Refurbishing a Leather Recliner

Preparation

• 1

  Put on gloves to protect your hands.

• 2

  Spray leather cleaner all over the recliner in the open position.

• 3

  Rub the leather in circular motions with a dry cloth to loosen the dirt.

• 4

  Wipe down the leather with a new cloth to remove the remaining grime.

Patching

• 5

  Fill any cracks or pits with leather bonder/heavy filler. Apply the filler with a sponge or a blunt knife. If the leather is not damaged by cracks or pits, skip this section and move on to the next section.

• 6

  Blow dry the bonder/filler until hardened and dry.

• 7

  Seal the repaired areas by spraying furniture sealant over the affected areas.

Coloring

• 8

  Select a leather recoloring balm or spray-on dye that matches the color of the rest of your recliner. Make sure it is compatible with the leather you own. For example, aniline leather recliners should only be recolored with dye kits formulated to work with this type of leather. If no significant color loss or fading has affected your furniture, skip to the next section.

• 9

  Apply the color with a sponge or dry cloth using a gentle dabbing motion. Apply color until the recolored areas match the rest of the chair.

• 10

  Allow the recliner to dry overnight to prevent warps in the recolored areas.

Finishing

• 11

  Squirt leather conditioning cream onto a sponge or cloth and rub it across the surface of the leather.

• 12

  Remove excess conditioner with another cloth.

• 13

  Let the recliner dry for a few hours before resuming normal seating usage.