How long do I leave the Leatherique Rejuv Oil in the seats? (long)

DaveInLA · 07-30-05, 06:47

I got ahold of some Leatherique and have coated the black seats of my 1989 BMW 325is with the Rejuvinator Oil. (Un)fortunately, these seats don't have a lot of seams for the oil to permeate into. It's mostly large sheets of leather with a some stitches running through them only for decoration.

Anyway, I put the oil in about 24 hours ago and much of the oil hasn't absorbed into the leather. Some of it has but not nearly as much as I thought. I know some people recommend leaving it on for 2-3 days, but I've also heard 8 hrs. It's HOT here in SoCal, too, especially inside a black/black car! I should say that I applied the Lexol treatment onto the front seats about 6 months ago and TW to the rear bench (not the front seats, though) about 1 month ago. Could this affect the absorption of the RO? I'm not crazy about scrubbing my seats with sandpaper...

As for whether my seats are covered in some sort of vinyl or clearcoat... I've tried the drop of water test and it seems that a small amount of water does absorb into the seats. Not a lot, but some. Most just wipes off but it leaves a small water stain. Does this mean my seats aren't coated? Thanks!

Alfisti · 07-30-05, 07:41

Dave your seats aren't coated by your description. Its uncommon for that vintage leather to be clear-coated. On the other hand, it may be pigmented leather like my Alfa, which has a thick layer of pigment over the top - that can be water-resistant but over time the pigment crack and allows the use of real leather conditioners. RO is the right way to go.

If the Lexol/TW has a silicone content (designed to seal the leather, like vinyl dressings) then that will effect absorption, by making it somewhat water-resistant. I think they do contain silicone.

The longer its left in the heat, the better. If its still not absorbed I'd leave it another day or so. In case the previous dressing is interfering with the absorption, I'd try scrubbibg the surface with a nail-brush (while the RO is on it) to try and break up the possible silicone surface. It could also have have absorbed a buildup of silicone from applications over the years.

If, after the nail brush, the heat, and 48hrs, it still hasn't absorbed, it means that either your leather is in great shape, or something is interfering with it. Wipe the residue off with PC, and try again in two months.

DaveInLA · 07-30-05, 08:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alfisti

If, after the nail brush, the heat, and 48hrs, it still hasn't absorbed, it means that either your leather is in great shape, or something is interfering with it. Wipe the residue off with PC, and try again in two months.

My seats defintely aren't in great condition!!

But like I mentioned, I put the Lexol on my front seats at least 6 months ago, probably closer to 8-9. And I park my car outside, so it gets HOT in there. The Lexol has to have worn off, I assume. I should also mention that my seats have tons of surface cracks on them (TONS), and the Lexol did seem to gloss over those cracks to make them somewhat less visible. I thought it was really neat at the time, but it made the seats somewhat too smooth and plastic-like for my taste. I don't remember what the seats felt like before the Lexol anymore.

As for brushing the leather in my seats with a nail brush... I'm embarrased to say that I don't know what a nail brush is. I think the Leatherique website recommends 400 grit sandpaper, but I'm not crazy about using that. I'm afraid that it might take the dye right off my seats leaving them a dull gray instead of black. How about one of those brushes used to clean bathtubs? Or maybe a toothbrush?

What do you use to apply the RO? I've been using my latex-gloved hand, but I feel like a paintbrush might be more efficient. Also, how hard should I "massage" the leather? Initially I just wiped it with my hands, but then I decided to really massage it in with a good deal of force. I did notice that the RO seemed to absorb into the cracks of the seats but not in the parts without cracks. My front seats have lots of cracks, but the rear bench has none but yet is stiff as a board.

Alfisti · 07-30-05, 09:32

Here's a pic of a nailbrush:

They're cheap and can be found at supermarkets. I said a nailbrush because the bristles are firm enough to scrub, but soft enough not to damage the surface.

I also apply RO with a latex goved hand...it works the best for me.

Your leather sounds exactly like mine was...it was very dark blue pigmented leather which developed cracks, especially the front seats, and were stiff as a board. Now they're very soft.

I can only speculate about your situation, but I do believe applying the silicone-based dressings have caused your present problem.

The Lexol building up in the cracks can reduce absorption, and the rear bench has recently been TWed which will form a barrier.

Try the nailbrush and see what happens, then come back to us with your results.

Have a look at these links:
http://www.leatherique.com.au/leathers.php
http://www.germantechnik.com/showthr...s=&threadid=82

DaveInLA · 07-31-05, 12:06

I re-applied some more RO today and really did the massage thing. I also remembered that I re-did the Lexol treatment to one bolster on the driver seat about a month ago. Not coincidentally, that's the one panel that's absorbed the least amount of RO...

My understanding is that their "prepping agent" helps remove other leather products from the leather so that the RO can really get in there. What can I use besides that? If I use the brush, should I just wet it with more RO?

Alfisti · 07-31-05, 02:36

Which prepping agent are you thinking of?

You can add more RO to the brush to lubricate it.

It sounds like it is a silicone issue - I hate that stuff on un-coated leather.

DaveInLA · 07-31-05, 05:16

Yeah, it probably is the silicone. But does Lexol have silicone?

Anyway, I'm starting to think that my seats might be coated. It doesn't pass the "water" test, but it does pass the scratch test-- that is, when I scratch the leather with my fingernail, it doesn't leave a mark the way I've seen some jackets do. It doesn't scuff, basically. And the color is very uniform, except for the creases and cracks. But even if they are coated, the vast majority of cars made in the 1990s and beyond have coated seats as well, and they can't all have the problems I'm having, right?

As for their prepping agent, Leatherique sells something called their "Super Prepping Agent". It seems to be used mostly as a pre-dye prep step, but I've also seen it mentioned as a tool to get rid of this silicone crap. I figure I could use some, but it's $20 from Leatherique online plust something like $12 for S&H. That's too much for something that I shouldn't need.

I tried the brush thing. Not a nail brush, per se, but similar. It just seems to gloss right over the board-like leather without leaving so much as a mark. I'm not sure what's supposed to happen, but it just doesn't feel like it's doing anything. I'm going to pick up some 400 or 500 grit sandpaper later today. Hopefully that'll do something.