How Do You Get Dog Scratches Out Of A Leather Couch?

Leather. It whispers luxury, breathes comfort, and adds a touch of timeless style to everything from jackets to wallets to couches.

But let's be honest, even the most prized possessions face the perils of everyday life. Maybe your favorite armchair snagged a rogue cat claw, or your trusty leather couch fell victim to an overzealous canine cuddle.

Before you resign yourself to a scratched-up fate, fear not!

We are going to take you through some general leather care tips moving forward to discussing the ways in which you can get dog scratches out of a leather couch.

When it comes to taking care of leather furniture or products, there are many things that you can do. Here, in this section of the article, we are going to list a few things that will help you maintain the beauty of your leather products.

1. Avoid using any kind of sharp objects on leather products as it can easily damage the leather products.

2. Always keep your leather products away from radiators or any other heat source. Keeping leather products near a heat source can cause high damage to the leather products.

3. You must keep your leather products away from direct sunlight, especially colored ones. Direct sunlight can cause leather color fading.

4. Avoid smoking near leather products. This again can cause fading effect.

5. Get into a periodic routine of dusting your leather products. Mostly, dusting leather products twice a week is more than enough to maintain the beauty of your leather products.

6. Carefully pick the leather cleaners considering the type of leather used in the product.

7. Treat the spills immediately to avoid stain build-up 

These are some general leather cleaning and care tips that you need to follow to keep your leather products clean.

Now that we are done discussing the general leather care tips, let’s get to the part where we discuss some tips that will help you get rid of the dog scratches from your leather couch.

We all know how expensive buying leather furniture is. This feeling kicks in with high intensity when you see a scratch on your favorite leather couch. Once you see that scratch, don’t worry, we got you covered.

Here, in the section below, we are going to share with you the list of things you can do to get rid of the scratch from the leather couch.

The first thing to do when it comes to removing scratches from the leather couch is to determine which type of leather is being used in your couch. The question is - how to determine what type of leather is being used on the couch?

There are three major types of leather that are used in the manufacturing of leather furniture - pigmented leather, aniline leather, and bi-cast leather. Mostly, leather furniture is made using finished that is pigmented leather. This is the type of leather that is more durable and is great to resist scratches. Since Aniline leather is made from the finest quality of leather, it is not usually used in manufacturing furniture. Coming to Bi-cast leather, it is technically a byproduct of leather. Usually, this is known to be the inferior quality of leather which is split into a thin layer that is laminated to a polyurethane top layer. 

It is very difficult to know which type of leather is used in your couch by just looking at it. To find out the type of leather, you must call the manufacturer directly. Whenever you notice a scratch on a couch, you should give a call to the manufacturer. A few manufacturers will even send you a discounted repair kit. So, you see, it can be great to call the manufacturer directly to find out the type of leather that is being used in manufacturing the couch. 

Once you get the information on the type of leather, you can start formulating the dog scratch solution. Depending on the severity of the scratch, you can decide the course of action. Where some minor scratches can be easily removed, there some severe ones tend to take time and serious attention. 

Method 1 - Using baby oil, saddle oil, and olive oil

When it comes to treating minor scratches, you can easily get rid of these scratches by rubbing olive oil, saddle oil, or even baby oil into a scratch.

How can it be done? 

To carry out this method, you need to follow these steps -

Step 1 - Use a cotton swab to apply the oil onto the scratch.

Step 2 - After you apply the oil, rub it into the surrounding leather in a circular motion.

Step 3 - Let the oil dry out. Leave it for an hour at least.

Step 4 - Clean the dried-up oil using a clean cloth.

Step 5 - If you still see the scratch after the first application, you will need to apply some more oil and leave it for a few hours.

Note - You need to make sure that you spot test in the hidden area first before going blindly on it.

Method 2 - Using Lanolin cream

Another way of treating mild scratches is by using Lanolin oil. This is again a very simple method that is used to remove mild dog scratches from the leather surfaces. In this method, you can simply dip the cloth in lanolin cream and rib it over the scratch perpendicular to the direction of the cut. This cream tends to smoothen the surface and repair the scratch. Note that it may take multiple cycles of applications.

Method 3 - Using heat and damp cloth

The next very effective method of treating dog scratches from the leather couches is by using heat and damp cloth treatment. Before you start using this process, you need to be sure about the type of leather used in the couch.

Using hairdryer - This method works best with the Aniline and Bi-cast leather. This is the method in which you are required to apply heat from a hairdryer while using your hand to massage the leather around the scratch. The heat from the dryer brings out the natural oil & dyes around the scratch which lets you heal the scratch.

Using iron - If you are using iron as a heat source, all you need to do is hold the iron on for just 10 seconds over the damp cloth. Keep doing this until you see the scratch disappearing. Make sure you just hold the iron for just 10 seconds to avoid burning leather.

Method 4 - Using Shoe Polish

Another effective method of treating scratches from leather couches is by using shoe polish. All you have to do is apply the shoe polish onto the scratched surface. Use a clean cloth or a cotton swab to apply the shoe polish and repeat the same with another coat. Remember to clean the polish immediately if the color is not matching the color of your couch.

Repeat the process if needed.

Method 5 - Using Heavy Leather Fillers

If you see that the scratch is a bit deeper, you need to use the leather fillers. This is the type of material that has a consistency of putty and will be able to fill the gaps or cracks in the scratched section. The process is very simple. You need to take a good amount of filler depending on the size of the scratch with your finger and apply it to the scratch. Once the filler is applied, you need to use sandpaper to smoothen the surface of the filler. You can easily find these heavy leather fillers.

Method 6 - Using Leather Colorant

Another effective way of treating severe dog scratch on the leather couch is by using leather colorant. There are several different leather colorants available in the market. Depending on the colour of your couch, you can choose the colorant. Also, make sure that you pick the one that matches the colour of your couch. Before applying, make sure that you spot test the colorant to know if the color is matching or not.

There are many stores from where you can easily buy the leather colorant. You can also find the exact colour of the leather couch by calling the manufacturer.

Now you've got an arsenal of techniques at your disposal! Remember, the key to success lies in matching the repair method to the severity of the scratch and your specific leather type. Don't be afraid to experiment on a hidden area of the couch first to test a chosen method.

With a little patience and the right approach, those pesky scratches will be a thing of the past. Your leather couch will be back to looking its luxurious best, ready for more snuggles (hopefully minus the claws this time!).

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