How to Re-Dye a Leather Couch

Clean your leather couch thoroughly with a sponge dampened with soapy water. Scrub it to remove dirt, oil, grease and other debris that may be on it. If the leather is not thoroughly cleaned, the dye can fail when it is applied. When finished, wipe over the leather with clean water on a sponge to remove traces of soap.

Apply a thick coat of leather prep solution to your couch, working in small sections. Do not apply more leather prep solution than you can process before it dries on the leather. Scrub over the leather prep solution with a soft cloth to open the pores of the leather, which will allow the dye to adhere to the fibers. Remove excess moisture from the leather with soft cloths or paper towels, then allow the couch to dry thoroughly. Drying time can range from 15 minutes to one hour.

Sand your leather couch with fine grit sandpaper, maintaining light pressure. This will roughen the surface of the leather slightly and make it easier for the dye to absorb into it. Remove the dust from sanding with a damp sponge. Allow the leather couch to dry completely.

Shake the leather dye gently before applying it to your leather couch. Pigments will often separate from the base of the dye, and shaking redistributes the pigments, allowing a uniform color to be applied to the leather.

Spray a single coat of dye onto the couch, using the spray unit of the leather dye kit and working in one direction only. Do not spray over an area that you have already colored. Allow the first coat of leather dye to dry before applying additional coats.

Apply additional coats of leather dye as needed, allowing the dye to dry between applications. Each additional layer of dye darkens the color of the couch, so gauge the color carefully before adding another coat. Small runs of leather dye can be removed by wiping gently with a soft cloth.

Leave the leather couch undisturbed for at least 48 hours for the leather dye to cure completely. Clean the couch with a dampened sponge and allow it to dry for about an hour. Apply a single coat of leather conditioner to the couch with a soft, lint free cloth to restore the shine to the leather.