Use a Blow Dryer to Smooth Wrinkled Leather Furniture

In addition to visible signs of wear, pieces of leather furniture that are frequently in use—like a living room couch or office chair—may start to wrinkle over time. Known as “comfort wrinkles,” they can range from gentle rippling, to larger creases, and probably aren’t the look you were going for when you decided to purchase leather furniture.

Fortunately, you can get your cushions looking smooth again with the help of a blow dryer. Here’s what to know.

Why does leather furniture wrinkle?

When shopping for a leather chair or couch, you may notice that some are firmer and have smooth, tight-looking leather, while others are softer and have looser leather that’s not quite as taut. The furniture made using more forgiving leather with a bit of give tends to be much more comfortable to sit on—and prone to developing wrinkles. Plus, like human skin, leather wrinkles naturally over time.

How to remove wrinkles and creases from leather furniture

Even though wrinkling in leather is completely normal—and there’s nothing wrong with leaving it alone—if you’d prefer a smoother seat, here’s what to do:

1. Dampen a clean cloth in a mixture of mild dish soap and warm water—or a dedicated leather cleanser—and wipe down the wrinkled parts of the sofa or chair.
2. Dampen a second clean cloth with clean, warm water and use it to thoroughly rinse the areas you’ve cleaned, before drying them with a clean cloth or towel.
3. Turn on your blow dryer, and switch it to its highest setting.
4. Point the hair dryer at one of the wrinkled areas, roughly eight to 10 inches away from the leather, while constantly moving it around that section, so it’s never blowing directly on a single spot for more than a few seconds.
5. Continue to blow dry that section of the leather until the heat begins to smooth out the wrinkles. This could take several minutes per section.

When you’re satisfied with the smoothness, turn off the hair dryer. And, as long as the furniture is clean and has tightened up, you might as well finish off its makeover by conditioning the leather.