Is the leather, vinyl, or fabric upholstery on your door panel sagging? Even if you've taken the best care of your upholstery, years of use and UV rays filtering through your car's windows can result in wear and tear and loosened glue that causes the material to droop.
But don't fret! A little drooping doesn't mean you have to replace your car upholstery, it just means it's due for a little repair.
Luckily, car insurance
comparison shopping app Jerry
has some tips on how to put things back together. Here's how to fix door panel leather on your own. 
4.717k Ratings5M+Drivers Joined
7M+Cars Garaged
How to repair loose car door panel interiors
1. Peel back the material
Gently peel back the loose upholstery. Start at the loosest spot or seam and peel off 6-12 inches of material. You should eventually meet the resistance of the worn-out adhesive.
2. Scrub the exposed panel with rubbing alcohol
Once you’ve pried back the upholstery from the seam enough to reveal the panel, scrub the section with a washcloth or rag soaked in about a teaspoon of rubbing alcohol to remove any remaining bits of adhesive. Make sure to rub both the inward-facing side of the upholstery and the panel.
Once you've scraped off all the clumps of worn-out adhesive and the exposed panel is smooth, allow the upholstery to dry for 10-15 minutes.
3. Tape the area above the seam
Place strips of masking tape above where the seam was before you peeled it back (along the border of the panel). Use multiple strips of tape to cover curves in the car door panel. You do not need to apply tape to sections of the upholstery that is still installed.
4. Apply car upholstery glue
Now it's time to get your door panel glue ready. A can of multipurpose, heavy-duty adhesive spray such as 3M’s Super 77 will do the trick.
Put on a pair of disposable gloves and spray an inch of adhesive into a small cup or bowl. Dip a Q-tip into the adhesive and use it to apply the glue to the exposed panel. Work down from the tapped area, reapplying glue to your Q-tip after every 3 inches, until the entire area of the exposed panel is covered. Spread the adhesive evenly to prevent a lumpy final result.
5. Reattach the upholstery
The best way to reattach the upholstery is by using a driver’s license, debit card, or another piece of firm plastic to slowly press and scrape the upholstery back onto the panel. For good results, iron out any wrinkles or air bubbles as you stretch it toward the seam.
6. Tuck the upholstery back into the seam
While still holding your piece of firm plastic to the newly-attached upholstery, use a flathead screwdriver or bike lever to tuck the upholstery into the seam. Repeat this step until your upholstery has adhered to the panel and all of the ends are tucked back into the seam.
7. Remove the masking tape
Take off the masking tape, and voila! Your upholstery is as good as new.
Worried that an accident might ruin all that hard work? Use the Jerry
app and find the best coverage for your car in less than a minute, so you can rest easy knowing that you’re covered. The Jerry app collects quotes from 50+ top insurance companies, like Nationwide, Allstate, Safeco, Progressive, and Travelers, in seconds! FAQs
Where can I go for car door interior repair?
Although it's easy to do it yourself, you can go to any mechanic to get your car door fabric repaired. It shouldn't cost too much, either!
What is the best door panel glue?
There are lots of good options you can choose from. The key is to not go cheap, as poor adhesive could damage your door. 3M Panel Bonding adhesive is always a good bet.
4.717k Ratings 5M+Drivers Joined
7M+Cars Garaged
.webp&w=384&q=75)
