How to Repair Cracked Leather

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff |16 References

In this Article:Rehydrating Leather with a Conditioner Sealing Cracks with a Leather Filler Blending Cracks with a Leather Dye Community Q&A 16 References

Cracks often happen when leather dries out or is exposed to sunlight. The fibers in the leather abrade one another.

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Although the damage is permanent, many cracks are easy to hide by rehydrating the leather with a good conditioner. Deeper cracks need to be filled in or treated with a dye to blend them into the leather’s coloring. With proper treatment, you can revitalize a precious piece of leather.

1 Wipe off the leather with a cleaner and a microfiber cloth. Using a store-bought leather cleaner is the easiest way to prepare the cracked surface for repairs. Spray the cleaner on the cloth, then wipe away any grime on the leather. Rub along the leather’s grain to avoid deepening the cracks.^[1]
- If you don’t have a commercial cleaner, mix together 1 part mild soap with 8 parts distilled water. Use baby soap or a liquid dish or hand soap.
- Using a small amount of water is a safe way to rinse off soap. Dampen the microfiber cloth, wringing out the excess moisture, then wipe the leather along its grain.
2 Wait for the leather to dry before treating it. Touch the leather to check its condition. Cracks form when leather dries out, so your item most likely will feel dry within 5 to 10 minutes. To speed up the drying process, wipe the leather with a microfiber cloth.
- Make sure the surface feels dry to the touch so the soap or cleaner doesn’t get in the way of the conditioner.
3 Dab a strong leather conditioner onto the cracks. Select a bottled conditioner designed to restore and rehydrate leather. Put a small dollop of the conditioner on your finger or a soft applicator like a sponge or cloth. Then, rub the conditioner directly into the cracks in order to clean out the fabric’s pores and prepare them for deeper conditioning.
- Leather conditioner is available wherever leather items are sold, particularly online, at general stores, and at some clothing shops.
- The leather will absorb the cleaner right away. This happens with items that have dried out over time. Regular conditioning keeps leather soft and pliable.
4 Smooth out the cracked areas with additional conditioner. Apply a generous amount of conditioner to the applicator pad. This time, scrub over the cracks and the areas around them. Continue scrubbing along the grain. The leather will become a more consistent color, hiding the cracks.
- If the leather hasn’t been conditioned in a while, consider treating the entire item now. Conditioning it prevents new cracks from forming elsewhere.
5 Let the leather rest for 2 hours until it feels dry to the touch. Check the manufacturer’s instructions for the recommended drying time. The leather needs plenty of time to absorb all of the conditioner. Wait until it feels dry to the touch before continuing to…