The couch is a part of the home that is certainly put to the test. The whole family spend so much time there, and everyone likes to chill out on the couch to chat, play games or watch movies. Naturally, this means that it needs to be cleaned from time to time, to freshen it up and restore it to its former glory. Leather couches, although they are intended to last for many years, require careful treatment. With these simple home made products, you’ll be equipped with all you need to look after your leather couch. What’s more, they are cheap and easy to make!
Note: like any product intended for special surfaces, do a patch test first on an area that is not very visible, in case of any unwanted side effects. This type of test is important to do even if you are using commercial products, in order to avoid nasty surprises.
1) Gentle baby soap
Soap rarely mixes well with leather. However, gentle baby soap is an exception, as long as it doesn’t contain additives or colours which could leave stains.
What you need:
- 1 litre of hot water
- 15 mls of gentle baby soap
- A few drops of vinegar
Method:
1) Mix all of the above ingredients.
2) Soak a clean cloth in the mixture and wring it out so that it is damp but not wet.
3) Use it to wipe the surface and allow the couch to air dry.
2) Long live lemon essential oil!
Lemon essential oil provides a fresh fragrance and prevents cracks in the leather, while also ensuring its longevity. You can use it on its own, by soaking a cloth in 15 to 20 drops. If you are looking for a cleaning product, try out the following mixture.
What you need:
- 120 mls of vinegar
- 15 to 20 drops of lemon essential oil
It is often recommended that you use a mixture of vinegar and olive oil on leather. However, although olive oil can appear to work well at the time, in the long run it damages the leather, as the oil dries it out.
Method:
1) Mix the ingredients in a container or a dark coloured glass spray flask if possible (not a plastic flask, as this is not “compatible” with the essential oil).
2) First wipe the couch down with a dry cloth. If there are any crumbs, give it a rub of the vacuum cleaner.
3) Spray your product to the sofa and rub it in with a clean cloth.
4) Leave the rest of the product to work for 4 to 5 minutes, and then gently “polish” the sofa.
3) Beeswax balm
What you need:
- Beeswax
- Cocoa butter
- Sweet almond oil
Method:
1) Pour one part beeswax, one part cocoa butter and one part oil into a pot.
2) Heat it but keep it on a moderate heat – do not bring it to the boil.
3) Once it has all slowly melted, stir it and remove the pot from the heat.
4) Leave it to cool for 30 to 40 minutes, which should give it time to cool and solidify.
5) Take some of the balm using the heat of your finger, and apply it by hand to the sofa, massaging it in gently.
6) Shine up the couch with a clean, dry cloth.
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