We’re just as excited as you are to get things going. There's nothing like that new leather feeling! But to make sure you get the best results possible from our leather recoloring balm, here’s a step-by-step guide on how to restore leather using Clyde’s Leather Recoloring Balm.

Before we begin, it's important to note that following our recoloring instructions is imperative to achieving the desired results. Failure to follow the directions will lead to undesirable results: peeling, streaking, color transfer, etc.

Step 1: Clean Your Leather

Leather is porous, much like our own skin. Our leather recoloring balm works by absorbing into these pores, and can only do so if the pores are free from debris. Before applying our recoloring balm, you will need to rid your leather of these impurities using our leather cleaner. 

Our cleaner contains ingredients that break up grime and dirt buried in the pores, and brings them to the surface so they can be wiped off. Here's how to clean your leather: 

1. Apply Clyde's Leather Cleaning Foam to the section of your leather you plan on recoloring. Using a rag, massage the foam into the leather in circular motions. 
2. Dry the leather surface with a towel before moving on to the next step.

 

Step 2: Test for Absorbency

There are two types of leather: absorbent and non-absorbent. Before using Clyde’s Leather Recoloring Balm, you need to test the absorbency of your leather. Here’s how it works.

Place a few droplets of water on the surface of the leather, preferably somewhere that has no damage. If the water is absorbed into the leather, and the color of the leather surface darkens, this means your leather is absorbent. This means the manufacturer's original leather finish has worn off or was never applied. You can proceed to step 3. 

If the water sits on top of the surface of the leather, this means your leather is non-absorbent. There’s nothing to worry; this is normal. This means that the manufacturer's leather finish is still coating your leather. You just need to strip the manufacturer's finish. Here's how:

1. Use Clyde's Leather Prep and Deglaze to strip the section of the leather that you wish to recolor. Dab cotton balls in the preparing solution, and rub in circular motions until the damaged area becomes absorbent. Don’t forget to wear gloves while doing this step and avoid contact with skin. 
2. Perform the absorbency test once again. If the droplets are absorbed, your leather is now absorbent. Please proceed to the next step. 

Please note: you only need to apply the leather deglazing solution where you will be applying our leather recoloring balm.

• If you are doing a small touch up job, simply apply the deglazing solution where the damaged leather is. 
• If you are assigning the leather a new color, you will need to apply the deglazing solution on the entire surface until it is absorbent.

Step 3: Apply Leather Recoloring Balm

Now for the fun part! Again, before you apply your Clyde's Leather Recoloring Balm, it's extremely important that you have completed steps 1 and 2 first. Your results will be significantly worse if you fail to do so. If you have completed those two steps here's what's next...

Before you apply the balm to the entirety of your leather, it's important to test it on a non-visible patch to ensure you are happy with the color you chose. Use a pinch of the balm to test, then massage it into the absorbent leather. 

If the color looks slightly off, you have a few options:

• Exchange your current color for a new color, which we will send out to you.
• Mix your current color with another for a more complex color profile.
• Return your balm for a full refund. 

You can submit an exchange or returns request here for free. 

If you are happy with the color, you can continue application! Here are the steps:

1. Make sure that your leather is completely dry before applying balm. Then, apply a very conservative amount of the balm to the leather using application sponge provided. 
2. Massage the balm into the leather by rubbing the sponge in circular motions.
3. Allow the leather to dry while you repeat step 2 on another section of the leather. Repeat this process until the leather has reached the desired color. You may need to do multiple coats of balm to reach the color you want, in this case you will want to allow the balm to cure for 1 hour between each coat. 
4. If streaking or circles are observed after application, immediately buff the leather surface with a moist towel. This will remove lines and streaks.
5. Once you have applied the last coat, wait for the balm to cure for 24-36 hours before using the leather again.

Step 4: Apply a New Leather Finish

Much like when your leather was originally manufactured, using our leather recoloring balm requires you apply a leather finish after application. This will do a few things:

1. Seals balm, and prevents color transfer and staining. 
2. Protects leather from the elements and waterproofs surface.
3. Prevents future damage from frequent use, like leather creasing or scratches.
4. Completely seals balm, improving lifespan of recoloring results.
5. Leaves leather soft, shinny, and supple. 
6. Restores leather's original scent. 

Applying the conditioner is the simplest step. Here's what to do. 

1. Following balm curation, apply Clyde's Leather Conditioning Cream using a rag or microfiber cloth. Massage the conditioner into leather using circular motions. 
2. The remoisturizing cream doesn’t need to dry, but it may take a couple of hours to fully absorb. 
3. After 5-6 hours of conditioner curation, you are ready to use your new leather!

Our leather conditioning cream will protect your leather for the long haul, and prevent further damage for years to come. 

And that’s it, your leather is looking brand spankin' new. Enjoy!

 

Contact us here with any questions or concerns, our team is always more than happy to help!