How to Care for Fresh Cut Tulips

Nothing says "spring" like an arrangement of bright, gorgeous tulips fresh from the garden or flower shop. Tulips are sturdy flowers that can last up to 10 days after cutting if you know how to care for them correctly. Choose fresh blooms to begin with is key, and you can prolong their beauty by displaying them in the right place and giving them plenty of water. See Step 1 for tricks you can use to create a long-lasting tulip arrangement.

[Edit]Steps

[Edit]Preparing Tulips for Display

1. Choose young tulips. When you're at the flower shop, you might be tempted to buy the tulips with fully-opened, vibrantly colored petals. This would be a fine choice if your tulips were meant to "wow" for a one-night occasion, but if you want them to last a long time, choose tulips that are still tightly closed, with some green buds that aren't fully colored yet.^[1] The flowers will open over the course of a few days, giving you more time to enjoy them.
   
   • If you're cutting your own tulips and you want them to last as long as possible in a vase, cut them before they're fully opened. Cut as close as possible to the ground.
2. Wrap the stems in wet cloth or paper towels.^[2] When you bring the tulips home from the shop, keep them wrapped in paper towels or a washcloth soaked in fresh water. This will ensure that the tulips don't start prematurely drying out on the way home. Do this even if the distance from the flower shop to your house isn't very far. Any time out of water will cause the tulips to age faster.
   
3. Cut from the base of the stems.^[3] Use a small pair of clippers and cut the stems at an angle. This will help them readily soak up water from the vase.
   
4. Remove extra leaves from the base of the stems. If the stems have any leaves that would be submerged in water when you put them in the vase, remove them. The leaves could start rotting and cause the flowers to go limp before their time.^[4]
   

[Edit]Displaying the Tulips

1. Choose a suitable vase. Pick a vase that will rise up to cover at least half the height of the tulips you've brought home.^[5] They'll be able to lean against the vase without bending over. If you use a shorter vase, the flowers will eventually bend forward. This is an effect some people like, but it may cause the flowers to die more quickly.
   
2. Wash the vase. Make sure it doesn't have sediment leftover from your last bouquet. Use soap and warm water to wash it thoroughly, then dry it completely with a towel. This way your fresh tulips won't pick up bacteria that could case them to start rotting more quickly.
   
3. Fill the vase with cold water. Cold water will keep the stems fresh and crisp, while warm or hot water would cause them to become weak and soggy.^[6]
   
4. Position the stems around the vase. Arrange the tulips so that they each have a little space in the vase, rather than leaning them all on top of one another. Giving them each a little room will prevent them from crushing one another, which will lead to premature petal drop-page and shorten the lifespan of your flowers.
   
5. Keep the vase filled with fresh water. Tulips drink up a lot of water. Make sure it never completely runs out, or they'll begin to wilt very quickly.
   
6. Add some flower food. The addition of flower food, or flower preservative, which is available at flower shops, will greatly lengthen your flowers' lifespan. Read the directions and sprinkle in some food when you add water. It'll keep your tulips standing tall and looking perky for as long as possible.
   
   • You can try putting lemon juice, pennies, and other such materials in the vase with the flowers. Some say these tricks work, but research shows that flower food is much more effective.^[7]
7. Don't style tulips with flowers in the Narcissus family. Daffodils and other flowers in this family exude a substance that causes flowers to fade faster. Tulips work best in a vase all by themselves.^[8]
   
8. Keep the vase out of the sun. Place it in an area that doesn't get too hot and sunny. Otherwise, the tulips will wilt in the heat.
   

[Edit]Video

[Edit]Tips

• When buying tulips from a store, purchase tulips with the flower head closed.
• Pierce the stem with a medium needle just below the flower. It never fails to keep the flowers attractive for a week. Dutch tip.
• Leaving tulips in the vase with a wrap around them for a couple of hours will increase the chances of keeping the stems straight.
• When you cut tulips, try cutting them on a diagonal angle instead a straight angle.
• Because tulips continue to grow even after being cut, they often bend to conform to their container. If desired, straighten the tulips by securing them in damp newspaper and placing them in lukewarm water for a few hours.
• Tulips can be safely placed in the same bouquet with most other flowers.
• Place the tulips in an irregular shaped vase for twisted, conformed stems.
• Cut stems at a diagonal 1/2 inch cut from bottom. Place in vase with Cold water and ive cubes to 50% vase level. No Plant Food!!! Refresh with a few ice cubes each day no direct sunlight. They will last so long!!
• Tulips are “photogenic”, bending towards the light, so rotate containers daily to keep stems more upright.^[9]

[Edit]Warnings

• Do not place tulips in the same vase with daffodils or in the water in which daffodils have set.
• Adding aspirin, lemon juice, pennies, soda and other mixtures to the water is only a myth for extending the life of cut tulips.
• After cutting the tulip stem under water, do not allow the stem to dry off before replacing it into the vase or decorative container.

[Edit]Related wikiHows

• Care for Tulips
• Plant Tulip Bulbs
• Plant Flowers
• Care for Orchids
• Grow Plants to Use as Gifts
• Care for Bulbs

[Edit]References

[Edit]Quick Summary

1. ↑ https://www.kingsoopers.com/topic/care-and-handling-tips
2. ↑ https://www.kingsoopers.com/topic/care-and-handling-tips
3. ↑ http://homeguides.sfgate.com/handle-fresh-cut-tulips-48995.html
4. ↑ https://www.stonegableblog.com/care-for-cut-tulips/
5. ↑ https://www.stonegableblog.com/care-for-cut-tulips/
6. ↑ https://www.ftd.com/blog/share/tulip-tips
7. ↑ http://homeguides.sfgate.com/handle-fresh-cut-tulips-48995.html
8. ↑ https://www.ftd.com/blog/share/tulip-tips
9. ↑ https://www.ftd.com/blog/share/tulip-tips

source How to of the Day https://ift.tt/2W7NIsk

How to Set Up Solitaire

Most card games require a large group of people to enjoy, but Solitaire is designed for solo players. The game is a great way to pass the time and can provide hours of entertainment. Once you know the board layout and rules, it takes less than a minute to set up and can be assembled almost anywhere.

[Edit]Steps

[Edit]Dealing Your Cards

1. Shuffle the deck. To play Solitaire, you will need a traditional 52-card pack of standard playing cards. Open your pack and discard the instruction and Joker cards. Before you start dealing, shuffle the cards a couple of times to make sure that the deck is all mixed up.
   
2. Deal seven cards in a row. Deal the first card and place it face up on your left-hand side. Then, deal six more cards face-down in a row to the right of this card so that each card has its own spot.
   
   • When you are finished, you should have seven cards total. The first one on the left should be facing up and the other six should be facing down.
   • The cards that you are dealing are called your “Tableau.” These are the main cards that you will use to play solitaire.^[1] When you are finished dealing all of the cards, your Tableau will look similar to an upside down staircase.
3. Skip the first card and then deal six cards. Next, you will need to deal six more cards onto the stacks. Place the first card face up on the second stack of cards from the left. Then, deal one card face down card onto each of the stacks moving to the right.^[2]
   
4. Count over to the third card and then deal five cards. Starting with the third stack over from the left, deal one card face up. Then, deal four more cards facing down on each of the stacks to the right of this stack.^[3]
   
5. Deal four cards starting with the fourth stack. Starting with the fourth stack over from the left, deal one card face up onto this stack and then deal three cards facing down. Place one card onto each of the stacks to the right of this stack.^[4]
   
6. Skip the first four cards and deal three. Count over to the fifth card from the left in your row of seven card stacks. Deal one card facing up on this stack and then deal one card facing down onto each of the two stacks to the right.^[5]
   
7. Count over to the sixth card and then deal two. Next, count over to the sixth stack from the left and deal one card facing up onto this stack. Then, deal one card facing down onto the stack to the right of this stack. This stack should be the last one in your row of seven.^[6]
   
8. Deal one last card face up. There should only be one stack left that does not have a face up card on it. This stack should be all the way on the right of your Tableau. Deal one card onto this stack facing up. Now this stack should have six cards facing down and one on top that is facing up.^[7]
   
   • After you have dealt this last card, your Tableau is complete! Dealing the Tableau is the hardest part of setting up solitaire, so the next part will be easy.

[Edit]Placing the Rest of the Cards

1. Place the remaining cards face down. After you have finished setting up your stacks, you can place the cards that you have left just above the Tableau on the left-hand side. This will be your “Stock” or “Hand” pile. You will draw cards from this pile as you play the game.^[8]
   
   • If you want to be extra sure that the cards are shuffled, then you can shuffle them again before placing your Stock pile. This is optional though.
2. Identify the space for your discard pile. The discard pile, also known as the “Talon” or “Waste” pile, is where you will discard any cards that you draw and cannot use.^[9] At the start of your game, the Talon pile will be empty. Reserve a space next to your Stock pile to create your Talon pile during gameplay.
   
   • The Talon pile is usually just to the right of the Stock pile.
   • When you have exhausted your Talon pile, you can flip it over (face down) onto the Stock pile space again and continue playing.
3. Leave room for your Foundation piles. The Foundation piles are where you will place the cards that you will clear from the Tableau stacks as you play solitaire. At the start of your game, your Foundation piles will be empty, so you just need to reserve some space above your Tableau. Leave enough room to place four stacks of cards as you play.^[10]
   

[Edit]Playing a Game

1. Learn the object. If you have never played solitaire before, then you will need to take a few minutes to learn how to play solitaire first. The object of a game of Solitaire is to transfer all of the cards in the deck and in the tableau stacks to your foundation piles.^[11] You begin the game with nothing in these piles and arrange cards in these stacks going from lowest to highest and separated by suit.^[12]
   
   • For example, one stack might begin with the ace of spades, so only the two of spades can be placed in this stack next. You cannot place the three of spades until the two of spades is in place.
2. Draw and place cards. You will need to draw and place cards to play. Draw one card at a time and either play it on one of your stacks or discard it if you cannot use it. You can play a card on one of your tableau stacks if the color and sequence are right.^[13] The colors need to alternate between red and black.
   
   • For example, if one stack has a five of hearts on it and you draw a four of clubs, then you could play the four of clubs on the five of hearts.
3. Move and flip face-up cards. You can move cards between stacks to expose face-down cards. When a face down card is exposed, then you can flip it over and use it.
   
   • For example, if one stack has a five of hearts on it and another stack has a six of spades on it, then you could move the five of hearts to the six of spades stack. This will expose a face-down card that you can then flip over and either leave it in place or use it.
4. Reuse the discard pile. When you have exhausted the discard pile, then you can flip over the stack and begin using those cards again. Continue to draw one card at a time and to flip the deck each time you go through it.
   
5. Transfer cards to the foundation piles to clear them. As you expose cards and draw cards, you will be able to transfer them to the foundation piles above your tableau stacks. Remember that each pile needs to begin with an ace card and there should only be one stack per suit.^[14]
   
   • When each stack contains an ace through king set, then you will have won the game!

[Edit]Learning Rules and Variations

Solitaire Rule Sheet

Solitaire Variations

[Edit]Things You’ll Need

• Deck of cards (multiple decks for multi-player Solitaire)
• Table or other playing surface

[Edit]Related wikiHows

• Play Blackjack
• Play Poker
• Play Gin Rummy
• Play Speed

[Edit]References

[Edit]Quick Summary

1. ↑ http://www.bicyclecards.com/how-to-play/solitaire/
2. ↑ http://www.bicyclecards.com/how-to-play/solitaire/
3. ↑ http://www.bicyclecards.com/how-to-play/solitaire/
4. ↑ http://www.bicyclecards.com/how-to-play/solitaire/
5. ↑ http://www.bicyclecards.com/how-to-play/solitaire/
6. ↑ http://www.bicyclecards.com/how-to-play/solitaire/
7. ↑ http://www.bicyclecards.com/how-to-play/solitaire/
8. ↑ http://www.bicyclecards.com/how-to-play/solitaire/
9. ↑ http://www.bicyclecards.com/how-to-play/solitaire/#sthash.dIyqUlpw.dpuf
10. ↑ http://www.bicyclecards.com/how-to-play/solitaire/
11. ↑ http://www.cardgamesolitaire.com/solitaireInstructions.php
12. ↑ http://www.bicyclecards.com/how-to-play/solitaire/
13. ↑ http://www.bicyclecards.com/how-to-play/solitaire/
14. ↑ http://www.bicyclecards.com/how-to-play/solitaire/

source How to of the Day https://ift.tt/2SnW5PE

How to Make Hair Oil

Hair oils are great for moisturizing and conditioning all types of hair. Although there are plenty of commercial products available, making your own hair oil at home is quick, easy, and inexpensive. Hair oils commonly include a carrier oil such as coconut or olive oil, alongside essential oils or plant material. Whether you want your hair to grow faster or thicker or prevent hair loss or graying hair, you can quickly make an oil to treat your specific needs.

[Edit]Ingredients

[Edit]Making Oil for Faster Hair Growth

• of coconut oil
• of castor oil
• of apricot kernel oil
• 12 drops of rosemary essential oil
• 6 drops of lavender essential oil
• 6 drops of peppermint essential oil
• 6 drops of clary sage essential oil

[Edit]Creating Oil to Thicken Hair

• of Jamaican black castor oil
• of cold-pressed coconut oil
• 6 drops of lavender essential oil
• 6 drops of rosemary essential oil

[Edit]Using Oil to Limit Hair Loss

• 5 hibiscus flowers
• 5 hibiscus leaves
• of coconut oil

[Edit]Preventing Graying Hair with Oil

• 1 handful of curry leaves
• of coconut oil

[Edit]Steps

[Edit]Making Oil for Faster Hair Growth

1. Get coconut oil, castor oil, and apricot kernel oil. You can find these oils at either health product stores or online. Use a measuring cup to measure out of coconut oil, of castor oil, and of apricot kernel oil into a bowl.^[1]
   
   • The coconut oil will help to moisturize your hair, soothe your scalp, and prevent dandruff. Alternatively, jojoba oil makes a good substitute as it helps to seal in moisture.^[2]
   • Try to get cold-pressed apricot oil if possible.
   • Castor oil may have hair regrowth properties.
2. Gather rosemary, lavender, peppermint, and clary sage essential oils. You can find essential oils from health product stores or online. Measure out 12 drops of rosemary and 6 drops each of the lavender, peppermint, and clary sage essential oils into the bowl.^[3]
   
   • Rosemary and clary sage oils increase scalp circulation, lavender oil deep conditions hair, and peppermint oil improves hair growth.^[4]
   • There are many different essential oils that work well in hair oils. You don’t need to include all of the essential oils if you can’t find them and you can substitute oils if you prefer.
   • Other essential oils to try for making a hair oil include cedarwood oil which moisturizes the scalp, almond oil which soothes the scalp, and sandalwood oil which helps to strengthen hair.
   • Never place essential oils directly onto your scalp as they can irritate your skin. Always dilute the essential oils with a carrier such as coconut oil.
3. Pour all of the ingredients into a glass jar and shake it well. Use a glass jar that is approximately and which has a lid that seals well. Place each measured ingredient directly into the jar and then screw the lid back on. Shake the jar vigorously to combine all of the ingredients.^[5]
   
   • The hair oil mixture will have a thick consistency due to the castor oil.
   • You can either use an eyedropper to remove the oil from the glass jar or pour a smaller amount into an empty essential oil bottle so that you can use it directly.
4. Massage the oil onto your scalp 30 minutes before you wash your hair. Place a few drops of the hair oil onto your fingertips. Rub your fingertips over your scalp to work in the hair oil. Wait for 30 minutes and then wash the hair oil out as you shampoo your hair.^[6]
   
   • Alternatively, you can use the hair oil to moisturize your hair after you have showered. Place a few drops of the hair oil onto your palms and run your hands through the ends of your hair.
   • Hair oils can sometimes take 2-3 washes to rinse out fully. If the residue bothers you, simply wash your hair again.^[7]

[Edit]Creating Oil to Thicken Hair

1. Combine Jamaican black castor, coconut, lavender, and rosemary oils. Pour of Jamaican black castor oil, of cold-pressed coconut oil, 6 drops of lavender essential oil, and 6 drops of rosemary essential oil into a small bowl. Use a whisk to mix the ingredients until they are combined.^[8]
   
   • Jamaican black castor oil helps to repair weak or damaged hair.
   • Lavender oil helps to make hair shiny and rosemary oil helps to stimulate roots.^[9]
2. Massage the oil through your scalp for 15 minutes. Place a few drops of the oil mixture onto your fingertips. Rub your fingers over your scalp and down through your hair so that the oil reaches the ends.^[10]
   
   • Take your time while massaging your hair to ensure that the oil reaches from the roots to the tips.
3. Wash the oil out of your hair after 30 minutes. After massaging your hair, wait for 30 minutes before washing your hair as you normally would. Use a towel to gently squeeze out the excess water and then let your hair air-dry.^[11]
   
   • Use a sulfate-free shampoo if possible to help protect your hair from frizziness.

[Edit]Using Oil to Limit Hair Loss

1. Grind 5 hibiscus flowers and 5 hibiscus leaves into a pulp. Place the hibiscus flowers and leaves into a mortar and pestle. Crush the flowers and leaves until the consistency resembles a fine pulp.^[12]
   
   • Hibiscus contains vitamins and nutrients that may decrease the amount of hair you lose, leading to thicker, stronger hair.
2. Heat the crushed material with coconut oil for approximately 10 minutes. Pour of coconut oil into a saucepan and add the crushed hibiscus flowers and leaves. Adjust the temperature to a medium setting and heat the ingredients until the oil begins to fume slightly, which should take approximately 10 minutes.^[13]
   
   • Remove the saucepan from the heat once the oil has started fuming.
   • Alternatively, you can use olive oil as a carrier oil instead of coconut. Coconut oil works to soften hair and olive oil is a suitable alternative as it helps to moisturize hair.^[14]
3. Strain the oil into a glass jar. Use a sieve to remove the crushed hibiscus flowers and leaves from the oil. Discard the crushed hibiscus flowers and leaves, and keep the oil in an airtight glass jar to use.^[15]
   
4. Rub the oil into your scalp for 15 minutes and wash it out after 45 minutes. Give your scalp a 15-minute massage using the hair oil that you made. Then wash the oil out of your hair using a sulfate-free shampoo and let your hair air-dry naturally.^[16]
   
   • Use this hair oil 2-3 times per week for the best results.

[Edit]Preventing Graying Hair with Oil

1. Gather 1 handful of curry leaves and of coconut oil. Purchase fresh curry leaves either from a market, an Indian grocery store, or online. Choose cold-pressed coconut oil if possible.^[17]
   
   • Always use fresh curry leaves rather than dried when you are making hair oil, as the leaves are more fragrant when fresh.
   • Curry leaves may help with preventing gray hairs and enhancing hair growth. This is because the curry leaves are rich in vitamin B and can help to restore melanin.
2. Heat the curry leaves and coconut oil for approximately 10 minutes. Place the curry leaves and coconut oil directly into a saucepan. Adjust the temperature to a medium setting. Keep the ingredients on the heat until a black residue forms, which should take around 10 minutes.^[18]
   
   • Made sure that the temperature doesn’t rise above .
3. Let the hair oil cool for approximately 30 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat once the black residue forms. Wait for the oil to cool before you apply it to your hair.^[19]
   
   • You can store the hair oil in a glass jar with a tightly sealed lid if you aren't going to use it all at once.
4. Massage the hair oil into your scalp and then wash it out after 1 hour. Place some of the cool hair oil onto your fingertips. Rub it into your scalp thoroughly and then wait for 1 hour. After 1 hour, rinse the hair oil out of your hair and wash your hair as normal.^[20]
   
   • It’s recommended to apply the hair oil twice per week.
   • Keep the hair oil in a warm place to ensure that the coconut oil stays in a liquid form. It can be helpful to store the hair oil in a jar and to keep the jar in a sunny spot.^[21]

[Edit]Tips

• Hair oils are great products for keeping your hair healthy. They are ideal for detangling hair when it’s wet and for moisturizing dry hair.^[22]

[Edit]References

1. ↑ https://lovelovething.com/diy-hair-growth-oil/
2. ↑ https://www.curlcentric.com/jojoba-oil-for-hair/
3. ↑ https://lovelovething.com/diy-hair-growth-oil/
4. ↑ https://www.webmd.com/beauty/natural-oils
5. ↑ https://lovelovething.com/diy-hair-growth-oil/
6. ↑ https://lovelovething.com/diy-hair-growth-oil/
7. ↑ https://www.forbes.com/sites/celiashatzman/2014/10/15/5-reasons-you-should-be-using-hair-oils/#60847060b438
8. ↑ https://youtu.be/HQieQe8GDfE?t=38
9. ↑ https://www.webmd.com/beauty/natural-oils
10. ↑ https://www.glamour.com/story/jamaican-black-castor-oil-hair-growth
11. ↑ https://www.glamour.com/story/jamaican-black-castor-oil-hair-growth
12. ↑ https://beautyhealthtips.in/use-hibiscus-leaves-for-strong-healthy-hair/
13. ↑ https://theindianspot.com/homemade-oil-recipes-reduce-hair-fall/
14. ↑ https://stylecaster.com/beauty/is-olive-oil-good-for-hair/
15. ↑ https://beautyhealthtips.in/use-hibiscus-leaves-for-strong-healthy-hair/
16. ↑ https://beautyhealthtips.in/use-hibiscus-leaves-for-strong-healthy-hair/
17. ↑ https://food.ndtv.com/beauty/how-to-make-oil-for-hair-at-home-1685724
18. ↑ https://food.ndtv.com/beauty/how-to-make-oil-for-hair-at-home-1685724
19. ↑ https://food.ndtv.com/beauty/how-to-make-oil-for-hair-at-home-1685724
20. ↑ https://food.ndtv.com/beauty/how-to-make-oil-for-hair-at-home-1685724
21. ↑ https://www.gingertonicbotanicals.com/blog/botanical-infused-hair-oil-for-long-strong-locks/
22. ↑ https://www.forbes.com/sites/celiashatzman/2014/10/15/5-reasons-you-should-be-using-hair-oils/#60847060b438

source How to of the Day https://ift.tt/2zB58pJ

How to Repair Faux Leather

Faux leather is also known as imitation, synthetic, or artificial leather. It has a similar appearance to natural leather, but faux leather items typically consist of a fabric base with a polyurethane coating. This composition means that faux leather will inevitably peel and crack over time, in which case there are different methods you can use to repair it. With a few leather repair supplies and the right techniques, you can restore most faux leather items to prolong their usability, though they won’t last forever.

[Edit]Steps

[Edit]Covering Peeling or Cracking with Leather Paint

1. Peel off all the loose pieces of the faux leather. Use your fingers to pull off any loose flaps of the faux leather that are sticking up from the item. Stop when you can’t peel any more off.^[1]
   
   • You can use a blunt-edged object, such as a butter knife, to help you peel up and scrape away the loose bits of faux leather if it is difficult to do with just your fingers.
   • This method works for all types of faux leather items that are peeling or cracking including furniture, clothing, and accessories. Keep in mind that it will likely only temporarily restore the appearance of the faux leather and it won’t make it look brand new. You will eventually be better off replacing the item.
2. Wipe down the peeled section and surrounding area with a leather wipe. Open up a can of leather wipes and pull out a single wipe. Rub it all over the spot you just peeled and the surrounding faux leather to clean the surface for painting.^[2]
   
   • Leather wipes are specifically formulated for cleaning leather and work well on faux leather, but you could also use a different kind of gentle cleaning wipe, such as a baby wipe.
3. Choose an appropriately-colored acrylic leather paint. Select a color of acrylic leather paint that closely matches the color of your faux leather item. Acrylic leather paint is available online, at craft stores, and at leather supply shops.^[3]
   
   • If you can’t find the right color of acrylic leather paint, you can mix multiple colors together to make a color that closely matches the faux leather.
4. Brush on the leather paint horizontally using a small paintbrush. Pour a bit of your chosen paint out into a plastic cup and dip a small paintbrush, like the kind used for art, into the cup to get some paint on it. Spread the paint over the peeled area in long horizontal strokes.^[4]
   
   • If there are different sections of faux leather of varying sizes that you want to repair, it can be helpful to have several small paint brushes of different sizes to paint smaller and larger damaged areas.
5. Let the paint dry for at least 30 minutes. Wait 30 minutes and then gently poke the painted area with a fingertip to see if it is dry to the touch. Let it dry longer if it is still sticky until it feels totally dry.^[5]
   
   • You can use a hair dryer to speed up the drying process if you want. Set it to medium heat and hold it about away from the painted surface, then move it slowly back and forth across the painted patch until it is dry.
6. Paint on additional coats until you are happy with the finish. Use your paint brush to apply more coats of the same color. Allow each coat to dry before applying the next one.^[6]
   
   • Pay special attention to certain areas that might require more paint to blend the repaired area in, such as around the edges where the paint meets the existing faux leather and any spots near seams.
7. Add a clear acrylic finisher top coat to seal the paint job. Choose a matte, glossy, or semi-gloss clear acrylic finisher based on how shiny the existing faux leather is. Use a clean paint brush to apply the clear acrylic finished over the entire painted area and the surrounding edges using long horizontal strokes.^[7]
   
   • Don’t worry if the acrylic finisher looks white when you first apply it as it will dry on clear.
   • Watch out for any runs or droplets as you go and wipe them up with your paintbrush.
8. Let the item dry overnight before you use it. Leave the item alone until the next day so the top coat has plenty of time to cure. Make sure that nobody else uses the item if it is something communal like a sofa.^[8]
   
   • Remember that your faux leather will not look perfect when you examine it up close, but from a distance it will look much better than before when it was peeling and ugly.

[Edit]Fixing Minor Peeling with Leather Dye

1. Put on a pair of latex gloves. Use a pair of well-fitted latex gloves like the kind doctors wear. This will protect your skin from getting stained but allow you to use your fingertips to effectively apply the dye.^[9]
   
   • This method works best for small damaged areas where the faux leather is just starting to peel or crack.
2. Choose an appropriate color of leather repair dye. Pick out a dye color that closely matches the color of the faux leather item you want to repair. Leather repair dye is available online or at leather repair shops.^[10]
   
   • You can use leather repair dye to color exposed fabric that the faux leather has peeled away from as well as to stick loose pieces of the faux leather back down.
3. Shake up the bottle and cover the damaged area with dye. Ensure that the cap is on tightly, then shake the bottle up and down to mix the dye. Open up the cap on the bottle of dye and tilt it upside down over the peeling or cracking area. Squeeze out enough drops of dye to cover the exposed material underneath the faux leather.^[11]
   
   • The dye will absorb into the fabric, so go ahead and apply it generously. You don’t need to worry about putting too much.
4. Work the dye underneath any loose pieces of faux leather. Use a fingertip to carefully lift up any loose flaps of peeling faux leather. Spread the dye around underneath the flaps so it soaks into all the exposed fabric underneath and gets on the undersides of the flaps.^[12]
   
   • Apply more dye as needed while you do this until there is enough to get it all over the damaged area and the color of the exposed fabric looks dark enough.
5. Press the loose pieces of faux leather down into the wet dye with your fingers. Carefully poke all loose flaps of faux leather back down against the dyed fabric with your fingertip. Rub them gently towards the center of the damaged area to smooth them out.^[13]
   
   • The leather repair dye also acts as an adhesive, so the loose flaps will be stuck down once the dye dries.
   • If you purchased a leather dye repair kit, you can also use any application tools that came with the kit to help press down and smooth out the loose flaps of faux leather.^[14]
6. Dry the repaired area with a hair dryer. Turn on a hair dryer to medium heat and hold it about away from the repaired area. Wiggle it back and forth over the wet dye for a few minutes until it is dry to the touch.^[15]
   
   • You can also use a heat gun to dry the dye if you have one available.
   • If you don’t have anything to speed up the drying process, the leather dye will take 1-2 hours to dry on its own.
7. Touch up the repaired area with additional dye if needed. Inspect the spot you repaired after it is dry. Add more dye if you want to darken it or if there are still loose flaps of faux leather sticking up that you want to smooth out.^[16]
   
   • You can repeat the process of drying the dyed area with a hair dryer and touching it up as many times as you want to until you are happy with the results.
8. Let the repaired faux leather dry overnight. Wait until the next day before touching the repaired area or using the item. This will give the dye plenty of time to cure and ensure that the loose pieces of faux leather are strongly adhered to the fabric underneath.^[17]
   

[Edit]Sealing Tears with a Leather Repair Kit

1. Purchase an appropriately-colored leather or vinyl repair kit. Leather and vinyl repair kits come with colored patches, sandpaper, a cleaning solution, at least 1 patch, and adhesive. Buy one that has a patch that closely matches the color of your damaged faux leather item.^[18]
   
   • These kits are commonly marketed for repairing leather and faux leather furniture and car seats. They are available online, at a home improvement center, or from a leather or auto supply shop.
   • You can use this type of kit to fix tears, rips, and holes in your faux leather items.
2. Rub the area inside the tear with the supplied sandpaper. Sand down the damaged area, being careful not to sand the intact faux leather around the tear, to remove oils and fibers. Try to get the damaged area as smooth as possible so the patch will adhere well.^[19]
   
   • If your kit did not come with sandpaper, use your own fine-grit sandpaper, such as 120-grit.
3. Wipe the area down with a soft cloth and the supplied cleaning solution. Pour some of the kit’s cleaning solution onto a soft, clean cloth. Rub down the area inside the tear that you just sanded, as well as the surrounding faux leather, to remove any dirt and residue.^[20]
   
   • If the kit did not provide you with a cleaning solution, you can use rubbing alcohol to clean the damaged area.
4. Cut away any flaps of faux leather around the tear using sharp scissors. Trim off any pieces of faux leather that are jagged, pointing upwards, or overhanging the tear. This will tidy up the tear so that the patch blends in better.^[21]
   
   • You can use a sharp utility knife or boxcutter to do this as well.
5. Trim the kit’s patch to be slightly bigger than the tear. Use a pair of sharp scissors to trim a piece of the repair kits patch to the shape of the area you want to patch, making it slightly bigger. This will allow you to stick down the surrounding faux leather on top of the patch to seal the tear.^[22]
   
   • Some kits might have multiple patches, in which case you can choose from different colors to get the closest possible match.
6. Squeeze the provided adhesive around under the edges of the tear. Carefully lift up the edges around the tear and squeeze some adhesive underneath. Use any provided tools, such as a little plastic spatula, to spread the adhesive around.^[23]
   
   • Be careful not to get any adhesive onto the good faux leather around the tear. If you do, carefully scrape it off using the edge of an old card before it dries.
7. Press the patch down firmly inside the tear. Slip the patch into the torn area and center it so it is underneath the surrounding faux leather edges. Press and hold it in place for the recommended amount of time, according to your repair kit’s instructions.^[24]
   
   • If the tear is very tiny, like a thin slit from a knife, you don’t necessarily have to use the patch. You can skip to the next step and try glueing down the surrounding faux leather to seal up the tear.
8. Glue the edges of the surrounding faux leather down to the patch. Apply another thin bead of the provided adhesive underneath the edges of faux leather around the patched tear. Press the edges down firmly and smoothly so that they stick around the patch.^[25]
   
   • If you couldn’t find a patch in a color that closely matches your faux leather item, you can paint over it with leather paint or use leather dye to color it. Some kits might even come with different colorants you can apply on top of the patch.

[Edit]Things You’ll Need

[Edit]Covering Major Peeling with Leather Paint

• Leather wipes
• Butter knife (optional)
• Acrylic leather paint
• Acrylic finisher
• Paint brushes
• Plastic cup
• Hair dryer (optional)

[Edit]Fixing Minor Peeling with Leather Dye

• Leather dye
• Latex gloves
• Hair dryer

[Edit]Sealing Tears with a Leather Repair Kit

• Leather or vinyl repair kit
• Soft cloth
• Scissors

[Edit]References

1. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_k9j8OQELsw&feature=youtu.be&t=100
2. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_k9j8OQELsw&feature=youtu.be&t=180
3. ↑ https://independencebrothers.com/blogs/leather-jackets/faux-leather
4. ↑ https://independencebrothers.com/blogs/leather-jackets/faux-leather
5. ↑ https://independencebrothers.com/blogs/leather-jackets/faux-leather
6. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_k9j8OQELsw&feature=youtu.be&t=300
7. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_k9j8OQELsw&feature=youtu.be&t=450
8. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_k9j8OQELsw&feature=youtu.be&t=520
9. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Rw5io9gpV8&feature=youtu.be&t=78
10. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Rw5io9gpV8&feature=youtu.be&t=82
11. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Rw5io9gpV8&feature=youtu.be&t=127
12. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Rw5io9gpV8&feature=youtu.be&t=135
13. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Rw5io9gpV8&feature=youtu.be&t=169
14. ↑ https://organizeyourstuffnow.com/repairing-leather-faux-leather-furniture
15. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Rw5io9gpV8&feature=youtu.be&t=248
16. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Rw5io9gpV8&feature=youtu.be&t=268
17. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Rw5io9gpV8&feature=youtu.be&t=268
18. ↑ https://www.lakeland-furniture.co.uk/blog/repair-tear-faux-leather-furniture/
19. ↑ https://www.lakeland-furniture.co.uk/blog/repair-tear-faux-leather-furniture/
20. ↑ https://www.lakeland-furniture.co.uk/blog/repair-tear-faux-leather-furniture/
21. ↑ https://www.lakeland-furniture.co.uk/blog/repair-tear-faux-leather-furniture/
22. ↑ https://www.lakeland-furniture.co.uk/blog/repair-tear-faux-leather-furniture/
23. ↑ https://organizeyourstuffnow.com/repairing-leather-faux-leather-furniture
24. ↑ https://www.lakeland-furniture.co.uk/blog/repair-tear-faux-leather-furniture/
25. ↑ https://www.lakeland-furniture.co.uk/blog/repair-tear-faux-leather-furniture/

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