Can You Get Scratches Out of Leather? Removal by Depth and Leather Type

Yes, you can often get light scratches out of leather, as long as only the surface coating is marked. Rubbing in a leather cream or oil, gentle warmth and massage, or a scratch remover made for aniline leather can blend them away. Deep scratches, where the leather itself is cut, can't be rubbed out. They have to be filled and recolored, and deep cuts in high-quality unfinished leather are often permanent.

This page helps you work out which kind of scratch you have and what will remove it. For the full filler-and-color repair of deep scratches, see how to repair scratches in leather. It's part of our leather repair at home series.

Key takeaways- Do the fingertip test: run a fingertip over it. If you can't feel it, it's a surface scratch and often fixable without filler.- Aniline and semi-aniline leather scratch easily, but light marks can often be blended. Fully finished leather resists scratches better.- Makers disagree on olive oil: von Baer uses it, Fibrenew says avoid it.- Heat is a last resort. If the leather feels uncomfortably hot to your hand, it's too hot.- Always test on a hidden spot first.

Step 1: How deep is the scratch?

Step 2: What kind of leather is it?

Check the care label to find out which you have. Our sister site explains aniline vs semi-aniline leather in more detail. For faux leather, use how to repair faux leather.

How to get light scratches out of leather

Try these from gentlest to strongest. Stop as soon as the scratch is gone.

Method 1: Clean, then rub in leather cream

1. Wipe the area with a soft damp cloth and a leather cleaner.
2. Test the cream on a hidden spot.
3. Work a small amount of leather cream into the scratch with a soft cloth or cotton swab, in small circles.
4. Let it dry, then add more if needed.
5. Buff with a dry cloth.

On smooth leather shoes, Melvin & Hamilton masks superficial scratches with a nourishing cream in the shoe's color, then buffs with a brush or polishing glove.

Method 2: Warmth and massage (aniline leather)

Fibrenew suggests this as a last resort. Warm the scratch with a hair dryer, then massage it with your fingers. This may bring tannery dyes back to the surface. Keep checking with your hand. If it feels uncomfortably hot, stop, because leather can burn.

Heat is risky on any leather. In wet heat, vegetable-tanned leather can shrink suddenly and permanently. Harley-Davidson's jacket care advice says to dry wet leather with no heat source such as a lamp or hair dryer. Never use this on faux leather, which can melt or warp.

Method 3: A scratch remover made for aniline leather

Mohawk sells a water-based scratch remover that blends surface scratches and rubs on aniline and pull-up leathers. The maker says it works on fingernail scratches. Read the product's directions and test on a hidden spot first.

What about deep scratches?

A deep scratch can't be buffed out. It has to be rebuilt:

1. Clean with alcohol on a cotton cloth.
2. Clip loose fibers around the cut.
3. If there's a dent, sand very lightly with fine-grit paper.
4. Fill with leather filler and smooth it.
5. Let it dry, from a few hours to overnight depending on the product.
6. Apply matching dye in thin layers, drying between coats, then seal or condition.

The step-by-step version, with photos for each step, is in how to repair scratches in leather. For cracks rather than scratches, see how to repair cracked leather. If the scratch has gone right through, treat it as a tear: how to repair ripped leather.

What should you not use on scratched leather?

Shoe cream appears on both lists: Melvin & Hamilton uses it on shoes, while Leather Collection's care page says to avoid it on its garments. Check what the maker of your item says.

Some guides say conditioning helps leather last longer. That claim is disputed: the US National Park Service says dressings have no preservative effect. Here, cream is used only to blend a scratch.

Sofas, jackets, shoes and bags

• Sofas: Klaussner's deep-scratch steps are written for leather couches. It also suggests keeping pets' nails trimmed. Test under a cushion first.
• Jackets: follow the maker's care label. Leather Collection says to avoid shoe cream, saddle soap and mink oil on its garments.
• Shoes: color-matched shoe cream and a brush, for superficial scratches.
• Bags: lambskin scratches more easily than goatskin, especially near hardware.

When to call a professional

Fibrenew suggests a professional if warmth and a repair kit both fail, for extensive damage, or for deep scratches on fully finished or semi-aniline leather. Von Baer says damage where you can see stuffing needs an expert. You can find repairers through leathershopnearme.com.

Leather Collection doesn't sell scratch removers or repair kits. Its leather care instructions list what to avoid on its leather garments, and say to test any product on a hidden area first.

FAQ

Can scratches be buffed out of leather?

Light ones often can. Rub in cream and buff, or, on aniline leather, warm and massage the area. Deep scratches need filler.

How can I fix deep scratches on leather?

Clean, trim the fibers, fill, let it dry, sand off lumps, then recolor. Deep cuts in high-quality unfinished leather are often permanent. See how to repair scratches in leather.

Does WD-40 really remove scratches?

We found no source that says so. WD-40's maker says its Multi-Use Product can help restore suppleness and luster to leather and vinyl, but it doesn't mention scratches. Its own surface guide doesn't list leather and says to test on a hidden area when in doubt.

Can you get scratches out of a leather sofa from a dog or cat?

Light claw marks in the coating can be blended with cream, warmth or an aniline scratch remover. Claw cuts with raised fibers are deep scratches and need filler.