How to Restore a Leather Sofa: Fix Tears and Rips

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Does your favorite leather couch have a tear, rip, or hole in it? Leather is both durable and long-lasting, but it can be prone to damage (especially if any children or pets are around). Fortunately, repairing a leather couch yourself is easy, and with the right products, you can tackle this DIY project in no time. In this article, we’ll walk you through the entire process so you can sit back and relax on your newly repaired leather couch.

Things You Should Know

  • Clean your couch well with diluted vinegar, then cut a patch slightly larger than the tear. Insert the patch into the tear beneath the leather.
  • Glue the edges of the tear together with leather or fabric glue . If you’re repairing a hole, fill it with soft filler .
  • Paint over the tear with leather paint to disguise your efforts and make your couch look brand new.
Part 1
Part 1 of 2:

Patching

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    Mix equal parts white vinegar and warm water in a bowl. Then, dip a rag into the mixture and wipe down the area around the tear. This will get rid of any dust or grime to ensure that your repair job sticks to the surface. Then, dry the couch with a clean cloth. [1]
    • White vinegar is a mild cleaning solution that’s safe to use on real and faux leather.
    • If you don’t have vinegar, use a leather cleaner or leather couch wipes instead.
    • Care for your leather furniture by wiping it down regularly with a clean, dry cloth.
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    Cut a denim patch slightly larger than the tear. Use a pair of scissors to cut a small denim patch that will fit inside of the tear and act as a new layer of substrate to patch the tear. Make sure the patch is larger than the tear itself so it can act as a new layer beneath the leather. [2]
    • Or, buy a leather repair kit to purchase all of your tools at once. Leather repair kits typically come with a patch, glue, and toothpicks, as well as leather paint to cover over large patches.
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    Open 1 side of the tear in the couch with your fingers and fit the patch inside of it. Slide all of the patch inside and try to flatten it out with your fingers. [3]
    • If the patch crumples or bunches up, pull it out and try to slide it back in.
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    Grab the patch with a pair of tweezers and stretch and flatten it out to create a smooth background behind the patch. Feel the leather above the patch for any bumps or ridges so you know that it is smooth. [4]
    • If you find any bumps or ridges, adjust the patch with the tweezers so it’s flat.
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Part 2
Part 2 of 2:

Gluing

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    Apply a small amount of leather glue or fabric glue to a toothpick. Open the bottle of glue and squeeze out a drop onto the end of a toothpick. Be careful not to let any of the glue spill or fall off onto the couch. [5]
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    Lift up 1 side of the tear and insert the toothpick inside. Spread the glue around on the patch beneath the tear so there’s an even layer. [8]
    • If you’re working on a hole rather than a tear, spread a soft filler into the hole to fill the space. Let the filler sit for about 20 to 40 minutes, then move onto the next step. [9]
    EXPERT TIP

    Mallika Sharma

    Certified Leather Care Technician
    Mallika Sharma is a Certified Leather Care Technician and the Founder of The Leather Laundry, a niche spa service for luxury leather gear in India. Mallika specializes in leather cleaning, coloring, repairing, and restoring for shoes, handbags, jackets, wallets, belts, and sofas. She holds a Master’s degree in Finance and Investment from the University of Edinburgh Business School. Mallika is a certified Professional Leather Care Technician and trained with the globally reputed leather care company, LTT in the United Kingdom.
    Mallika Sharma
    Certified Leather Care Technician

    Fill leather holes before coloring them. Small holes, tears, cracks, or other damage in leather can be filled in and patched up using a special filler cream or putty. Once the damaged area is filled and smoothed out, use a tiny fiber tip brush or applicator to gently blend leather dye, paint, or pigment over the patched area in a color that closely matches the surrounding material.

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    Use your fingers to bring both sides of the tear together to form an even line. [10] Use your fingers to smooth out any bumps or ridges in the tear so it’s consistent.
    • If you don’t line it up properly at first, separate the tear and reconnect the two sides.
    • If the tear is uneven and has ripped edges, carefully piece them back together with your fingers so the edges are connected.
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    Once the glue has been applied, it needs to set. Press a board or a book against the tear, maintaining a gentle pressure. After 5 minutes, the glue will have set, but wait a full hour before you sit on the couch again. [11]
    • If the tear reopens, apply a little more glue to repair it before allowing it to set again.
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    Paint the leather if you can see the patch. For large patches and repairs, the patch beneath the leather might be visible. If that’s the case, grab some leather paint and make sure it matches the color of your couch. Then, use a paint brush or a sponge to dab it onto the dried glue. Wait about 1 hour before sitting on the couch again. [12]
    • If you purchase a leather repair kit, choose the kit based on the color of paint that you want.
    EXPERT TIP

    Mallika Sharma

    Certified Leather Care Technician
    Mallika Sharma is a Certified Leather Care Technician and the Founder of The Leather Laundry, a niche spa service for luxury leather gear in India. Mallika specializes in leather cleaning, coloring, repairing, and restoring for shoes, handbags, jackets, wallets, belts, and sofas. She holds a Master’s degree in Finance and Investment from the University of Edinburgh Business School. Mallika is a certified Professional Leather Care Technician and trained with the globally reputed leather care company, LTT in the United Kingdom.
    Mallika Sharma
    Certified Leather Care Technician

    Utilize invisible mending to sew tears in leather. Instead of using cover-up patches, try mending torn or damaged leather furniture, shoes, bags, and more. Sew ragged edges or tears back together using a sharp needle and strong, high-quality bonded nylon thread that matches the leather item’s original color as closely as possible. Use very small, tight stitching for a subtle and discreet fix that will be invisible to the naked eye.

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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    Can you glue leather back together?
    Mallika Sharma
    Certified Leather Care Technician
    Mallika Sharma is a Certified Leather Care Technician and the Founder of The Leather Laundry, a niche spa service for luxury leather gear in India. Mallika specializes in leather cleaning, coloring, repairing, and restoring for shoes, handbags, jackets, wallets, belts, and sofas. She holds a Master’s degree in Finance and Investment from the University of Edinburgh Business School. Mallika is a certified Professional Leather Care Technician and trained with the globally reputed leather care company, LTT in the United Kingdom.
    Mallika Sharma
    Certified Leather Care Technician
    Expert Answer
    For small tears, you can use an adhesive to paste the torn piece back in its place. Use a filler cream to bind the tear area and let it dry for a few hours. After, touch it up with matching color.
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      Video

      Tips

      • If there’s a tear in the seam of your leather couch, it’s a good idea to take it to a professional. Repairing a leather seam on your own can be difficult, and it’s tough to do it by hand.
        Thanks
      • If your couch is peeling, that means it’s most likely faux leather, not real leather. Faux leather is inexpensive, and oftentimes it’s more cost-effective to replace the entire couch than to try to repair it.
        Thanks
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-clean-leather-furniture/
      2. ↑ https://youtu.be/sJCGK1BN-Ms?t=36
      3. ↑ https://soffamag.com/leather-sofa-repair/
      4. ↑ https://youtu.be/sJCGK1BN-Ms?t=67
      5. ↑ https://youtu.be/sJCGK1BN-Ms?t=116
      6. ↑ Mallika Sharma. Certified Leather Care Technician. Expert Interview. 7 January 2021.
      7. ↑ Mallika Sharma. Certified Leather Care Technician. Expert Interview. 7 January 2021.
      8. ↑ https://youtu.be/sJCGK1BN-Ms?t=116
      9. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwL8O-LZb_k&t=313s
      1. ↑ Mallika Sharma. Certified Leather Care Technician. Expert Interview. 7 January 2021.
      2. ↑ https://youtu.be/sJCGK1BN-Ms?t=167
      3. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POX4SVSu1XA&t=190s

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