View Full Version : Help restore seats
ericthebikeman
07-17-2004, 01:47 PM
I`ve noticed my seats have some light white stuff between the grain of the leather. You can`t see it when it is wet. The seats have no cracking and doesn`t seem abraded or dry to the touch. What steps should I take to restore it to nearly new condition?
http://home.mindspring.com/~ops21/seat.jpg
pardon the dust, I didn`t vacuum before the picture.
admac
07-17-2004, 04:26 PM
i think you could just put some good leather treatment or some 303 on there and they`ll darken up just fine. i don`t think they need "restoration" so much as just a little treatment.
try some zanio leather conditioner, I have heard great things.
imported_edschwab1
07-17-2004, 04:47 PM
Use the Lexol cleaner and Lexol conditioner. Both are available at AZ, Pepboys or Advanced auto.
Eric
ericthebikeman
07-17-2004, 05:02 PM
This seems to appear after a few weeks to a month after using Lexol conditioner. I use 303 about every other week on the interior for dusting and UV protection.
imported_edschwab1
07-17-2004, 05:11 PM
Try leatherique.
What is your process for cleaning the leather?
Eric
ericthebikeman
07-17-2004, 05:23 PM
Originally posted by edschwab1
Try leatherique.
What is your process for cleaning the leather?
Eric
Every so often I clean the leather with Lexol cleaner, I think it works out to be 3 or so times a year. After I wipe down the seats with an applicator I buff off the residue with a towel.
I wait a few minutes for it to dry a little then apply conditioner with a clean applicator, let it soak in for a minute then reapply.
I`ve waited a couple hours in the sun or a couple minutes with warm seats then wiped it off. It doesn`t seem to matter, they look good for a couple weeks then they get that weird white stuff in the grain. Back seats are in near mint condition, same procedure.
The seats aren`t used much, my girlfriend sits there but we usually take her car or stay in.
imported_edschwab1
07-17-2004, 05:35 PM
Originally posted by ericthebikeman
Every so often I clean the leather with Lexol cleaner, I think it works out to be 3 or so times a year. After I wipe down the seats with an applicator I buff off the residue with a towel.
I wait a few minutes for it to dry a little then apply conditioner with a clean applicator, let it soak in for a minute then reapply.
I`ve waited a couple hours in the sun or a couple minutes with warm seats then wiped it off. It doesn`t seem to matter, they look good for a couple weeks then they get that weird white stuff in the grain. Back seats are in near mint condition, same procedure.
The seats aren`t used much, my girlfriend sits there but we usually take her car or stay in.
Sounds like cleaner residue to me.
Leather cleaning write up on meguiars online (http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=109)
Eric
ericthebikeman
07-17-2004, 05:56 PM
Originally posted by edschwab1
Sounds like cleaner residue to me.
Leather cleaning write up on meguiars online (http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=109)
Eric
I`ll have to give it a try. It kind of sounds like what I do, just I don`t use a brush.
Until then here`s what it looks like after conditioner.
http://home.mindspring.com/~ops21/seat2.jpg
And the rear seats too.
http://home.mindspring.com/~ops21/rseat.jpg
Sorry the focus has been hit an miss lately.
admac
07-17-2004, 06:27 PM
weird, i never had that problem with my bmw. i had a black interior as well.
imported_edschwab1
07-17-2004, 08:46 PM
What kind of car is this?
It looks like a Mk4 VW jetta/golf.
In the pictures the leather looks really clean, so I would not use a brush. The brush would be used for really soiled or neglected leather.
I would wipe down the seats a few different times with warm to hot water. After just cleaning with water, I would clean Lexol using the method in the other thread.
Another option is try a different leather cleaner and conditioner. A possiblity is 4* leather cleaner then 4* leather conditioner. Another cleaner would be Woolite diluted 6:1. With either cleaner I would follow the direction in the other thread and wipe down the seats a few different times with warm to hot water beforehand.
As I said above you could try the leatherque system.
Eric
ericthebikeman
07-18-2004, 01:27 PM
Originally posted by edschwab1
What kind of car is this?
It looks like a Mk4 VW jetta/golf.
In the pictures the leather looks really clean, so I would not use a brush. The brush would be used for really soiled or neglected leather.
....
As I said above you could try the leatherque system.
Eric
Yep `01 jetta glx.
I tried the thread without the brush, didn`t get much dirt off quite a bit of light lather but that is about all. I rinsed it off with a damp rag and big pail of clean water. I went over it with the rag about 2 dozen times just to make sure all the Lexol was gone. I went over it with the conditioner, it soaked up most almost right away, I went over it again until it stopped soaking up. Waited around a few minutes to make sure then buffed it off, closed the doors and waited some more.
After it was all done I sprayed some 303, it looks good now but hopefully it will stay that way.
Next stop would be leatherique if this doesn`t work, I can`t imagine why it wouldn`t since I wiped them down really good.