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How to mend ... a leather sofa How to mend ... a leather sofa
(14 days later)
You will need the right equipment for the specific sofa repair job you are doing. Required items might include washing-up liquid, vinegar, linseed oil, You will need the right equipment for the specific sofa repair job you are doing. Required items might include washing-up liquid, vinegar, linseed oil, turpentine, vaseline, a bicycle repair kit, an e-cloth, duster, lint-free soft white cloth, Pecard, Quickleen, and/or WD-40.
turpentine, vaseline, a bicycle repair kit, an e-cloth, duster, lint-free
soft white cloth, Pecard, Quickleen, and/or WD-40.
General upkeepGeneral upkeep
For general upkeep, there's no need for For general upkeep, there's no need for sticky, labour-intensive saddle soaps and expensive manufacturers’ products. Vacuuming with the soft brush attachment and a regular wiping-down with a slightly damp e-cloth will remove all grease, grime, oil and bacteria. Pay special attention to the headrest areas.
sticky, labour-intensive saddle soaps and expensive manufacturers’
products. Vacuuming with the soft brush attachment and a regular
wiping-down with a slightly damp e-cloth will remove all grease, grime,
oil and bacteria. Pay special attention to the headrest areas.
Light stains and spillsLight stains and spills
Dissolve Dissolve one part washing-up liquid in five parts lukewarm water. Using a soft, lint-free, white cloth, dab with the solution. Don’t wet too much. Leave for a few minutes and wipe off.
one part washing-up liquid in five parts lukewarm water. Using a
soft, lint-free, white cloth, dab with the solution. Don’t wet too much. Leave for a few minutes and wipe off.
Sticky stainsSticky stains
Horrible Horrible sticky stains such as chewing gum or make-up will come off with a little WD-40. Spray on to a clean white cloth and, working from the outside of the stain in, blot and feather (apply short strokes with gentle pressure). WD-40 is flammable and slippery so be sure to clean it off by diluting a drop of washing-up liquid in a cup of hot water. Blot and feather in the same way. Then blot again with just water.
sticky stains such as chewing gum or make-up will come off with a little WD-40.
Spray on to a clean white cloth and, working from the outside of the
stain in, blot and feather (apply short strokes with gentle pressure).
WD-40 is flammable and slippery so be sure to clean it off by diluting a
drop of washing-up liquid in a cup of hot water. Blot and feather in
the same way. Then blot again with just water.
Stubborn stainsStubborn stains
Ethanol Ethanol or isopropyl (rubbing alcohol) will remove ink and other difficult stains – even old, worn-in marks. It's found in all sorts of products you may already have: hairspray, medical wipes and stain removers such as Ecover. But don’t use hairspray – some brands contain chemicals that could damage leather. You can get pure ethanol from a pharmacy or online (£7.99 –UK mainland only). Apply to a clean white cloth and dab gently on to the stain. Ethanol is flammable, so rinse thoroughly.
or isopropyl (rubbing alcohol) will remove ink and other difficult Alternatively, try the bicycle puncture repair kit method. Apply a thin layer of puncture repair kit adhesive over a test area, leave to dry overnight and then gently peel away. If it's left a dry patch, rub in a little Vaseline and see if this brings the leather back to its original texture. If all is well, proceed to your stain.
stains – even old, worn-in marks. It's found in all sorts of products
you may already have: hairspray, medical wipes and stain removers such
as Ecover. But don’t use hairspray – some brands contain chemicals that
could damage leather. You can get pure ethanol from a pharmacy or online
(£7.99 –UK mainland only). Apply to a clean white cloth and dab gently
on to the stain. Ethanol is flammable, so rinse thoroughly.
Alternatively,
try the bicycle puncture repair kit method. Apply a thin layer of
puncture repair kit adhesive over a test area, leave to dry overnight
and then gently peel away. If it's left a dry patch, rub in a little
Vaseline and see if this brings the leather back to its original
texture. If all is well, proceed to your stain.
Water marksWater marks
To remove water marks, mix one part linseed oil with one part turpentine and rub in with a lint-free soft cloth.To remove water marks, mix one part linseed oil with one part turpentine and rub in with a lint-free soft cloth.
Last resortLast resort
If you get to the impossible nothing-will-shift stage it's worth trying Quickleen (£17.09 per tub), a hard surface, eco-friendly cleaning powder which If you get to the impossible nothing-will-shift stage it's worth trying Quickleen (£17.09 per tub), a hard surface, eco-friendly cleaning powder which is nothing short of miraculous at getting rid of water marks and many other stains. Dilute 1 tsp of powder in 50ml of warm water and apply to the test area with a soft white cloth. Leave for 30 minutes and remove. If the leather is OK, move on to the stain, dabbing and feathering. If the stain remains, try a stronger solution on the test area, and so forth, until you’re applying neat powder.
is nothing short of miraculous at getting rid of water marks and many
other stains. Dilute 1 tsp of powder in 50ml of warm water and apply to
the test area with a soft white cloth. Leave for 30 minutes and remove.
If the leather is OK, move on to the stain, dabbing and feathering. If
the stain remains, try a stronger solution on the test area, and so
forth, until you’re applying neat powder.
Wear and tear overhaulWear and tear overhaul
Warm Warm a 50/50 linseed oil and vinegar solution in a saucepan. Allow to cool. Rub into the leather with a soft white cloth. Buff to a shine with a duster. Alternatively, Pecard Antique Leather Dressing Conditioner is used by professional restorers and works well on modern leathers (£20 for a large tub). Working a section at a time, wipe with a damp cloth. While the leather is still wet, apply the paste with a lint-free cloth (or better still, your fingers – it’s clean and odourless) using small circular motions. When the cream has dried, wipe off with a separate cloth. Buff with a soft shoe brush and finish off with a duster.
a 50/50 linseed oil and vinegar solution in a saucepan. Allow to cool. Stephanie Zia’s household tip guide Done & Dusted – The Organic Home On A Budget, (Paperback £8.99/Kindle £2.16) includes 100+ of the best of her Guardian Magazine Cleaning Guru columns solving readers’ impossible stains and cleaning catastrophes the healthy, non-toxic way.
Rub into the leather with a soft white cloth. Buff to a shine with a
duster. Alternatively, Pecard Antique Leather Dressing Conditioner
is used by professional restorers and works well on modern leathers
(£20 for a large tub). Working a section at a time, wipe with a damp
cloth. While the leather is still wet, apply the paste with a lint-free
cloth (or better still, your fingers – it’s clean and odourless) using
small circular motions. When the cream has dried, wipe off with a
separate cloth. Buff with a soft shoe brush and finish off with a
duster.
Stephanie Zia’s household tip guide Done & Dusted – The Organic Home On A Budget, (Paperback £8.99/Kindle £2.16)
includes 100+ of the best of her Guardian Magazine Cleaning Guru
columns solving readers’ impossible stains and cleaning catastrophes the
healthy, non-toxic way.
You can find more of Emma McGowan's work on her website.You can find more of Emma McGowan's work on her website.
Interested in finding out more about how you can live better? Take a look at this month's Live Better challenge here.Interested in finding out more about how you can live better? Take a look at this month's Live Better challenge here.
The The Live Better Challenge is funded by Unilever; its focus is sustainable living. All content is editorially independent except for pieces labelled advertisement feature. Find out more here.
Live Better Challenge is funded by Unilever; its focus is sustainable
living. All content is editorially independent except for pieces
labelled advertisement feature. Find out more here.