Can you repair cigarette burns car upholstery?

Cigarette burns in car upholstery can be unsightly and damaging, but the good news is that there are ways to repair them. With some basic supplies and a little bit of time and effort, you can make those cigarette burns virtually disappear. In this article, we’ll walk through the options for repairing cigarette burns in car seats, door panels, headliners, and other upholstered areas. We’ll cover DIY solutions as well as professional auto upholstery repair.

Assessing the Damage

The first step is to take a close look at the cigarette burn and assess the extent of the damage. Look at the size, depth, and location of the burn. A small, surface-level burn will be easier to repair than a larger, deeper hole burned through multiple layers. Check to see if the burn goes all the way through the upholstery or if it’s just scorched the surface. This will determine the best repair method.

Repair Options

There are a few different ways you can approach cigarette burn repair:

• Surface cleaning and touch-up
• Using a repair kit
• Patching and reupholstering
• Professional reupholstery

Minor burns may only require some cleaning and a surface touch-up, while more significant damage will need patching, complete reupholstering, or a professional auto upholstery shop. We’ll go through each of these options in more detail.

Cleaning and Surface Touch-Up

If the cigarette burn is relatively small and hasn’t burned fully through the upholstery, you may be able to treat the surface and make it less noticeable. Here are some tips:

Vacuum and Clean

First, thoroughly vacuum and clean the upholstery around the burn to remove any dirt, ash, or debris. This will allow you to see the full extent of the damage and help your repairs adhere properly. Make sure to get into crevices and use a stiff brush if needed.

Rub With Isopropyl Alcohol

Use a clean cloth soaked in 91% isopropyl alcohol to gently rub the burn. This will help lift some of the cigarette staining. Be careful not to excessively soak or rub the upholstery, as this could cause more damage.

Apply Touch-Up Paint

For vinyl or leather upholstery, you can use an upholstery touch-up pen or paint stick that matches your interior color to conceal the burn. Carefully apply thin coats and blend the paint into the surrounding area. Allow the paint to fully dry between coats.

Use Leather Conditioner

For leather upholstery, apply a leather conditioner to help hydrate the damaged area and improve its appearance. Massage the conditioner into the burn and surrounding upholstery. Wipe away any excess.

Re-Dye Fabric

For fabric upholstery, use a special upholstery dye in a color matched to your car interior. Carefully apply the dye only on and around the cigarette burn. Blot with a clean cloth to set the dye.

DIY Upholstery Repair Kits

If the burn has created a hole or done more serious damage beyond just surface scorching, you’ll need to patch or reupholster the area. Specialized upholstery repair kits make this process easier as a DIY project.

What’s in a Repair Kit

Upholstery repair kits include some or all of these supplies:

• Colored touch-up compound
• Upholstery patching material
• Fabric texturing tools
• Grain paper
• Paint pens
• Blending solution
• Adhesive
• Instructions

Quality kits made specifically for auto upholstery repair will have materials and colors matched to interiors of common vehicles.

How to Use a Repair Kit

Here is the general process for using an auto upholstery repair kit:

1. Clean the upholstery surface thoroughly around the damaged area.
2. Apply touch-up compound to fill in any cracks or holes.
3. Cut a patch piece of repair material to overlap the damaged area.
4. Adhere the patch over the damage using contact cement or adhesive.
5. Use graining tools to texture the patch to match the original upholstery.
6. Apply touch-up paint pens and blending solution to match colors.
7. Allow repairs to fully cure and adhere before using the seat.

Watching video tutorials can be very helpful before undertaking DIY upholstery repairs. Taking the time to properly adhere, blend, texture, and color the patched area will result in a professional-looking repair.

Reupholstering

For large burns, multiple burns, or damage to leather upholstery, you may need to completely reupholster the damaged section or component. This involves removing the upholstery, repairing any damage to the underlying padding and frame, and installing new matching upholstery.

When to Reupholster

Consider reupholstering when:

• The burn has damaged a large area greater than a few inches.
• There are multiple smaller burns close together.
• The leather is burnt through and cracked or peeling.
• Foam, stuffing, or other padding is damaged.
• Springs or the seat frame are exposed or damaged.

For damage this extensive, patching and touch-up repairs likely won’t suffice. New upholstery will be the best solution.

DIY Reupholstery Process

Here are the basic steps if you want to try and reupholster the seat yourself:

1. Remove the damaged upholstery by unbolting, unclipping, and undoing any adhesives.
2. Inspect and repair/replace any damaged padding, springs, or seat frames.
3. Purchase new automotive upholstery fabric matched to your vehicle interior.
4. Lay out and cut the replacement fabric to size.
5. Reinstall the padding if needed.
6. Wrap and adhere the new upholstery fabric over the cushions.
7. Use a roller to smooth out wrinkles and ensure a snug fit.
8. Secure the edges with hog rings, staples, screws or adhesive.
9. Reinstall the newly upholstered component back in the vehicle.

This is an advanced DIY project, but with proper materials and some automotive reupholstering experience, it can certainly be done at home. Having an extra set of hands can also be very helpful.

Professional Reupholstery

For many people, the best option is to have extensive cigarette burn damage repaired by professional auto upholsterers. They have the skills, materials, and equipment to properly repair even severe burns and reupholster entire vehicle interiors.

Advantages of Professional Repair

Hiring professional upholstery shops has these advantages:

• Experienced technicians with upholstery expertise.
• Proper materials, fabrics, leather, padding for your vehicle.
• Industrial machines and tools.
• Able to fully reupholster seats, headliners, door panels, etc.
• Matched dyes and colors for flawless repairs.
• Repaired to factory specifications.

Although upholstery repair costs can vary widely based on the severity of damage and materials needed, professionals can often repair cigarette burns for a reasonable price, and you can be assured of quality results.

Costs of Professional Upholstery Repair

Here are some typical average costs for professional auto upholstery repair of cigarette burns:

Repair Type	Average Cost Range
Vinyl/leather patch	$50 – $150
Fabric patch	$75 – $200
Seat bottom reupholster	$200 – $400
Full seat reupholster	$400 – $900
Full interior reupholster	$1,500 – $5,000+

Shop around to compare upholstery shop rates and get quotes for your specific vehicle damage. Rates vary greatly based on shop location, vehicle make and model, materials used, and extent of repairs needed.

Preventing Cigarette Burns

To avoid upholstery burns in the future, follow these tips:

• Don’t allow smoking in your vehicle.
• Provide ashtrays or cans with sand for those who do smoke.
• Don’t leave lit cigarettes in cup holders or loose in the car.
• Clean up spilled ash and debris promptly.
• Use seat covers if needed.
• Be careful around hot exhaust pipes and mufflers.

Following these precautions will help keep cigarette-related damage from marring your vehicle’s interior and requiring expensive repairs down the road.

Conclusion

Cigarette burns in car upholstery are common but treatable. Depending on the severity of the damage, you can often repair burns yourself using cleaning, touch-up, repair kits, or DIY reupholstering. For extensive burns or interior-wide damage, seeking professional upholstery repair will give the best results. With some effort and diligence, you can make those unsightly cigarette holes disappear and restore your upholstery to likenew condition. Just be sure to take precautions to prevent burns from occurring in the first place.