Perforated leather seats

[uncandid]

Hi Everyone,

Thanks to all the great information and members on this forum I have been putting together a detailing kit for my daily driver that I have been starting to use. One issue I came upon were the black perforated leather seats in my Lexus GS350. The previous owner seems to have slathered some sort of white protectant on the seats which has become chalky and embedded itself in to perforations and seams on the seats. Thanks to TOGWT's blogs and many other users recommendations, I purchased the Leather Masters strong foam cleaner, Vital and Protectant but would to know if anyone has any secrets when it comes to cleaning the tiny holes all over the seats?

Also I was hoping the Leather Masters product would help to make the leather a little softer and maybe reduce the creases in the leather a little, but after application per the instructions, found the leather to be just as hard, any tips here or is it just a matter of daily/weekly application until it becomes softer? The leather is not in terribly bad shape, just a little stiffer in some spots than others.

Thanks for any input!

[maxepr1]

Compressed air at an angle to see if you can dislodge the crud, if not good old fashioned toothpick and lots of time! I have had some luck with the Leatherique twins on softening some leathers. Thats odd that Lexus leather is hardening, generally there on the softer side.

[uncandid]

Thanks for the reply maxepr1. Yeah the lexus leather is soft in most spots but you can tell the previous owner didn't car too much for it so in spots where the leather directly faces the sun, it has become a bit harder.

Crap, I was hoping the "toothpick" method wouldn't be the only way. Might have to give it a go.

[TOGWT]

For heavily soiled areas use a foam cleaner (Leather Master™ Foam Cleaner) that contains a surfactant that will lift dirt and soil, allow react time to do its work and then use a soft brush to agitate and loosen the dirt (Swissvax Leather Brush) especially on light coloured leathers and perforated surfaces; this enables the cleaning of the micro pores and creases and lifts the dirt out and reveal any further work that needs doing (dye transfer, stains, etc)

(Leather Master™ Soft Touch (ex Vital) is not a conditioner per se but used for revitalizing and restoring the tactile feel of older leathers and also to improve the feel of stiff leathers. Leather is moisture sensitive, so avoid the use of liquid, oil-based or wax-based products as they may negatively affect the evaporation and hydration moisture balance. Aqueous (water- based) products will help to hydrate the leather and maintain necessary moisture

[uncandid]

Thanks TOGWT, if I have already applied a few layers of the vital solution, will applying the strong cleaning foam at this point negate those layers of vital already applied or has that already absorbed in to leather? Thanks again for the reply!

[uncandid]

Did I even apply in the right order? Cleaner, vital then the
cream protectant? Sorry for my confusion.

[TOGWT]

Clean
Vital (Soften)
Protection

[addysdaddy]

I had good success with Ultima Interior Shampoo Gel, interior cleaner, upholstery cleaner . Because it foams when applied, might get into the pores of the leather a little better then what your currently trying. Perhaps try a softer, thinner bristled brush and work into the seats. Can't imagine having to go after all of that with a toothpick. I have perf'd seats as well and this leaves no residue whatsoever and leaves the leather very pliable. You will obviously need to follow up with the conditioner of your choice, (I happen to really like the Pinnacle Leather Conditioner) but I'm sure you knew that.

[uncandid]

Great, thanks so much for all the tips!

[Roger Koh]

Hi Everyone,
Also I was hoping the Leather Masters product would help to make the leather a little softer and maybe reduce the creases in the leather a little, but after application per the instructions, found the leather to be just as hard, any tips here or is it just a matter of daily/weekly application until it becomes softer? The leather is not in terribly bad shape, just a little stiffer in some spots than others.

Thanks for any input!

Stiffness of leather is structural problem.
The original fatliquor has diminished on those areas either due to heat that evaporates as gases, or leach out due to alkaline cleaners.
With the lost of fatliquor in between the leather fibers it becomes stick together, thus the stiffness.

Recommendation:

The leather thickness need to be hydrated to relax and separates the stick together fiber.
When the leather protein structure is plumps up with suppleness and ionic positive charged; fatliquor is replenished.
Fatliquor is ionic negative charged fat, oil and water.
The “fat” imparts fullness to the leather.
The “oil” lubricates the individual fibers (behaving just like well lubricated interlocking chain of hinges) that provide smoothness when the leather is compressed or stretched.
The “water” molecule that encases these fat and oil helps penetrates the leather structure; when hydrogen-bonded breaks free and leave breathing spaces for breathing comfort also known as transpiration.

If leather can be hydrated, it can be fatliquor replenishes to as soft as you wish.


Roger Koh
info@leatherdoctor.com

[Alfisti]

Stiffness of leather is structural problem.
The original fatliquor has diminished on those areas either due to heat that evaporates as gases, or leach out due to alkaline cleaners.
With the lost of fatliquor in between the leather fibers it becomes stick together, thus the stiffness.

Recommendation:

The leather thickness need to be hydrated to relax and separates the stick together fiber.
When the leather protein structure is plumps up with suppleness and ionic positive charged; fatliquor is replenished.
Fatliquor is ionic negative charged fat, oil and water.
The “fat” imparts fullness to the leather.
The “oil” lubricates the individual fibers (behaving just like well lubricated interlocking chain of hinges) that provide smoothness when the leather is compressed or stretched.
The “water” molecule that encases these fat and oil helps penetrates the leather structure; when hydrogen-bonded breaks free and leave breathing spaces for breathing comfort also known as transpiration.

If leather can be hydrated, it can be fatliquor replenishes to as soft as you wish.


Roger Koh
info@leatherdoctor.com

What do you recommend to achieve this? Sounds like you're describing what Leatherique achieves.

[TOGWT]

The leather thickness need to be hydrated to relax and separates the stick together fiber]
Agreed - Hydration of Finished Leather

When the leather protein structure is plumps up with suppleness and ionic positive charged; fatliquor is replenished.
See quote by ALCA et al - Leather Fatliquoring – A Point of Contention!

The “fat” imparts fullness to the leather.
How do fat molecules reach the leather fibres?

The “water” molecule that encases these fat and oil helps penetrates the leather structure; when hydrogen-bonded breaks free and leave breathing spaces for breathing comfort also known as transpiration.

Water molecules are smaller than the molecules found in a urethane top coat, so it can permeate the finish in vapour form; however fat and oil molecules are much larger

If leather can be hydrated, it can be fatliquor replenishes to as soft as you wish.

See previous comments on the use of fat liquoring. Water-based products to a certain extent hydrate finished leather, more so on perforated leather. Water molecules are smaller than the micro pores in urethane, so it can permeate the finish in vapour form. This is essential to transpiration (evaporation and hydration) to maintain a moisture balance as well as the suppleness and leathers natural flexibility, keeping finished leather at its optimum physical performance level, along with softness and strength.