At some point, you’re probably going to find a scratch on your leather bag. Whether it’s from a rogue tree branch or that damn cat, it’s thankfully not very difficult to repair scratches in leather. Here’s a quick run-through:

Supplies:

- 2 clean, soft cloth rags

- Leather cleaner

- High-quality leather touch-up marker in an appropriate color

- Leather moisturizer

1. Clean

You always want to begin repairs with clean leather. Use a cleaner made specifically for leather, or use a small amount of white vinegar applied to a clean, soft rag. (Always spot test your cleaner on an inconspicuous area.)

2. Color

Color over the scratches with the leather marker. Don’t worry about blending the color too much at this point. You’ll do that in the next step. But, be sure you don’t get any color on stitches or other details on your bag. Let the touch-up color dry for a bit (enough that it doesn’t transfer to your skin if you touch it).

3. Moisturize

Apply leather moisturizer to a clean, soft rag and gently rub it over the area where you used the touch-up marker. This will serve three purposes: removes excess touch-up color, blends touch-up color, hydrates the leather.

If you need to repair leather scratches that are too severe for a DIY effort, it’s worth finding a leather repair professional. They’ll know how to repair leather scratches that go beyond the superficial and may be able to offer protective products as well. (You’re on your own with the cat.)

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