How do I Repair Rips in Leather Seats?

Preparation: Cleaning

• The leather surface must be clean before a leather repair kit can be used, because oil and dirt on leather being repaired will cause the area to be left uneven. The best way to approach the task of cleaning leather is to use a leather cleaner, found at department stores and auto repair stores. Alternatively, use a dust cloth to go over the surface, and then use a vacuum on it.

Preparation: Sanding

• The other prerequisite to using a leather repair kit on a torn spot is to gently sand the edges of the tear to make the leather surface as smooth as possible. 1,000-grit sandpaper is the most effective type of sandpaper for smoothing leather. Using a leather repair kit without first sanding the rip will leave the leather rough and leave it susceptible to more damage.

Leather Repair Kit: Liquid Repair Compound

• The contents of a leather repair kit usually include different repair colors, a clear liquid repair compound, an applicator, grain papers, backing fabric, and a set of instructions. Using the kit generally involves obtaining the correct color to match the leather surface, then applying the liquid leather repair compound to the leather surface. The liquid compound should then be heated for it to dry.

Leather Repair Kit: Grain Paper and Patch

• Grain paper goes on top of the liquid compound to make it look like real leather and match the rest of the leather surface. The number of grain papers used depends on how "grainy" the leather is. If the rip in a leather seat is more like a sizable hole, a patch, included in the kit, can be applied using the compound, to cover the rip.