How to Restore Faded Leather Couch [8 Easy Ways]

Several households have switched to leather products for furniture, accessories, and clothing. This is because leather is more durable and versatile. But like other materials, leather also needs a lot of care. There is no exemption when it comes to wear and tear.

It gets old with time resulting in cracking, fading, and drying out. Maintaining and keeping it from environmental impacts such as dust, water, and direct sunlight can make it serve you for quite some time. In fact, leather is a very durable material if well taken care of.

But if your leather couch happens to fade, don’t dispose it right away. There are several steps outlined below that you can use to restore it.

Related: Types of couches explained

Clean Your Leather Couch

This should be the first way to restore your leather couch and the easiest. Use leather cleaning products to raid off all dirt, stains, and debris that can make your couch appear faded. You can hire a leather cleaning company if you don’t know how to go about it. Sometimes doing it yourself can cause further damage.  

If you decide to clean it yourself, consider purchasing a leather cleaning product such as honey leather cleaner. You then apply this leather cleaning product on the surface of your leather steadily and in a circular motion.

After applying the product, wipe it off using a clean towel free from lint. Use the same motion you used while applying the product to wipe it off. You can also use a mixture of mink oil and vinegar, which is very eco-friendly.

Related: How to clean faux leather couch

Leather Conditioning

You must condition your leather regularly to restore its moisture and ensure the flexibility of its fibers. Conditioning prevents unnecessary damage to your leather. Use a natural leather conditioner to carry out the task. The preferred leather conditioner for leather couches is honey.

Use a lint-free cloth, foam sponge, paintbrush, or your hands to apply leather honey on the surface of your couch. Apply it in thin coats. It will give you a good restoration and conditioning of your beautiful sofa. Give conditioner like 2 hours to absorb, and finally, wipe off any excess conditioner by using a clean cloth free from lint.

Vacuum Your Leather Couch

Make sure you remove all the crumbs off your leather by vacuuming. After vacuuming, dust it to get rid of any dirt. A leather couch is more comfortable to clean as compared to an upholstered sofa. So, vacuuming won’t be much of a trouble.

Vacuum all the sides, so you come up with a uniform clean. If you must remove all the cushions, don’t hesitate to do so as long as you achieve your goal. You can also use recliners because they can collect dirt in every part of your leather couch.

Regular Fade Repair

With time your leather will have wear and tear due to exposure to sunlight or other external threats. And this can make your leather to fade off. But you don’t worry about this because leather honey is still the perfect remedy to restore the fading. Leather honey gets your leather couch back to its original stunning look.

Do not concentrate on applying the leather honey only on the faded spots. Apply it on the entire surface of your leather to bring out a uniform look. If there is a need to add color, use color balm, which consists of several colors and shades. These colors and shades match all the original leather colors.

Use Water Damage Repair

Using water to restore your faded leather is not very easy but works if done correctly. Be careful not to expose your precious couch to further damage while doing so. To restore your leather using water, start by soaking it. After soaking, use a dry cloth to wipe the leather surface to dry it.

Do not use heat to dry the wet surface, as this can cause more damage. After doing all these and leaving your leather dry, carry out conditioning to restore moisture in your couch. Your leather will look new and with no fade after restoring it by water damage repair.

Use Leather Re-Coloring Balm

To apply the recoloring balm on your leather, start by wiping it on the surface of your leather. Ensure your leather surface is absorbent to allow proper penetration of the balm. This method also works well for splits and cracks on your leather surface.

Apart from restoring the leather color, balm re-coloring is very easy to apply. It’s also very affordable. One of the limitations of the balm is that it cannot fix any cracks on your leather but hides them. A better method to use for cracks on your leather couch is a leather binder. This product can stop future cracking and strengthen your leather. You can also apply Flexifil on cracks.

Use Baking Soda

Do not fear using chemicals to keep your leather safe. Chemicals, too, can bring back the charming appearance to your leather couch if used correctly.  To do this properly, boil water, then put roughly 2-3 tablespoons of baking soda.

Soak a soft cloth in that water and use it to rub the surface of your leather couch gently. You will be able to notice how stains and scuffs will be disappearing from your leather surface.

Also, ensure you move the cloth in a lighter and circular motion to avoid pushing the stains further. Please do not rush to use a protector or buff to dry your leather. Instead, allow it to dry naturally. After carrying out all these, dip that soft cloth in baking soda after soaking it in the water.

Invest in Waterproof Wax and Seal

Invest in waterproof wax and seal in case you don’t want to be restoring your leather frequently. A waterproof seal protects your leather from stains and scuffs.

Some of the waterproof components you can choose from are liquid waterproof gel, wax-based products, spray-on waterproof products, and waterproofing oil. As you can see, there is a variety you can choose from.

Conclusion

There’s no doubt that a leather couch can be durable enough, but it’s not immortal. How long the couch serves you depend on how well you take care of it. Don’t buy a leather couch and wait for it to get old. You must take excellent care of it so that it extends its lifespan. Learn to take care of your leather couch to prevent faded color and wear and tear. Ensure you clean your leather couch regularly.

The above restoration measures will work well in restoring the stunning looks of your leather seats. Let us know in the comment section the method you’ve tried out and how it turns out.