Repairing Scratches on Leather Sofas

Scratches on leather sofas are very common even under normal use and no matter how careful you are. Pet damage is another common cause of scratches to furniture. All, however is not lost. Unlike fabric sofas, leather is a very versatile material and minor scratches can often be easily fixed with products and items that can be found in most households. This basic guide will show you how you can fix scratches to your leather sofas. For deeper scratches and tears it is best to appoint an upholsterer of leather sofa technician.

How to deal with the problem

As there are many different types of leather used to upholster sofas it is recommended in the first instance that you contact the supplier or manufacturer, they should be able to confirm the best way to fix or repair a scratch based on the type of leather sofa you have, it is very important to find out the type of leather as this will determine the best approach in terms of repair.

Types of leather sofa

For aniline or leather sofas with a waxy finish a minor scratch can be fixed by rubbing a small amount of olive oil, baby oil or saddle oil onto the effected area, by rubbing the oil in a circular motion and then letting the oil dry for an hour or so, a scratch in some cases can repair itself. When using any new products or fluids to clean or repair a leather sofa, it is always best to test a small amount on an inconspicuous area initially to ensure they do not damage or mark the leather.

If this step does not remove the scratch you can try pressing a damp cloth against the scratch on the leather sofa and then pressing a warm iron against it, the heat and moisture can bring out the natural oils in the leather and the scratch may heal itself, if the scratch has disappeared dry off and use the sofa as normal. If the scratch remains you can carry out this step once more.

If the previous step fails to remove the scratch you can try applying shoe polish or a specific leather colorant to the scratch. By rubbing a small amount of polish or colorant into the scratch with a cloth or cotton bud and then buffing afterwards, a scratch can be masked but not necessarily fixed. It is essential that a small inconspicuous area is tested first to ensure a good colour match is achieved, if the wrong colour is used remove immediately with a damp cloth.

Be careful of using non-tested leather sofa products

Furniture and leather sofa repairs can be expensive and similar results can be achieved on minor scratches and marks. Just be cautious and careful when attempting any leather sofa repairs especially if the scratch is on a visible surface.