Caring for leather furniture includes not only removing dirt and maintaining sufficient humidity in the room, but also correcting annoying damage to the upholstery, especially if there are animals in the house. With intensive use of sofas and armchairs, cuts, cracks and scratches on the leather are inevitable, and one of the following methods will help to cope with the problem.
Surface preparation
First, the damaged area should be prepared. Often a crack or scratch has small pieces of protruding skin; they need to be carefully cut off with nail clippers or scissors and the top layer of the damage must be cleaned with fine sandpaper. Then treat the surface with a cotton pad soaked in any alcohol solution.
Olive oil
If the scratches are shallow, you can rub the oil into the damaged area using a cotton pad or cloth. The effect will be noticeable after 30 minutes, and if it turns out to be insufficient, the procedure will have to be repeated several times.
To remove more noticeable scratches and cracks, in addition to olive oil, you will need an iron and a cotton cloth. After treating the flaw with oil, cover it with a damp cloth and lightly iron it for 10 seconds using sliding movements, without staying in one place.
Marker
Small cuts on leather upholstery can always be painted over with a marker of a suitable color.This budget method is used when there is an urgent need to mask the damage, but there are no other means at hand.
Shoe polish
Another simple technique for caring for small scratches and bald spots on furniture leather is to choose shoe polish of a similar color, apply it to a cotton pad, sponge or cloth and rub thoroughly into the problem area. Sometimes you have to mix several shades of cream to achieve the best effect.
Nail polish
Housewives know several areas of application of varnish, not only for a beautiful manicure. It is also suitable for solving the problem of scratches on leather upholstery, since nail polishes are now available in any color, even black and dark brown, matte and glossy. Having chosen a varnish that is suitable in color and texture, you need to carefully paint over the scratch with a match or toothpick, without going beyond the boundaries, and the damage will become invisible.
Liquid skin
This water-soluble polymer will help in repairing skin imperfections of any complexity. It is a set of jars of different colors for mixing and obtaining the desired shade. Its advantage is that after drying, a durable elastic layer is formed on the damaged area, similar in texture to skin.
The product is applied with the included spatula and smoothed with a dry sponge to give the surface a natural texture. If necessary, the procedure can be repeated after 30 minutes. When working with liquid leather, you only need to wear plastic gloves; rubber and latex gloves are not suitable. After such restoration, leather furniture will be suitable for use within a day.
Any of the methods presented is effective for removing minor scratches and abrasions on leather upholstery. Many products are available in every home, and their use does not require large physical or material costs, the main thing is to apply them in a timely manner to prevent more serious damage.
