. Like other natural materials, leather ages when exposed to sunlight. Light-colored leather can turn dark if it’s exposed to the sun for too long, while dark-colored leather can become light if it’s in the sun for too much time. ^{[4]
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- These are natural processes that do more to change the look of the leather than harm it. However, if you want to keep your leather case the same color, protect it from sunlight.
2
Avoid stains by keeping your iPhone case dry. Leather absorbs water and other liquids, which can easily cause a stain. If your phone case does get wet, dry it immediately and put in in a place that’s cool and dry. Once the case is dry, wipe it with a small amount of the leather care product you’ve purchased.
- Oil, makeup, and dyed materials like denim can also stain your iPhone case, so keep it away from these things as well.
3
Use leather conditioner monthly preserve your phone case. Use these products at least once a month to keep your iPhone case looking supple. Make sure to apply a thin layer of whichever type of conditioner you choose. You can pick up leather conditioner at chain retailers or your local hardware store. You can also order the conditioner online.^{[5]
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- Over-applying conditioner can darken lightly-colored leather.
- Conditioners also help with scratches on your iPhone case. Although you cannot remove a scratch, covering it with the conditioner will make the scratch less obvious and keep the leather healthy.
- You can use mink oil instead of leather conditioner.