How To Remove Scratches From Leather

Kimberly Smith
by Kimberly Smith
3 Materials
$20
15 Minutes
Easy
I have a West Elm Hamilton sofa, which is beautiful aniline leather. As beautiful as it is, my cat treats it like her personal scratching post. In this article I'll share how to remove scratches from the leather.
Here’s what you’ll need:
Distilled water (distilled is important, do not use tap water!)
Soft cloth
Hair dryer (optional)


Dampen the cloth with distilled water and rub it gently across the scratch marks. The marks will darken as they soak in the water.


At this point you can either wait for the water to dry or use a hair dryer to help bring out the natural oils in the aniline leather as it dries. (For these photos I did not use a hair dryer since the baby was sleeping.)
After it dries, apply leather conditioner for further protection.
Here's a before photo of the cat scratches.
And here's an after. So. Much. Better. Isn’t it?


I decided to buy a pheromone spray to discourage scratching but haven’t been as consistent as I should be in using it. Once I do, I’ll let you know my thoughts on it. In the meantime, please give me all of your advice for training cats to not scratch!
Suggested materials:
  • Distilled Water   (Grocery Store)
  • Soft Cloth   (Target)
  • Leather Conditioner   (Amazon)
Kimberly Smith
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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2 of 3 comments
  • Sherry Nushart Sherry Nushart on Jan 28, 2019

    I'm going to try it also on my leather sofa. My German Shepherd is always laying on the couch and scratching it when she stretches or just generally getting on and off.


  • Itsmemic Itsmemic on May 05, 2020

    aluminum foil

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