Some of these solutions come from regular household items and some are products you can buy.

Home Remedies

* Saddle Soap is an excellent way to soften tough leather. This leather conditioner has been around for hundreds of years when it was used by cowboys to keep saddles and other horse tack in good shape. It may not be the best thing for a leather sofa though.

* Vaseline is something everyone has laying around the house and it's cheap. Dab a soft clean cloth into the gel and then work it into the leather sofa in small amounts until it feels dry. You will want to wipe the sofa with a dry cloth to remove any excess grease but the leather will absorb most of it. Try this on a small area first before doing the whole couch.

* Shaving cream has been a good standby for many people. You want to use shaving cream on a clean damp cloth, working it into the leather. You will be amazed at how quickly this softens your sofa.

* Mink Oil is a favorite for many people. You can find Mink Oil at just about any leather shop and is not very expensive.

* Lanolin is another natural ingredient that will work.

* A mixture of 500 g bag balm, also called milk salve and 100 ml of glycerin also makes a great home remedy if you have a lot of area to cover and a small budget to work with.

* In all cases mentioned above, try it in an inconspicuous area first before doing the entire surface. Wait to see how well it soaks into the leather.