Restoring cat scratches is a task everyone can do. A good restoration obviously requires a meticulous execution and a good use of the products.
And with 30 years of experience, Sofolk, a French manufacturer, offers renovation products that are accessible to everyone. By following this simple guide, you will be able to repair your scratched sofa.
Before you even start renovating, make sure you work in a well-ventilated and dry place. Also remember to protect the soil, just in case.
1 - CLEANING. This is the most important step in the renovation process. Without this treatment, the recolouring agent and varnish will not be able to adhere and soak into the material.
To start, lightly sand the differences between the sofa parts, armrests and cushions. This operation must be carried out with a thin sandpaper. Then, clean the sebum with our sebum remover or stain remover. Sebum is a greasy substance naturally secreted by the human body, so, it's found on headrest and armrest. Repeat the action several times, without accelerating the drying time. Use a microfiber-cloth to wipe your sofa.
2 - SCRATCH REPAIR. It consists of applying repair paste (or liquid leather) with a soft plastic spatula. To fill the gaps, several layers are necessary. Indeed, the paste shrinks when it dries. Sand lightly between each application to ensure that the restored surface is smooth, in continuity with the leather.
WARNING : the repair paste dries in just a few minutes, proceed in several thin coats to ensure a homogeneous and crack-free drying.
Before the re-colouring stage, wait at least 1 hour. Note that the repair of cracks is carried out in the same way.
3 - SOFA RE-COLOURING : Use a small
foam roller on large areas, a
brush for delicate areas and a sponge for small parts. Apply up to 3 coats of
LEATHER PAINT, waiting 1 hour between each application. You can increase the drying time with a hair dryer.
4 - PROTECTION : use our varnish or our protective wax. They protect the coloringfrom friction, reduce fouling, and waterproof the sofa. This work is essential and must be done 48 after the previous step. Apply with a clean, slightly damp sponge. After this step, your sofa gets its final color.
5- HYDRATATION : SOFOLK's exclusivity. Only SOFOLK recommends the application of nourishing oil to restore flexibility and resistance to your sofa. This maintenance is decisive for the durability of your sofa. Apply up to 2 coats once every 3 months on the most worn surfaces. Complete the maintenance with a silky varnish application every 6 months.
In other words, cleaning, repairing, recolouring, protection and rehydration are the 5 steps to proper cat scratch repair.
Would like to see a concrete example of Sofolk's technique for restoring a leather sofa? Follow the guide HERE.