Dyeing your leather may seem like a tricky task, but it’s just as easy as dyeing any other material or fabric.

We’re going to walk you through the 3 simple steps of dyeing your leather that you can utilize in fashion, home décor, and many other fields without the help of any experts or expensive supplies.

#1 What You Need:

The process of dyeing your hair, although short, has to be precise. You don’t want to miss a single product since that could infer the quality of your result. If you want the best outcome when you’re dyeing leather, these supplies are best to have.

  • Vegetable-tanned leather
  • Olive oil or jojoba oil
  • T-shirt scraps or any rags of soft cotton
  • Cotton swabs
  • Leather dye
  • Leather conditioner

#2 The Steps:

Unlike most leather dyeing tutorials that you may find on the internet, our method of leather dyeing is mind-blowingly simple and consists of only 3 steps.

It’s important to follow each step with precision as to not miss a single detail so that you can have the smoothest and most professional result in the comfort of your own home.

Preparation

Make sure your workspace is completely covered and safe since getting leather dye off of a surface can be a nearly impossible job.

You have to begin with preparing your leather with any sort of oil, but make sure it’s something natural and light (such as jojoba oil or olive oil) since leather conditioners or any other types of oil make it hard for the dye to seep into the leather.

Spread a few drops of oil all over your leather using a soft cotton rag or t-shirt scrap until every inch is covered surely. This will ensure smooth application of the dye, whereas the one without any oil preparation will give you a patchy and unpleasantly dry result.

Dyeing

You can dilute or cut down the consistency of your leather dye as you please, depending on how vibrant and opaque you want your result to be.

The right way to dilute the leather dye depends on what type of base it has. For example: if it’s an alcohol-based dye, you can use alcohol to dilute it, or if it’s oil-based, you can use oil to cut it down, and so on.

Use a t-shirt scrap or soft cotton rag to apply the dye all over the leather and put it away until it’s completely dried. If you’re planning on adding another layer of dye, make sure to wait for the first coating to dry completely before you do so, to avoid smudging and streaks.

After that, you can let your leather dry for the dye to set for about a day. To dye the edges, you can use a cotton swab dipped in dye so that your work is clean and precise.

Finishing

The finishing of your leather is the most important part since that is what gives it that smooth and professional look that attracts others.

Use another soft cotton rag or-shirt to apply a wax-based leather conditioner over your leather to protect the dye.

This step is essential since it prevents the dye from fading away over time and keeps your leather looking brand new for a long amount of time.

It also adds a soft and attractive luster that adds extra points to your leather. Use a cotton swab to add a leather conditioner to the edges, making sure the dye is sealed there as well.

#3 Tips to Keep in Mind:

As you now know, dyeing leather is a simple, easy, and somewhat fun task, but there are always precautions that you have to take and some tips you have to keep in mind before you go through the process of leather dyeing.

Firstly, always remember to work in a ventilated area when you’re dyeing your leather since the fumes of the substances you use can be harmful and it will also allow the dye to dry faster and better.

Another thing to practice is to apply your base coat in circles, followed by the first coat applied diagonally to one side and the second coat applied diagonally to the other side.

This will make the application smoother, prevent streaks, and get the dye into every little crevice of the leather. After you’re done dyeing the leather, never forget to condition and buff your work as to seal the dye in and protect it from getting rubbed off from multiple washes.

Dyeing leather may seem like an expert’s job from the name, but it’s actually a surprisingly easy process that you can get done at home if you follow the instructions correctly.

Read through our 3-step tutorial on how to dye leather to get the hang of the task and upgrade your life in terms of fashion, décor, and much more.