Repairing Stretched and Discolored Leather

• 1

  Dip a cotton cloth in water. Squeeze out most of the moisture. The cloth should remain as moist as possible without dripping water.

• 2

  Rub the stretched section of the leather item in a circular motion until it is damp.

• 3

  Hold a hair dryer 4 to 6 inches away from the damp spot. Set the dryer to the highest setting and heat the area until it is dry. Move the dryer around the stretched area to distribute the heat and avoid burning the material. The leather shrinks as the heat dries the moisture.

• 4

  Shrink small leather items with steam, if this is preferable. The blow dryer process is ideal for large items that cannot be moved easily, such as a leather sofa, but you can also fix smaller items, such as a leather mat, with steam.

  Hold the leather item 4 to 6 inches above a pot of boiling water for one minute. Let it dry outside on a sunny day or place it in a heated area. The leather shrinks as it dries.

Dye Discolored Leather

• 5

  Mix the leather dye according to the manufacturer directions. Dip a piece of cotton wool in water and rub it over the discolored section of the leather. Moist leather absorbs dye readily.

• 6

  Dip a cotton cloth into the dye. Press the cloth onto a piece of cardboard or scrap leather to remove excess dye.

• 7

  Rub the cotton cloth on the discolored area in circles until it is completely coated in a light coat of dye. Repeat the process with additional light coats of dye until the section is the same color as the rest of the leather item.

• 8

  Allow the dyed section of the leather item to dry completely before use.