Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ is the airport code if you’re flying into Freida River, Papua New Guinea, or feel free to FAQ us with additional questions…just joking, FAQ stands for Frequently Asked Questions. Over the years the same questions have been asked about 1000 times with around 10,000 variations. We were able to con one of our family members to read through scores of email exchanges combined with our expert leather knowledge to produce the FAQ list below. Said family member was last seen curled up in a ball in the corner rocking, sucking her thumb and mumbling something about “for the last time NO… leather milk does NOT go on cereal!” All that said, if after reading all the answers below you have question number 10,001, please feel free to email us directly at customercare@leathermilk.com and we’ll do our best to answer you within 24 hours.

Not to worry. All Leather Milk products are 100% made in our very own USA, home-grown sweat shop by friends and family desperate for jobs in this taxing economy.

We suggest that you buy more than you need! Here at Leather Milk, 2/3 of the U.S. economy is driven by consumer spending; the more consumers buy, the better the economy! The better the economy, the more we can justify raising sweat-shop Bob’s hourly wage from $2.15 an hour to $2.75 an hour! But it’s all in humor. (Important: This does not mean you should over-condition your leather item). There’s one thing in common with all of our Leather Milk products, a little goes a long way, so you probably don’t need as much as you think. While it certainly depends on the age, condition and type of leather, there’s only so much product leather can absorb. If too much is applied at once, it clogs up the pores going down, and the rest forms a sticky residue on the outside. Even with careful application, too much can be used. If your leather stops absorbing one of our Leather Milk products and becomes “tacky” then you know you’ve gone too far. Apply No.1, No. 3, No. 4 and No. 5 in THIN, EVEN layers across the entire surface of your leather item. Apply additional layers as needed. Applying the recipes in this way reduces the risk of over-conditioning and makes sure any change in color is uniform. Apply No. 2 generously into your leather and rub it in gently. Allow the leather to fully soak it in and wait for it to dry. Follow up with a leather conditioner.

There really is no shelf-life for our Leather Care products; at least we haven’t discovered one yet. Since some of our recipes are water-based formulas, the water can evaporate leaving behind the oils and conditioners and causing the formula to thicken. Usually this only happens when the bottle isn’t secured properly or the leather recipe is exposed to the open air. But luckily there’s an easy fix! Simply add about 1/3 water to 2/3 formula and shake it really well. That should re-hydrate and make the formula highly absorbent again. If you’d like the formula even more fluid, just add water as desired…remember ‘water’, not vodka, but water. Another tip – if you’re going to mix any of our products, add to a spray bottle for easier application, another option, ultimately up to you.

Chamberlain’s Leather Milk recipes will deepen the lighter shades of naturally tanned leather, but it very often comes back to its natural color except for Water Protectant No.3, which will typically darken lighter color leather pieces and not recommended for use on suede or extremely soft leather types.

Please note that any leather conditioner that actually works will slightly change the color of naturally tanned leather, because it fully penetrates the pores. This is one reason why we suggest spot-testing by applying a small amount of Chamberlain’s Leather Milk to a hidden area on your item. As mom says, it’s always better to be safe than sorry. We’ve found that most customers don’t notice a change in color – and those who do often like the slightly deeper tone better!

Absolutely! Chamberlain’s Leather Milk formulas does not interfere with the dyes or change the color of dyed leather. However, Water Protectant No.3 Conditioner will slightly darken some leather, so be sure to test it on a small “hidden” area if you are concerned.

There are all types of leather out there, vegetable and chrome-tanned, napped, suede, soft, vinyl and simulated etc., even leather from alligator, reptile, eel, lizard, snake or ostrich. Over the years, we’ve had many customers buy our formulas for all different types of leather, even exotic leathers with positive results.

As a reminder:

• It’s always the safest route to contact the manufacturer or company that sells or makes your particular leather item and ensure it is okay to use a water-based conditioner/cleaner (No. 1, No. 4, and No. 5), an alcohol-based leather cleaner (No. 2), or an oil/wax based conditioner/protectant (No. 3) on their particular type of leather.
• Always test an inconspicuous area of your leather item first to ensure you like the result before applying the leather care product to the entire surface of the leather.
• Apply leather conditioners in THIN, EVEN layers. This is to ensure you don’t over-condition the leather and that any change in color (darkening) will be uniform. You can always add additional thin layers as desired.
• Chamberlain’s Leather Milk recipes are not recommended for soft, suede, vinyl or simulated leathers.

It’s always the safest route to contact the manufacturer or company that sells or makes your particular leather item and ensure it is okay to use a water-based conditioner/cleaner (No. 1, No. 4, and No. 5), an alcohol-based leather cleaner (No. 2), or an oil/wax based conditioner/protectant (No. 3) on their particular type of leather.

It’s pretty simple….we’re covering our “you-know-what” AND helping you out! Soft leather types are easy to distort. Unless you’re really careful, it’s easy to over-condition the leather or create discoloration by not evenly applying our recipes. It’s not so dire if your soft leather item has a protective finish and not a natural finish. Specialty leathers like nubuck and suede also fall into the category of soft leathers. Specialty leathers like nubuck and suede need conditioning products specifically designed for nubuck and suede. You should also stay away from using Leather Milk on “suede-like” finishes. If you do decide to try Leather Milk on really soft leather, make sure you test the Leather Milk on an inconspicuous area of the leather item to ensure you like the result before applying it to the entire item.

Breaking in is a felony and we can’t condone criminal behavior. That being said, one of us could sneak into Dave at Saddleback Leather’s closet and find some really broken in leather to sell on the side for the right price. As for doing it yourself without the prospect of a possible felony hanging over your head, it really depends on the type of leather you have. Our leather care recipes contain a variety of natural oils and conditioners that help the softening process. Depending on how absorbent and thick your leather is will most likely determine how quickly it will soften with treatment. Regular use over time is always the best breaking in method. We don’t recommend you purchase Leather Milk expecting to use it as a leather softener.

Stay on the safe side. Just like your mother taught you, it’s always better to be safe than sorry. Test the Leather Milk recipe you purchased on an inconspicuous area of any leather item you intend to treat to ensure you like the result before applying it to the entire item. Leather comes in many finishes, textures and tanning processes, so it’s important to test, test, and test. If you’re unsure whether or not you can use our recipe on a particular type of leather, contact the manufacturer or seller of the item to see what type of treatment they recommend. Here’s what to tell them you’re thinking of using:

No. 1 – Water-Based leather conditioner
No. 2 – Alcohol-Based leather cleaner
No. 3 – Wax/Oil-Based leather conditioner/protectant
No. 4 – Water-Based leather conditioner
No. 5 – Water-Based leather conditioner

We like to describe No.1 (Leather conditioner), No.4 (Auto Refreshner), and No.5 (Furniture Treatment) as 95% conditioner and 5% cleaner. These recipes (with a few variations) work splendidly at cleaning the surface of your leather. If the dirt, grime or substance is on the surface, Leather Care Formulas No.1, No.4, and No.5 will clean it. This is usually all that is needed for regular leather upkeep. For stains and dirt embedded in the pores of the leather, you’ll need to first start with Straight Cleaner No.2 that is specifically a cleaner. There is one stain our formulas can’t get out, but no worries, St. Augustine has a homeopathic remedy that will work just fine… “Repentant tears wash out the stain of guilt.”

Straight Cleaner is a blend of natural alcohols and other natural cleaners. If you need to put your leather through a more thorough cleaning, Straight Cleaner is a gentle way to do that. While Straight Cleaner will lift a lot of dirt and stains from the pores of your leather, it is a natural cleaner and thus it can’t necessarily compete with the strength of chemical-based leather cleaners. The catch is that chemical-based leather cleaners are much harsher on leather. They have to be to lift those really set-in stains! We recommend trying our gentle leather cleaner before graduating to solvents, saddle soaps or synthetic chemical cleaners.

Straight Cleaner is for those times you want to give your leather a more thorough cleaning or when you need to lift a stain that has set into the leather fiber. You don’t need to use Straight Cleaner every time you condition your leather item. Most of the time a surface cleaning is all you need.

Water Protectant No. 3 contains a blend of heavier, natural oils and conditioners as well as a blend of natural waxes. This recipe was formulated for the harshest of weather conditions like rain and snow storms. While Water Protectant works great in harsh conditions, it also works well for your every day city rain shower or that accidental coffee spill. Water Protectant will not completely waterproof every type of leather. It is formulated in such a way as to deeply condition leather while making it very water-resistant. Some more finished leathers will be much more water-resistant after application while more natural finished leather will absorb more of the recipe and become a bit less water-resistant. As the oils in the leather evaporate and the waxes wear off the leather over time, the leather will become less water-resistant. How long that is depends on the exposure conditions and type of leather you have.

Water Protectant will not completely waterproof every type of leather. It is formulated in such a way as to deeply condition leather while making it very water-resistant. Some more finished leathers will be much more water-resistant, even waterproofed, after application while more natural finished leather will absorb more of the recipe and become a bit less water-resistant. As the oils in the leather evaporate and the waxes wear off the leather over time, the leather will become less water-resistant. How long that is depends on the exposure conditions and type of leather you have.

Water Protectant does not have a cleaning component in the recipe. It’s best to wipe off your leather with a damp cloth if your leather is not heavily soiled or use Straight Cleaner No. 2 before applying Water Protectant No. 3.

The short answer is yes and no. All three leather care recipes are similar and can be used for general leather conditioning/cleaning with few differences. For example, you’d be just fine using Auto Refreshener on your leather sofa or Leather Care Liniment on your auto leather. But Auto Refreshener and Furniture Treatment are tweaked a bit to work better on auto and furniture leather. So if you are conditioning and cleaning your auto and furniture leather in addition to your other leather items often, it may be worth it to you to invest in No. 4 and No. 5.

Chamberlain’s Leather Milk recipes are natural and non-toxic. As with all of our leather care products, our formulas are made from all natural ingredients and contain no saddle soaps, solvents or synthetic chemicals. However, we do use nut extracts and oils, which some people are allergic to. Click HERE to view our product Material Safety Data Sheets.

Chamberlain’s Leather Milk is a family invention, much like Grandpa Dennis’s Chili recipe, and we prefer not to reveal all of the contents, for obvious reasons. However, if you have specific questions about the contents, please don’t hesitate to email and we will be happy to share what we can.

Our leather care formulas do contain some nut extracts. If you have a severe nut allergy, we do not recommend you use Leather Milk. In other allergy news across the web, a patient at a hospital stated she was allergic to ‘Lion Dander.’ The conversation went something like this… Nurse: Oh? Um. You said lion dander? Patient: Yep. Nurse: And how exactly did you find this out? Patient: Dunno. My Mom told me it happened when I was a girl. Nurse: Sooo, um, did you grow up near a lot of wild animals? Patient: No, not really. Nurse: Ok..could your mom maybe have meant dandelions? Y’know, like the flower? Patient: No. It was lion dander. I’m sure. She says it makes me all wheezy. Nurse: Ok…. so Lion Dander it is.

Chamberlain’s Leather Milk is a family owned business and our formulas are manufactured, bottled and distributed in Azle, Texas. If you purchase direct from our website your product will be shipped from our Azle fulfillment center. You may also purchase our products on Amazon, which are shipped directly from the Amazon warehouse closest to you for speedy delivery. Lastly, you can purchase from any one of our physical or online store retail partners. A list, and map of our retail partners around the world can be found HERE.

We are always looking to expand our retail network. We’d love to get to know you better and see if your store or website would be a good fit for our products. Please fill out this form to become retailer and we’ll get back to you with more info.

Yes We Do! Chamberlain’s Leather Milk has an In-House leather repair shop with seasoned Leather Repair Experts. If you have a serious repair, or just want a professional to restore your leather product, then you made it to the right place. Here is how the process works:

1. Send us a picture of your repair/restoration need to repairs@leathermilk.com, title the subject “Repair” and you will receive a free evaluation and estimate.
2. If you agree to the estimate, we can charge you through our secured shopping cart for the project.
3. Ship your item to our secured location at 600 Railhead Rd Ste 200, Fort Worth, TX 76106
4. The scope of work will determine the length of time before we can finish and send it back to you. We should be able to estimate this time period from the initial evaluation.

If your leather becomes tacky after being conditioned or treated don’t panic and don’t get crying drunk, this just usually means too much product has been used. This is usually easy to reverse, especially when it is treated quickly.

• Dab up the leather surface’s with a damp cloth to pick up residual oils.
• Apply Chamberlain’s Straight Cleaner No.2 (This may take multiple sessions over a few days. Make sure the leather doesn’t get too dry during this time).
• You can also apply a sprinkling of baking soda or cornstarch between cleanings, when the leather is completely dry. Let the powder sit overnight, and if it turns yellow the next day, dust it off and repeat. Cycle between this and your leather cleaner, and try to give the leather as much use as possible, until the stickiness disappears.
  Apply more Chamberlain’s Leather Milk conditioners and treatments if you feel your leather needs it, but only as much as naturally absorbs, to avoid over-conditioning. Lots of contact with sunlight can also cause leather to grow tacky. This is both due to the excessive heat, and harmful ultraviolet rays which break down your leather on a chemical leather. It goes without saying, try to avoid giving your leather prolonged exposure to excessive heat and strong sunlight. You might try placing a windshield cover over your car, covering your sofa with a blanket, or even give your leather a UV protectant, like Auto Refreshener No.4.

We suggest that you buy more than you need! Here at Leather Milk, 2/3 of the U.S. economy is driven by consumer spending; the more consumers buy, the better the economy! The better the economy, the more we can justify raising sweat-shop Bob’s hourly wage from $2.15 an hour to $2.75 an hour! But it’s all in humor. (Important: This does not mean you should over-condition your leather item). There’s one thing in common with all of our Leather Milk products, a little goes a long way, so you probably don’t need as much as you think. While it certainly depends on the age, condition and type of leather, there’s only so much product leather can absorb. If too much is applied at once, it clogs up the pores going down, and the rest forms a sticky residue on the outside. Even with careful application, too much can be used. If your leather stops absorbing one of our Leather Milk products and becomes “tacky” then you know you’ve gone too far. Apply No.1, No. 3, No. 4 and No. 5 in THIN, EVEN layers across the entire surface of your leather item. Apply additional layers as needed. Applying the recipes in this way reduces the risk of over-conditioning and makes sure any change in color is uniform. Apply No. 2 generously into your leather and rub it in gently. Allow the leather to fully soak it in and wait for it to dry. Follow up with a leather conditioner.

Leather is extremely porous and will absorb anything it can, from dust, water, snow even to mold. Regularly keeping your leather’s surface clean can prevent these contaminants from taking root. It is a good idea to clean and condition your leather at least 2-3 times a year. This may change depending on the amount of use your leather gets and the weather it is exposed to. If you live in a heavily snowy or rainy environment, you may want to add Water Protectant No.3 and condition your leather every 2 months. If your leather furniture sits near a window with direct sunlight, you may find that our Auto Refreshner with UV Ray protection would work best. If your leather is mainly going to be indoors and away from sunlight, twice a year may be all that your leather needs with Leather Care Liniment No. 1 or No. 5 if it’s furniture. You should always condition your leather after you have cleaned it, but you can condition without cleaning if it is not significantly dirty and you have brushed off the surface first. For routine cleaning, try to dust off your leather every week with a damp cloth, and attend to any spill or other incident as soon as possible. If you are restoring older or malnourished leather, you may want to clean it several times first, and follow up with 2-3 conditionings per week until its supple nature is restored. In general, you will know it is time to re-apply if the surface of your leather begins to look chalky or feels dry to the touch, much like Grandma Gertrude’s hands.

• All Chamberlain’s Leather Milk full size bottles (6oz & 12oz) include a FREE reusable cotton terry leather conditioner applicator pad. (1 oz samples and bundles including sample bottles do not include applicator pads) Healing Balm includes premium absorption sponge.
• It’s always handy to have some plastic or newspaper to protect whatever surface you choose to use.
• Kill any existing mildew. We like to use a combination of apple cider vinegar and water.
• If your leather is really dirty, you will need to clean it with Chamberlain’s Leather Milk Straight Cleaner No.4 before conditioning and/or treating.

• Protect your surface with newspaper or plastic.
• Use your FREE reusable cotton terry leather conditioner applicator pad that came with your purchase.
• Test all products in a small, discreet area of your item first. This is important – because leather is a natural substance, each piece is unique and thus may react differently to conditioners and cleaners.
• If it is really dirty, clean the surface of your leather with Chamberlain’s Leather Milk No.2 – Straight Cleaner. Apply No. 2 generously into your leather and rub it in gently. Allow the leather to fully soak it in and wait for it to dry. Follow up with one of our leather conditioners.
• Chamberlain’s Leather Milk No.1 (Light Conditioner and Cleaner) – Apply THIN, EVEN layers across the entire surface of your leather item. Apply additional layers as needed.
• Chamberlain’s Leather Milk No.3 (Water Protectant and Deep Conditioner) – for use in harsher weather conditions – apply THIN, EVEN layers across the entire surface of your leather item. Apply additional layers as needed.
• Chamberlain’s Leather Milk No. 4 (Light Conditioner and Cleaner with UV Protection Added) – for use when leather is exposed to direct sunlight as in your automobile and/or furniture near sunlit windows – apply THIN, EVEN layers across the entire surface of your leather item. Apply additional layers as needed.
• Chamberlain’s Leather Milk No.5 (Light Conditioner and Cleaner) – for use on indoor furniture not in direct sunlight – apply THIN, EVEN layers across the entire surface of your leather item. Apply additional layers as needed.