How To Make An Old Leather Couch Look New Again
My leather couch has survived 2 babies, a playful dog, a messy mom (ahem, me), a move, countless dinners, and even 5 months of bedrest. If it were a fabric couch, it would have kicked the dust years ago. I knew my couch had lots of life left, but it definitely need to be restored, refinished, or refreshed. My couch is the Article Sven couch, but you can grab a similar version on Amazon here. But, let me be clear, the Article Sven leather sectional is worth EVERY SINGLE PENNY. I can’t imagine ever choosing a different couch in the future.
However, nothing is immune to wear and tear eventually. Here are the steps I took to breathe life back into my worn leather sectional. (Please note, this blog contains affiliate links, but I paid full price for all items.)
Step 1: Restuff the back cushions.
You can grab any time of filling— feathers, cotton, foam, or this budget-friendly fiber fill I got from Amazon.
Not only will this make your pillows stand up correctly, but it will also minimize the look of wrinkles AND provide more back support.
For 3 large back cushions, I used about 20 ounces of the Poly-fil. You can see below the incredible difference this one step makes in the appearance of your couch. Even if you skip the next steps, this one is a great hack for a quick fix.
I keep a bag of this fluff on hand in case I notice the cushions looking flat before having guests.
Step 2: Use Leather cleaner
Please read the instructions on your leather cleaner product and test a small, inconspicuous spot of the couch. Don’t spray the entire couch immediately!
I used this leather cleaner, and the grime that was on the rag afterwards was disgusting. I knew fabric couches got filthy, but I had no idea how dirty a leather sectional could be.
This is another product that is great to have on hand for far more than your couch. You can use it on car interiors, other furniture, and even booths or leather apparel.
I used a soft cleaning rag. Please be gentle when using any product, and stick with a leather-specific cleaner. Don’t dump dish soap on your couch, please.
Step 3. Use leather conditioner.
I grabbed another clean rag (the softer, the better) and used this leather conditioner. As you can see on the bottle, it penetrates the leather, preserves the appearance/quality, and protects the surface of the leather.
It’s a thick cream, and my couch soaked it up like lotion into dry skin. I mean, it disappeared so quickly there was nothing to wipe off! My couch really needed the conditioner. I did 2 coats until I noticed a slight residue not being absorbed. I wiped that off with a cloth, and here’s how the couch looked before and after the conditioner was applied.
Step 4. Enjoy! (And continue to take care of your couch.)
Yay! Look at your beautiful leather couch now that you have put just an hour or two of work into it. Keep the products I linked in this blog on hand for future use. The bottles should clarify how often they can be used on your leather furniture.
Here are some more steps I recommend taking to keep your leather furniture beautiful for as long as possible:
Switch your cushions often so the wear and tear is evenly distributed.
Minimize eating and drinking on the couch as much as possible. I definitely need to take my own advice on this one!
Utilize curtains or blinds to limit UV exposure to the leather. Too much direct light may fade portions of your couch.
Look into furniture insurance and/or warranty for your couch. You never know!
Try to keep pets off of the couch. If you are anything like me, you will laugh at this line and pet the dog that is laying beside you on the couch right now.
I hope these steps will have your couch. Looking brand new again! Again, these products are key to refinishing your leather couch. Stay tuned for more DIY projects and home hacks on a budget.
