One of my favorite things to do is visit charity shops and buy random junk. Yes, junk! You have no idea how many things I’m hiding in my cupboards because I’m embarrassed to tell people that I’ve actually spent money on them. Just to mention the worst ones; a set of horrible stained-glass candle holders, a cheap metal fruit bowl sold to me as ‘an antique’ (it’s from a local shop, circa 2 years old) etc. Yes, I do buy awesome stuff every now and then, but junk is what I most often get.

On one of my latest junk-shopping-sprees, I got this leather briefcase. It actually served as a case for bowling bowls, the balls long gone. It was filthy and not all that nice looking, but I’ve managed to make it look semi-decent again. So if you have an old leather item that needs a bit of TLC, this is what you do.

Things you need to clean leather:
apple cider vinegar
any vegetable oil (I used olive oil)
an old tooth brush
chamois cloth

Basically, you mix the oil and vinegar, dip in the toothbrush and gently rub the surface. Wipe whatever comes off with the chamois cloth, until the cloth comes up clean. The vinegar will clean and the oil will nourish. It works like a charm and it won’t smell if you leave the item that you’re cleaning to dry in an airy room.

Things you need to clean rusty metal bits:
WD-40
aluminum foil
paper towels

Spray the metal parts with the WD-40 and rub with a bit of foil. Wipe the dirt off with paper towels. The longer you rub the more the rust comes off. I gave up after 10 minutes, because my arm was hurting like hell. Don’t ask me how and why this works, because I have no idea. It will clean the worst of the rust, and it won’t damage anything. It won’t restore the metal completely, because once rust eats something it is gone, but it will help.

I have no idea what to do with the handle, so if anyone knows a way to polish plastic, then please let me know.

So here are before & after photos, which suck. I promise it looks better in person, but my cell phone camera wasn’t able to capture the magnificence of my hard work on an overcast day like this one. I’m no Martha Stewart, but at least I’m not embarrassed to leave it out in the open anymore.