Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some commonly asked questions that may help you with your restoration project.
How long will the re-coloring last?
We use the same pigment dyes and topcoats used at many tanneries, therefore your re-colored leather is expected to last as long or longer than brand new leather. Of course, the amount of use it gets is a major factor.
Are your Kits easy enough to use for the
You can expect great results with our repair kits, our step by step instructions make it as easy as 1,2,3.
How often should I clean and condition my leather?
To keep your leather looking good and lasting long, here’s a simple cleaning rhythm to follow:
- Weekly or As Needed:
Light dusting or wiping with a dry microfiber cloth to remove surface dirt and oils. - Immediately After Spills:
Spot clean any stains or spills right away to prevent them from setting. - Every 6 to 12 Months:
Clean with a wet microfiber cloth with a small drop dish soap or a small amount of saddle soap to remove embedded grime and refresh the surface.
🚫 Avoid These Cleaners
- Ammonia
- Bleach
- Alcohol-based products
- Lacquer Products
These can strip natural oils and damage the leather’s finish.
What about scratches and holes in leather?
Most scratches can be filled with several applications of our dye and topcoat. We use a filler on deeper scratches and small holes and they will be virtually undetectable.
My 3 year old daughter scribbled with a ball point pen our leather couch. What will remove the ink?
The fresher the ink stain is, the better your chances are of getting it out. Our spot remover is the strongest cleaner that you can use on leather without harming the finish. If you cannot remove the stain with our spot remover, you will have to cover it with color.
I am looking to purchase a product that can cover/repair scratches on my leather living room set. My furniture has gotten extremely scratched up by my 3 cats, and I was hoping to find a product I could apply myself without having to send my furniture to a repair shop.
From our experience with cat scratches you may want to try the following before you attempt to use a leather filler. The reason is that before you know it your whole couch/chair will be covered in filler: Get some 1000 grit wet sand paper (at a local hardware store) and an empty spray bottle. Put water in the spray bottle. Spray water on one of the scratches. Cut a 4" x 4" square out of the sheet of paper and fold it in half. Sand the scratch with the 1000 grit paper until the burrs (tears) are gone and the surface is smooth do not be afraid to apply a good amount of pressure while sanding. If this works well on one scratch go ahead and do the rest. You might even go to a rougher paper like 360 grit. It will be tedious and you may have to re-color the furniture but this is worth a try to make it look better than it does now.
We have a buckskin leather sofa which one of our sons spilled a mysterious substance on and left a stain. We had a water-based cleaner for leather which didn't really help. I suspect the stain to be oil base in nature. Is there a product available to use for tougher stains?
Our leather care kit has a spot remover in it that may help. It is designed to remove oil based stains.
I have a large wax stain on a light brown leather ottoman made by a large dripping candle. The wax peeled off easily but left a dark oily stain behind. It also hardened the leather some. Do you have advice and a product that could help me get rid of this stain?
Our products are excellent and will provide the results you are looking for. We can match any color if you send us a sample.
I have a 1988 BMW 735i which is in need of leather repair on the front seats. I had a shop locally try some work on it but all they did was spray the seats with paint which lasted for a while. Is there anything that covers overall and really works outside of recovering the seats?
Our products are excellent and will provide the results you are looking for. We can match any color if you send us a sample.
I have a Cadillac with the very popular neutral leather interior color. The seats are in excellent condition except for three small spots that were discolored somehow. Here are my questions: The color chart refers to a shale color for Cadillacs. Is that the neutral color? The leather seams to have a slight shine so is that semi gloss? Do I need to order the complete repair kit even though I do not need to repair any cracks or tears.
Your color is 6691 light neutral. Best results are achieved when you refinish entire seats. Since leather gains a patina with age, we recommend that you re-color both front seats if you think that only one needs refinishing. In this way, your seats will look brand new without a slight color mismatch from one seat to another due to the patina. You will need to order the re-coloring kit which contains enough material to re-color your entire interior.
I have an antique, black leather medical bag that I would like to re-do. The insides are in need of new leather and the outside needs refinishing with color. Can you give me any ideas?
Our products are great for refinishing leather. You can probably get by with ordering our repair kit since your project is a small one.
I have accidentally spilled spritz on my leather boots and my purse. I have tried Wilson's leather lotion and cleaner and it hasn't worked. Do you think your kit will be able to remove my problem?
Yes, actually you can refinish your boots and purse in their original color or any color of your choosing and make them look brand new.
I have a black leather coat that is faded and I would LOVE to restore it. Could I use your product for that?
Yes, Leather Renew re-coloring kits work great on all smooth leathers.
I found a burn hole in my driver seat. It's not a large burn and it's not very deep. How can I fix this problem?
Our leather kits come with a leather fill, applicator and sand paper to repair medium to small holes (holes no larger than an eraser head).
I have a Harley Davidson motorcycle with black leather saddle bags. Somehow some paint over spray got on them and I was wondering if your product would work on my problem.
Yes, you can color on top of the overspray with our product, no problem.
I have a 1988 Corvette. The problem with that particular year's cars involved the two-piece door panels the seam would separate. The previous owner attempted to seal the split seam with a dark (the leather is dark gray) glue-ish something-or-other. It holds the panels together, but doesn't look good. Do you have anything that would fill the seam, cover the little bit of
You can probably get a good fill of the voids created by the previous attempted repair by using our leather crack filler then color over the area with a color matched colorant.
I am getting ready to place an order with you for colorant and crack filler for my 1993 Mazda Miata LE with red leather interior. I am not 100% sure as to whether the finish is matte or semi-gloss. I am guessing that it is matte from reviewing your website. I have a sample that is about 1
Automotive colors come standard with a satin type finish. There is no need for a top coat and therefore no choice is necessary between semi-gloss or matte.
I have a 1994 corvette with the light beige leather interior. I noticed you have four ala carte items to go along with your leather restoration - bond aid, flex aid, slip agent, and flat aid. Do I need to buy these to get a real good result with your product or will the standard leather restoration kit do? Also, will this be an exact match to my stock leather interior?
The kit works great on it's own but two items we might recommend for enhanced results. Bond aide to improve adhesion qualities and flat aide if you have the need for a flatter finish. The automotive finishes are somewhat flat or satin in appearance. Flex and slip are used more for furniture applications.
I have a scratch on my leather steering wheel that I accidentally made with a key. What would I order from you and how would I repair this scratch?
It doesn't sound like a deep scratch. More likely you just scratched the finish off. Order 4 oz. of colorant, paper strainer and a foam brush from our a la carte page. Add some crack filler if you think the scratch is deeper into the leather.
I am wanting to dye my light blue leather seat covers black. Solid black, what is the best products you have to keep the color and resist wear? Also, how much for enough to do two bucket seats and a rear bench seat. It is an extended cab Ford F150
Any automotive black will do. You will need an auto recoloring kit and an extra 8 ounces of colorant. 4 ounces covers up to 24 square feet (about the size of one bucket seat). We recommend getting bond aide to improve adhesion qualities for your application.
Can I dye the seat in my truck or do I have to take them out to do them.
You need to pull the seats out so that you can get the access that you need to cover the areas. If you weren't changing colors, you wouldn't need to pull the seats.