Aniline Leather Cleaning

Specialized Care & Restoration For Luxury Leather

Aniline leather is a luxurious upholstery option because of its natural beauty and softness, but it's also the most delicate type of leather you can choose for your couches or chairs. It is prone to stains, scratches, and drying out without proper care. At ReLeather, we specialize in cleaning and restoring aniline leather's finish and color.

Recommended for:

Designer Couch, Sofa Sectional, Chair, Recliner

Dry & Rough
Color Faded
Oil Stains
Surface Marks

Aniline Leather Cleaning & Restoration

→ Preservation, Rejuvenation, & Protection

Aniline leather needs special care due to its porous, transparent nature. Our restoration treatment is designed to enhance the natural look of your sofa while preserving its unique characteristics without using paints, which can alter the leather’s original appearance, texture, and finish. We target color loss, minor stains, and scratches. After treatment, your sofa will look refreshed and rejuvenated, with a deeper, more even tone. The overall color may appear slightly darker than its current shade due to the treatment and retouching. We apply a protective finish to enhance durability. Here are the features of Aniline Leather that make it high-maintenance:

Unprotected

It has no protective top coat or sealant, leaving it exposed and more vulnerable to everyday wear and tear.
Absorbent

The surface easily absorbs water and oils, leading to darkening, spotting, and increased risk of scratches.
Discoloration

Sun exposure causes fading, discoloration, and dryness, creating a weathered look and loss of leather moisture.

Aniline leather cleaning closeup showing color faded sofa restoration — Color Faded Aniline Leather Seat Cushion

Leather Restoration of Faded Distressed Blue Leather Seat Cushions — Color Faded Blue Distressed Aniline Leather Seat Cushion Restored

Types of Aniline Leather

→ Pure, Wax Pull-Up, Oil Pull-Up

Aniline Leather is a type of leather finished with penetrating dyes. In the tanning process, the pigment thoroughly penetrates the leather hide while maintaining the natural characteristics of the leather surface such as healed scars, pores, bites, blemishes and other natural marks.

Pure Aniline

The most natural form of leather, treated without surface pigments accented with natural surface marks. It develops a rich patina.

Wax Pull Up

Treated with waxes that enhances depth and darkens when pulled or stretched. It shows wear easily and develops a vintage over time.

Oil Pull Up

Infused with artisan oils that shift and lighten with use or pressure. Known for a soft feel and for its rustic and aged character.

Distressed

A finish applied to aniline leather to accent natural character. Often combined with wax or oil surface treatments for a rugged look.

Common Aniline Leather Repairs

→ From color fading to soiling

Faded aniline leather couch before restoration showing discoloration and wear

❌ Faded Color

This tan aniline leather couch shows discoloration and spotting after years in a sunlit room—typical for high-end furniture.

Restored aniline leather couch with rich and even color after treatment

✅ Restored Color

We treated superficial marks and revived the aniline leather with a consistent, refreshed color while preserving its natural beauty.

Dry aniline leather armrest before restoration on Thomasville sofa

❌ Drying Out

Closer look at a Thomasville sofa armrest with dry aniline leather. The surface felt rough to the touch.

✅ Moisturized

We reconditioned the leather and restored its smooth texture while enriching the tone of the aniline surface.

Designer Aniline Distressed Leather Sofa Restored

→ Faded color restoration

This designer distressed leather sofa set features reversible leather and fabric cushions. Over time, the leather developed a faded patina. Our Aniline Color Restoration service revived the deep brown color and restored a uniform, rich tone throughout.

before image of aniline distressed leather sofa restoration

after image of aniline distressed leather sofa restoration

Leather Type:: Distressed Leather
Furniture Type:: Sofa Set
Brand:: Designer
Service:: Leather Restoration
Collection:: Concerto
Color:

Luxury Designer Aniline Leather Chair Set in Newport Coast, CA

→ Color Loss, Recolor Treatment

These luxury antiqued-style side chairs by designer Alfonso Marina were sun-bleached and needing moisturizing. Our aniline recoloring treatment restored the original richness and character, reviving their visual appeal while preserving their supple texture.

Before aniline leather cleaning on brown chair showing faded color

After aniline leather cleaning on brown chair showing restored color

Leather Type:: Aniline Leather
Furniture Type:: Side Chairs
Brand:: Alfonso Marina
Service:: Leather Restoration
Collection:: Aniline
Color:

Aniline Leather Chair Restored in Seal Beach, CA

→ Sun Bleached and Soiled Leather

This designer tufted club chair, originally tan, had faded into a pale patina with visible dirt buildup. We professionally cleaned and recolored the aniline leather, restoring its richness while retaining its natural surface character.

Before photo of Aniline leather restoration on tufted club chair in Seal Beach

After photo of Aniline leather restoration on tufted club chair in Seal Beach

Leather Type:: Aniline Leather
Furniture Type:: Tufted Club Chair
Brand:: Designer
Service:: Leather Restoration
Collection:: Concerto
Color:

Designer Tan Aniline Leather Ottoman Sectional

→ Fading, Marks, and Spotting

This designer tan aniline leather ottoman sectional had noticeable discoloration, fading, and minor surface wear. We enriched the faded color, treated surface spotting, and restored uniformity across each ottoman to bring back its premium appearance.