How to Restore Leather Upholstery

Having leather furniture is stylish and classy, but unfortunately, leather being a natural material tends to get damaged over time. Lack of care and improper treatment can cause the material to dry up, crack and break over time. Here are some tips on how to restore your leather upholstery:

1. Get some specialized leather recolouring balm or another leather conditioner. Apply it in accordance with the instructions, so that it penetrates the leather and allows for resolving the issues with minor cracking and discolouration. This though is only a masking technique, as the balm will hide the cracks rather than actually fix them.
2. In order to actually repair cracked leather, you must first make sure that the cracked surface is clean of any oils, silicones or waxes by prepping the leather.
3. Use a strong cleaner to clean the seating area of your leather sofa. Start from the sides and back first but use only a clean cloth and some alcohol to do so, because the cleaner will remove the finish on the leather. Usually, the back and sides of the sofa suffer much less stress than the sitting area, so they don’t need to be prepped.
4. To prepare the seats and cushions, use a leather abrasive pad and leather prep solution. If the area is seriously cracked, abstain from using the pad, and use a soft cloth instead. The areas should become a tone lighter after this. Use a cloth dampened with alcohol to wipe the seats after that and let it evaporate for about 30 minutes.
5. Use leather binder and a sponge to treat the cracked area – this will strengthen the leather. You may need to apply 3 to 5 coats to make sure the fibres get bonded together for added strength. Make sure you let each coat dry, before applying the next one.
6. For heavily cracked leather apply Flexifil or another leather filling product by using a spatula or pallet knife to apply the filler to the cracked leather. Remove the excess and let it dry for 30 minutes. Then use fine sandpaper to sand off the treated area.
7. Apply leather colourant after shaking the bottle well. Apply it with a sponge thoroughly on the treated area. Let it dry for another 30 minutes. Spray the leather colourant on the area, and make sure you wipe away any excess or runs. Let it dry.
8. Apply the leather finish with a sponge on thin layers and let them dry before applying the next one. Apply 1 layer of flossy sealant, and then add 2 layers of leather finish for added strength.

If you find it impossible to deal with the cracks in your leather upholstery, you should find local professional leather upholstery cleaning and repair company.