How to Fix Little Holes in a Leather Couch

How to Fix Little Holes in a Leather Couch
Written By
Maria Magher
Maria Magher
Published: Jul 5, 2013
Updated: Nov 20, 2021
2 minute read

Tiny holes in a leather couch are likely to become large tears as soon as curious little fingers find them. Remove temptation by fixing small holes as soon as you see them. Though leather is beautiful and durable, it is vulerable to punctures that can't be fixed with a needle and thread. Fixing these holes requires a special leather repair kit. With a little practice and the proper technique, you can get a perfect repair and no one will ever know there was a hole.

Step 1

Clean the area around the holes with saddle soap and a cotton ball. Using alcohol will get the area clean, but it will also dry out the leather.

Step 2

Cut loose threads and frayed fabric around the hole to ensure a smooth repair.

Step 3

Insert a backing fabric behind the hole, using tweezers. If the hole is so small that inserting a backing fabric would make the hole larger, you can skip this step.

Step 4

Apply adhesive just under the edges of the hole to get the leather to bond to the backing fabric.

Step 5

Choose the appropriate color from your leather repair kit to match your leather, then apply the repair compound to the hole. Spread it as evenly as possible using the tool provided in the kit.

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Step 6

Dry the compound with a hair dryer on low heat. If the kit includes a texturing cloth or paper, you can lay this over the hole and tape it down, then use an iron to heat the area.

Things You Will Need

  • Leather repair kit
  • Saddle soap or other agent suitable for cleaning leather
  • Cotton balls
  • Tweezers
  • Small scissors
  • Iron or hair dryer

Photo Credits

Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images

Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images

Maria Magher

Maria Magher has been working as a professional writer since 2001. She has worked as an ESL teacher, a freshman composition teacher and an education reporter, writing for regional newspapers and online publications. She has written about…

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