how to: soften leather

On one of my many Value Village thrifting trips, I found this caramel leather bag for $9. 

I really liked it but the leather strap was really hard and stiff. I brought it home anyway and searched for home remedies on how to soften leather. Since the remedies actually worked, I wanted to share them with you guys!

Materials you will need:

rubbing alcohol

petroleum jelly (Vaseline)

a cotton pad

To soften the leather, I rubbed the strap with rubbing alcohol using the cotton pad. Afterwards, I applied a layer of Vaseline and left it on overnight (petroleum jelly is supposed to soften and protect the leather). The next day, the strap was still very greasy (I applied a lot of Vaseline) so I used another cotton pad to wipe off the excess. When I was sure that the strap wouldn't leave an oily layer on my clothes, I took my bag out for a test run. The strap was still thick and durable, but the leather had definitely softened to make it more flexible. Success!

My bag is happy now and we're ready to frolic and prance together in the sun!