Clyde's 4-step leather recoloring process is our simple yet highly effective method of leather repair and recoloring; backed by years of trial and error, customer reviews, and professional feedback.
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 our horse hair brush, massage the foam into the leather in circular motions.
2. Wipe away residue and dry the leather surface with lint-free towel before moving on to the next step.
Why Clean my leather?
There are tons of benefits from cleaning your leather with our cleaning foam:
1. Kills any bacteria in the pores of your leather
2. Rids leather pores of dirt and debris burried deep in the pores of your leather
Step 2: Prepare
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. Our deglazer removes all types of factory-applied finishes and prepares for balm application.
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.
If the water sits on top of the surface of the leather, this means your leather is non-absorbent.
For Non-absorbent leather
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.
For Absorbent leather
Lucky you! The manufacturer's original leather finish has worn off or was never applied. You can proceed to step 3.
using leather filler as an optional/extra step
Do you have leather items with noticeable imperfections such as holes, scratches, scuffs, or cracks? Clyde's Leather Paintable Filler offers an excellent solution for these issues.
This step is optional but highly recommended for achieving a flawless finish and ensuring the longevity of your leather goods.
To use the filler:
Simply apply thin layers to the area you want to fix. Let each layer dry completely before adding more until the damaged area is filled and level.
Lightly sand for a smooth finish.
Step 3: Recolor
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...
Note: This step only works for most leather surfaces, except calf, nubuck and suede leather.
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:
1. Exchange your current color for a new color, which we will send out to you.
2. Mix your current color with another for a more complex color profile.
If you are happy with the color, you can continue application! Here are the steps:
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. Massage the balm into the leather by rubbing the sponge in circular motions. If leather is absorbent, balm should absorb almost instantly. 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 5 minutes between each coat. Please note, the surface of the leather must be buffed before applying another coat. Failure to do this will result in streaking or flaking. If streaking or circles are still observed after application, immediately buff the leather surface with a moist towel. This will remove lines and streaks.Once you have applied the last coat, wait for the balm to cure for 24-36 hours before using the leather again.
What makes our recoloring balm unique?
Until Clyde's Leather Recoloring Balm, recoloring your leather meant using expensive dyes which contain toxic and harmful ingredients and often leave leather cracked and dry.
We changed that. Our high-tech recoloring balm recolors leather while improving its lifespan tenfold; restoring leather's natural color, filling in old scratches, and usable on any leather surface, including your car seats, sofas, boots, jackets, saddles, bags and more...
Step 4: Protect
Let's protect your leather from future damage and exposure to the elements! With our leather conditioning cream, made with beeswax and natural oils, you're in good hands.
Following balm curation, apply Clyde's Leather Conditioning Cream using a rag or microfiber cloth.
Massage the conditioner into leather using circular motions. The remoisturizing cream doesn’t need to dry, but it may take a couple of hours to fully absorb.
After 5-6 hours of conditioner curation, you are ready to use your new leather!
Why should I protect my leather?
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.
The Results...
That’s it, your leather is looking brand spankin' new. Enjoy! Your friends won't even believe it was the same piece...
Clyde’s Leather Recoloring Balm
Clyde's Paintable Leather Filler
Clyde's Leather Conditioning Cream $53.94 /
Clyde's Leather Cleaning Foam $53.94 /
Clyde's 4-Step Leather Recoloring Kit
Clyde's Leather Clean, Prep, and Condition Kit
Clyde's Leather Clean and Condition Kit
Clyde's Professional Applicator Kit
Clyde's Cleaning/Conditioning Towelettes (Pack of 3)
