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. :grrr

[togwt]

For heavily soiled areas use a foam cleaner (Leather Masterâ„¢ 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 Masterâ„¢ 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]

:thumbs_up:



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 - http://www.autopia.org/forum/autopia...d-leather.html



When the leather protein structure is plumps up with suppleness and ionic positive charged; fatliquor is replenished.

See quote by ALCA et al - http://www.autopia.org/forum/car-det...ontention.html



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.

[Roger Koh]

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

It may sounds alike, as oil is one major component to soften leather.





Here are further tips on how this innovative leather-safe hydrating > fatliquoring system works. . .





1] Leather stiffness or softness depends on the leather fibrous structure and not the finish, so we are talking below surface phenomena.



2] Stiffness means that the fibers have become stick closer together.



3] Leather protein fiber is “amphoteric� – it will either shift ionic positive or ionic negative.



4] The other leather constituents are all ionic negative, including the fatliquor – thus the (+ve) protein fiber hydrogen-bond with the (-ve) fatliquor (fat, oil & water).



5] The average pH value of leather is 3 – 5.



6] This pH range is also refer to as the pH neutral of leather; and assuming it’s 4 for easy reference; it’s also known as the isoelectric point of the leather.



7] At the isoelectric point the (+ve) cationic charge and the (-ve) anionic charge of the leather is at the equilibrium.



8] Hydrator used for the hydrating purposes is at pH 3.3 (leather-safe); which is below the isoelectric point of the leather; and since protein leather fiber is “amphoteric� it shift (+ve) cationic.



9] When the protein fibers is positively (+ve) charged or increases in charges, it will be readily “hydrogen-bond� with the negatively (-ve) charged fatliquor at pH 5.0; behaving just like a magnet “unlike poles attracts�.



10] The water encased fat and oil breaks free and evaporates leaving behind breathing spaces.



11] The remaining oil and fat is what makes the leather soft when dry to the touch (will still have moisture content up to 14%).



12] Fatliquor with 1 part fat and oil, and 5 parts water is also a built-in-mechanism to prevent leather from over oiling.



13] Any remaining residue that stays on the leather surface is completely re-emulsified and easy wipe off with the hydrator to a squeaky feel.





The proof is in the testing out – on all leather types – even suede and nubuck with no darkening effect.





Any products not recommend for suede or nubuck, you do not need to try; as the reverse side of all smooth leather is suede!





As for the rest, test it out and compare!







Roger Koh

info@leatherdoctor.com

[uncandid]

can you post before and afters and the process you follow with some leather that has been treated with the leather doctor. Mine is a black leather that has become harder and has the creases in it.

[MSOsr]

Would going over the leather with a small steamer help hydrate the leather?



Mike