How Do You Save A Leather Couch That Is Dry, Cracking & Shedding?

By  Christina Sloane

Things Needed

  • Soft cloth

  • Leather conditioner

  • Leather prep

  • Scrubber

  • Heavy filler

  • Palette knife

  • 1,200-grit sandpaper

  • Leather dye

  • Sponge

Tip

Apply leather conditioner to your couch once or twice a year to protect it and keep it supple.

Dust your couch weekly with a soft cloth.

Keep your couch at least 2 feet away from heat sources and out of heavy traffic areas.

...

With proper maintenance, leather furniture is made to last a long time. If furniture isn't conditioned regularly, or if it's placed close to a heat source or in direct sunlight, it may dry out and crack. Contact with chemicals or ink from papers, as well as sharp objects, may cause further damage to a leather surface. If your leather couch is showing signs of wear, there are a few simple things you can do to restore it.

Step 1

Buff small scratches with a soft cloth. If this doesn't erase the marks, add some leather conditioner to the cloth and rub it over your couch.

Step 2

Apply a bit of leather prep to a scrubber, and rub it over the couch's surface. This will remove the leather finish, including surface cracks, leaving a dull, smooth layer.

Step 3

Use a palette knife, and apply heavy filler to badly cracked spots not removed with the leather prep. Wipe excess filler away with a soft cloth so it only stays in the cracks. Let the filler dry for at least five minutes, then smooth the target area with fine-grit sandpaper.

Step 4

Shake your leather dye for three minutes. Dab a little bit of the dye onto a sponge, and work it into the grain of your leather couch. Wipe away excess dye with the sponge, and allow the dye to dry completely. If cracks still show after the couch dries, add more filler and apply more dye over the filler.

References

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