How to Remove Leather Scratches? Step-by Step Guide
Leather is considered a very expensive and luxurious material to use. It has been used with great enthusiasm for many decades. Despite its high cost, people still prefer using it because it is also regarded as durable. However, no matter how durable something is, nature has made it susceptible to damage. Scratches play a major role in ruining the look of leather. These scratches can develop over time or sometimes occur accidentally. But the good thing is that, over time, many methods to remove scratches from leather have also emerged.
It’s best to address issues like scratches or small cracks as soon as possible. If left unattended for too long, the problem is likely to worsen, making it more difficult to repair.
In this article, we have tried to bring you easy methods to remove or eliminate scratches from expensive and valuable leather products such as leather jackets, leather bags, leather shoes, leather wallets, etc., so that you can benefit from your leather items for a long time.
Related Article: How to Clean Leather Products?
Light Scratch or Deep Scratch?
Whenever you try to fix a leather scratch, first determine whether the scratch is light or deep, as the methods for fixing it depend on this. Light scratches are easy to repair whereas deep scratches are rather challenging to repair. Here are the steps to remove scratches from leather:
- Cleaning: No matter what type of scratch it is, cleaning it is the first step. So first, take a microfiber cloth, dampen it with a mixture of soap and water, and gently rub it over the scratch in a circular motion. For this purpose, you can also use a commercially available leather cleaner.
- Moisturizing : After cleaning, use any reliable leather moisturizer or leather conditioner and apply it directly on the scratches in a circular motion. in order to maintain a good level of oil and wax in the leather.
3. DIY: There are some DIYs which could be helpful in removing light scratches from your leather accessories:
- Using Vaseline by rubbing a small amount on to the scratch with a dry cloth for the best results. This method is useful for light scratches.
- For deep scratches, dab the scratched areas with a cloth soaked in white vinegar. After drying, apply the colourless shoe polish with a soft cloth and gently rub. Then moisten a soft cloth with olive oil and apply it to the affected area.
Re-colouring: Start by finding a recoloring product that closely matches the color of your leather item. To remove scratches, first buff the affected area with a soft cloth and some oil. Then, apply the recoloring product as per the instructions. You’re done!
Leather Restoration Kit: To remove very deep scratches, you’ll need a leather restoration kit. These kits are relatively easy to find and they contain a leather strengthener, a filler, and a coloring product. Just follow the instructions that come with the kit.