Home Garden

How to Cover an Old Leather Sofa to Make It Look New

If your leather couch is starting to look like it would fit in better in a college dorm than in your living room, consider sprucing it up instead of buying a new sofa. You can re-cover a sofa with slipcovers or new cushion covers, or you can reupholster it altogether to give it a new look. Before you attempt to recover your sofa, clean it well, repair any rips or tears and remove any stains.

Things You'll Need

  • Cleaning cloth
  • Slipcovers
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Clean your leather sofa: If your leather sofa is not torn but looks dull and old, it may just need a thorough cleaning. It is, however, important to clean it properly. Ask your sofa manufacturer if there is a recommended cleaning solution for your couch; otherwise wipe a cloth damp with water over the surface to remove debris, then apply a leather conditioner.

    • 2

      Purchase new leather covers. If your leather covers come off each cushion, you can purchase new ones to replace them.

    • 3

      Place a slipcover over your sofa. Whether you want to keep the leather look or not, you can find a slipcover to make your sofa look new. Look into custom-fit slipcovers if you have a sofa in an unusual style.

    • 4

      Have your sofa reupholstered. If you've never tried to reupholster furniture before, consider taking the sofa to a professional. Working with leather can be difficult, and redoing a whole couch is a huge undertaking. If you just need to reupholster your cushions, make simple slipcovers that will fit over the existing cushion material.