Hey guys i just bought a full set of leather interior out of a 94 Trans Am. It needs detailed bad! They look as if the previous owner had never detailed them before. I have never owned leather interior before, and am just looking for some tips and tricks to get they bad boys looking good before i put them into my car.
Hear are a few pics of what i am working with (they are bad!!):
http://img22.imageshack.us/gal.php?g=leather2a.jpg
Thanks in advance guys!!!!
Devin

 

I know the "leather" is supposed to have a dull look and soft feel. Over time body oils are absorbed by the leather giving it a shiny look and crusty feel. Depending on the owner and the products they use, amour all for example, coats the leather clogging the pores and sealing the oils into the leather leaving a greasy look and feel.

These oils need to be removed. Some solutions I use to remove the oils are diluted solutions of an APC and water and even dawn dish soap and water 5:1. Apply solution to seats and let it sit for a minute or two not drying out. Then scrub with bristle brush and wipe down with a dry cloth. Examine the cloth after doing this, it will most likely be brown or black. I would repeat this process a few times (2-3). After cleaning take a damp clean rag and wipe the seats down a couple of times to remove the left over APC or soap.

Finanly, dress with a conditioner that does not have any oils in it. I like the Z-10 "leather in a bottle" by Zaino. It has an awesome leather smell and it protects the leather and gives it the mate/clean finish.

After doing these steps you will find the leather becomes softer and will not feel as cheap. It also gives the leather a rich and deep look.

Google search "Leatherique." They have a step by step process for cleaning. I have always heard good things about them and wanted to try their product.

Hope this helps

 

Heres a great writeup!

http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-P...r-care-how-to/

 

Also since our leather is very thick GM leather it's hard to actually penetrate w/ APCs/cleaners and conditioners, so either leave the heat in the car if it's already installed or bring them inside and heat them up with a blow dryer before beginning your whole process. The heat will open up the pores and you'll notice it will be a lot easier to clean and condition. Personally, I use Lexol Leather Cleaner and Conditioner to do the job. My seats were never that dirty that I had to use APC, but water and dawn soap w/ a 5:1 concentration will definitely be a good start (make sure you use hot water). It's also a good idea to vacuum your seats prior to cleaning them. Especially if your not going to soak them down...cause the crud in between the crevices can sometimes scratch the perforated leather parts.

 

Take warm soapy water in a spray bottle , I use a mild soap like dawn mixed 30/70 with water . Dont ever use any chemicals , theres lots of stuff out there that can actually remove the tanning(color) . A mild soap like dawn wont even come close to touching it Spray the seat down good . Then take a softer non-abrasive brush and scrub the leather really good . Be very thorough , the leather can easily take it . Then with a clean lint free cloth like a microfiber , get it wet with clean water and start to wipe away the soapyness . Keep going over it until the soap is gone . Let the leather surfaces air dry completely . Once its completely dry , use a water-based leather conditioner . Aplly a liberal amount to the seat and rub it into the seat with a microfiber . After youve rubbed it into the seat , let the seat sit awhile before sitting it so the leather draws in the rest of the conditioner left on the surface . I used Leather Masters Vital conditioner , its water based and has a neutral PH . There a few other good ones on the market too . Check out autogeek or properautocare.com . I would avoid the commercial stuff you can buy at the local stores , imo ...it may make them look decent , but its not good for them in the long run and most of them have silicones ...which is the devil for leather , it dries it out prematurely . The water based stuff will leave the surface super soft , a bit grippy and not greasy at all . Dont forget to do your steering wheel and shifter too , same process .

After doing that youll be surprised how many wrinkles and imperfections will dissappear , they may not all disappear but most of them should . Most of the wrinkles are enhanced by body oils , dirt and dryness . FYI - just adding leather conditioner without properly cleaning the surface will make them soft but the dirt will still be in the pores of the leather and hence more wrinkles , even though your adding conditioner . Dirt in the pores wont let the condition do its job properly because it wont absorb into the seat properly . Remember leather is skin it pores get clogged too .

I know its a big joke than GM seats are pleather , but the top surfaces on both the front and rear seats are real leather as well as the steering wheel and shifter **** .

The sides and backs of the seats as well as the door panel inserts are vinyl . You can a) care for that part of the seat the same as you do the leather as far as product goes ~or b) substitute the leather conditioner for a high quality water based vinyl protectant with UV protection . 303 and Einszett are killer brands . Again skip the local auto parts store stuff , most of it is junk and silicone based , before the haters chime in , thats jmo . With the exception of lexol , lexols products are water based .

Trans am seat backs , again scrub with soap and water and a non-abrasive brush to get all the dirt out . Then follow up with the same water based protectant used for the vinyl .

I would this same process to the drivers seat once a month . The passenger and back seats you can spread to every 3 months if they dont get sat in regularly .

May sound a little unorthadox from the norm , but thats the proper way to clean and condition leather . Most people just add conditoner on dirty seats or just use the wrong stuff because it makes them look shiney and call it a day . The end result over time is shiney seats with wrinkles . The products that make the leather shiney actually absorbs more sun and Uv rays and that too accelerates the wear and dries them out .

Take your time , and keep up the maintenance and they should stay look good for years .

**edit , damn I shoulda saved all that typing , some good posts got made while I was typing mine

 

hahah look at us all contributing to the forum and providing newbs with useful information...we're such good guys

 

Leatherique.

 

Wow! Thanks for the responses!! I have some ?s though with the leatherique should i clean it with the dawn soap mixture or should i do it exactly as the guy did in that link that was posted. That stuff seems to work very well!!
Devin

 

Do either or . If you clean it the leathertique way it would be redundant to clean it before or after with dawn .

 

i'd also recommend some UV protection in addition to a leather conditioner cream.

 

ok Thanks alot guys! I just ordered that leatherique stuff up. What brand of uv protection do you guys recommend?