Do-It-Yourself Leather Sofa Repair

Scratches

• 1

  Add 1 to 2 drops of distilled water to the scratches. You must lightly dampen the scratches with the distilled water. However, if you add too much water, you can cause water spots and water stains on your leather sofa.

• 2

  Rub the distilled water into the scratches with a soft, leather cloth called a chamois. Rub in a circular motion until the scratches are no longer visible. Continue to Step 3 if the scratches are still present on the sofa.

• 3

  Apply 1 to 2 drops of olive oil on a clean, lint-free cloth. Gently rub the scratches in a circular motion with the cloth. Continue adding olive oil to the cloth and rubbing the leather until the scratches are gone.

Rips and Tears

• 4

  Remove loose threads from the damaged area by carefully cutting them with a pair of scissors. Clean the damaged area with a soft cloth dampened with rubbing alcohol.

• 5

  Open the leather repair kit, and lay out the items in front of you. Familiarize yourself with the instructions.

• 6

  Slice the backing fabric with a pair of scissors. Make the cut a bit larger than the damaged leather. Push the cut backing fabric in the tear or rip.

• 7

  Stir the repair compound with the spatula for several seconds until well mixed. Spread a smooth and even layer of the compound over the damaged area. Let the repair compound dry for one hour. After the hour has passed, the compound will have a tacky feel to it.

• 8

  Choose the grain paper from the kit that most closely resembles the grain on your sofa, and place on the tacky repair compound. Use your fingertips, and gently apply pressure to smooth the grain paper into the compound.

• 9

  Place a heavy book on the grain paper, and let dry overnight. After the allotted time, carefully pull the paper off the dried repair compound.