Refurbishing a Brown Leather Chair

Cleaning

• 1

  Don a pair of non-porous gloves, such as latex or rubber. This will protect your hands from the chemicals used in the restoration process.

• 2

  Spray leather cleaner all over the leather parts of the couch.

• 3

  Work over the surface with a soft-bristled brush to work loose any surface dirt, oils, or stains.

• 4

  Wipe down the surface with a dry cloth to remove the dirt. Spray another spritz of leather cleaner and wipe down a second time with a dry cloth if needed.

Repair

• 5

  Apply leather-safe bonder/filler with a sponge. The filler should be used to fill any cracks, pits, or holes in the leather, and smoothed over with the sponge to create an even surface. If the leather is not damaged in this way, skip to Section 3.

• 6

  Dry out the bonder by applying indirect heat. A hairdryer set on a low setting should be targeted at the bonded areas for the length of time specified on the bonder/filler packaging (usually just a few minutes.)

• 7

  Spray on some leather-safe sealant to any areas that have been filled in order to seal the repaired areas.

Recoloring

• 8

  Determine if the couch needs to be recolored. If there are spots where the leather has faded or been worn down, the leather should be redyed. If not, skip to Section 4.

• 9

  Provide a color swatch from the couch to a company that sells DIY leather recoloring kits. These kits can be purchased online or from furniture stores, and can be custom-blended to match your chair precisely.

• 10

  Apply the dye in a thin layer. It will come in a spray bottle, so spritz on the surface and then smooth into a thin layer with a sponge. Allow it to dry several minutes, applying successive layers if needed to match the color on the faded or filled areas with the rest of the couch.

• 11

  Allow the final coat of color to dry overnight.

Conditioning

• 12

  Apply a small dab of leather conditioner onto a dry cloth.

• 13

  Massage the cloth over the leather in circular motions, until you have treated the entire surface.

• 14

  Wipe away excess with a dry cloth.

• 15

  Clean and condition the leather every 6 months going forward, as this will prevent the material from drying out and cracking.