Leather Seat Maintenance

tronsr1

Thanks traderAlex,
I have been using the Armorall Leather "cleaner/conditioner, however; after reading your posts, I am going to the separate "cleaner' and then the "conditioner" bottles of Lexol. Although, I will say, my leather in the Ford Escape looks good, as I have been doing the Armorall cleaner/conditioner since day one and they look good.
Walmart carries both brands,,,so... off to Walmart sometime this weekend to give Lexol {and Walmart} some of my money.
Keep up the great info posts.
TRON

dhanley

The earlier posts from the person who works in the leather industry that all major products are pretty good had encouraged me to kep using the meguiar's gold class. It's a one-step process, and pretty easy, so it encourages me to do it much more frequently, and i used to get a waxy residue from the lexol. I have been doing it more than once per month, but that's because we both had pretty dry leather in our cars. The BMW's leather has softened up, so i'll probably drop down to every 2 months or so on that. The saab's leather is still pretty hard, and it feels dry. I don't know why it hasn't responded as much to the treatment, but the leathers are clearly of a quite different variety.

dave

traderalex1

If the one step product is working for you, and you are satisfied, then by all means stick with it. I am just of the mindset that it makes better sense for the leather to let the conditioner do its work independent of a cleaning action. But I think the key Mantra we have been discussing here, "If its a nationally recognized brand, and you are pleased with it, then stick with it.

The BMW leather is known in the trade to be particularly nice. In fact, its left-over cuttings tend to be the most sought after in the scrap leather trade (yes, scrap a whole different market niche, and a thriving one at that). The Saab tannage, while I can't be certain, is probably influenced by GM. If you are having trouble with that upholstery remaining stiff and dry, I think is probably ideal chance for you to try a dedicated conditioner, only. Those seats may benefit from several treatments of a good, deep-soaking conditioner. Try the Lexol product or Hyde Food (if your arm can stand it). You may be surprised, as I think if you try this you will find that a relative softness will return to the Saab leather. You may be able to go back to your one-step product, once you get a base softness worked back into the leather.

darbh

Intuitively, it would seem that two-step products would make the most sense: if the leather was not dirty, one would not unnecessarily apply cleaner to it, though I do not doubt TraderAlex1's statement that if the one-step is working, OK.

traderalex1

Below is an attached message I received from the customer service department of the Seton Company.
As you remember from our discussions, Seton is one of the three American automotive leather tanners who pioneered the current technology for leather seating, and who now dominate the world market. Again, this advice comes from the horse's mouth, one of the tanners who actually produces the leather. Their advice is essentially similar to the advice you will find on the Eagle Ottawa web site. Note, in particular, what they say about using saddle soap.
Obviously,they discourage its use.

QUOTE
Leather is the easiest of all upholstery materials to clean and care for. Our firm recommends a very mild solution of lukewarm water and a detergent free soap. Moisten a soft cloth or a sponge in the solution and apply
gently, in a circular motion, to all soiled portions of the leather, taking care not to soak the seats. Remove the lather with a clean damp cloth, rubbing lightly to restore the original luster.

For conditioning, several quality leather conditioning products are available at your local auto parts store. Take care in following the
products usage instructions.

Please do not use: Polishes, Oils, Ammonia, Cleaning Fluids, Solvents, or Detergents to clean your leather upholstery. We also discourage the use of saddle soap on your leather seats as this will actually dry the leather out. (Automotive leather is not processed in the same manner as saddles, shoes,etc.)

The texture and warmth of your interior will improve with age. Over time you will notice what appears to be wrinkles in your seating. This is a natural characteristic that enhances the appearance of your vehicle.

These and other natural markings of the hide, visible healed scars and scratches, are not defects but serve as conclusive proof that yours is genuine leather.

END QUOTE

nicolek

..... and of course it rained!!! I own a 2001 Toyota Rav4 with leather trimmed interior. I dried it all down with a towel, and is buckling. What can I do????? Would appreciate any advise or comments. I would also like to hear that everything will dry back to normal!!!!! Thanks.

darbh

I would keep it out of hot conditions, but with the windows open, until it dries (which means keeping it in a garage, probably). Fast drying leather is usually not be a good idea.

Also, I would try to avoid sitting on the seats that got soaked (to avoid stretching the wet leather). This may be easier said than done, if it is your daily driver and you need to go to work.

traderalex1

Nicolek-I checked with some experts in the trade, today, regarding your report. Unfortunately, it is not a good thing, if the seats became totally saturation. It is difficult to comment without seeing the result, but there is a chance this may have caused some damage. Typically, an SUV upholstery will likely be tanned to be fairly hearty because of the vehicle type. That will give some "plus" in your favor, there. But if it was truly saturated nearly 100pct with rain water, there is a risk of shrinkage. That may be part of the buckling you are seeing. The advice by the other forum member is pretty much what the trade experts also said: put the vehicle somewhere, out of the sun, and allow the seats to dry, thoroughly. Don't try to force dry them.
Yes, if you avoid using the vehicle, this is better, to reduce the chance of creasing and/or wrinkling. This might take a few days to really dry out. You should be able to tell by touch. After you are sure that the leather is try, apply some conditioner, and care for the leather as you normally would do. Just hope for the best outcome. Trying to bring it back slowly will serve you better, than trying to tend to it under panic conditions. Good luck.

lokki

to draw some of the water into the towel rather than into the foam below the leather?

This would also keep the top of the leather moist as the bottom, so the two sides don't dry at different rates.

I've had this problem with an upholstered car - not leather.... and that's what I did. Changing the towels every few hours at first.

I also put a small electric fan in the car to circulate the air...

hoping to avoid mold.

Comments Alex? You're our real expert here... I sure don't want to suggest anything that would hurt more than help.

traderalex1

Yeah, I think the idea of using the towels to try and draw the water out is a good idea. A small electric fan is not a bad idea at all, either, for the reasons you mentioned. It needs to be a slow process. The problem is that none of us are there to put our hands on the leather to check for current level. Nicolek will have to use his own judgement, but I think it is crucial not to try and force-dry it. That will just make the situation much worse than it is. After describing the event, one expert in our industry trade was not too optimistic that some damage has not taken place. So it is a question of trying to recover the best you can. Nicolek, please let us know how it is working out for you over the next few days. Fingers and toes crossed for you.

nova_73

I have some small marks in the passenger seat of a Volvo wagon that has only 5,000 miles...the dealer service rep had trouble seeing them.
The dealer has set up a meeting with the factory rep to look at the seat. This is probably the least used seat in the car and have no idea how long they were there. I am worried that the holes...they don't go through the seat... will get worse. Do you thing Volvo will replace the seat or repair it for free, or charge me?

I am surprise that leather seats would be so easily damaged. I have a leather brief case that has been getting abused for 2 years and that is still in great shape. Could there be something wrong with the leather?

traderalex1

Nova-hard for me to advise an opinion, without seeing the problem that you describe. But I will take a stab at what I think you may be seeing.
I am a hide trader by profession, and you have to remember how that leather started out. It was originally on the back of a cow, somewhere. Depending from which tanner Volvo sourced that leather: The hides of U.S. origin cattle are frequently subject to barb wire damage or fence abrasion in the feedlots, on the range, wherever.
European cattle are typically grazed in the vincinity of a lot of trees, fences, close quarters, etc. The bottom line, if the cow get's a itch, they are prone to brush themselves aggressively against the nearest object they can find, for relief. This will frequently result in some kind of damage to the grain in the animal's hide, under its hair. Pretty much leathers of all types are subject to this kind of "natural" defect. The leather tanners, particularly the automotive tanners, go to great lengths to correct the grain on the leather they produce. They higher end leathers, which are used in the higher end cars (Volvo will qualify in this niche), will usually have some kind of hair cell imprinted or embossed onto the leather to further mask any defects. But you can never eliminate all of the defects, entirely. They do a very good job at masking defects, extraordinary, actually. But if you know what to look for, you can probably find some very subtle evidence on a spot where a cow got sratched in a previous life. They are indeed hard to find (after all, who wants to buy a $40K car with scratchy leather?). Your text makes it obvious that what you seeing is not readily apparent. So not seeing this for myself, I am suspecting that what you are seeing is some residual grain damage in the leather. I would not give this a further thought. It is natural, it should really cause you no problems down the road. I can show you the same in my own Audi A6, or even in any $80K S Class Mercedes you choose.

traderalex1

Sorry, its late at night for me. I forgot to mention one other very prominent cause of residual damage to leather-insects. Cattle are under constant attack by a wide variety of insects: ticks, flies, various types of beetles, all of whom can latch on to the animal's skin for a meal. The insects frequently leave very small holes in the flesh, and this can also be a cause of the residual evidence that Nova is seeing. The situation with insect damage to hides is much worse in Mexico or South America. I have seen insect damage on wetblue hides down there that is so severe, one would swear a piranha took a bite out of it...no exaggeration.

h00k

One of the seats in my car has a slight nick in the leather, it appears to have been caused by a sharp object. About 1/4 of an inch long, I would guess about 1/3 to 1/2 through the leather iteslf (didn't penetrate all the way).

If it matters, this is high-end leather seating (Lexus LS).

Is there something I can use to bond this tiny slit back together so it doesn't get any worse? I've considered superglue, but don't want to muck things up. The edges are quite clean - not torn.

any suggestions?

jeffmust2

Andrew,

Just purchased a '98 LS400 and the driver's seat had a small, ragged tear, about 1-1.25 inch in length by 1/16 to 1/8" in width. Some of it penetrated the leather, some of it was just the top layer. This tear helped me get a decent deal on the vehicle with only 22k miles.

From my successful repair experience ten years ago with a 1989 Acura Legend with the same hole-in-leather-seat problem, I just checked a local Yellow Pages under the Auto Upholstery topic, called a guy that primarily advertised for auto leather repairs, and the quote was $100. Funny, I recall paying about that much back in 1989.

My local Lexus service mgr also recommended a guy and I ended-up having him do the repair, complete with a minor resurface/dye job on the seat bottom.
Total charge was $95, in line with the first quote.

End result? - my picky wife can't tell the difference between the front two seat bottoms.

Amazing to watch them make the repair if you have the time. Good luck!

h00k

I'm not sure I want to send it out to be repaired yet. It's in the back seat, and hasn't yet even gone through the leather yet. But I will definately keep an eye onit, and if I can't fix it myself with something watch it closely to have it repaired before it spreads.

Anyone have a self-help fix? This spot is really small, and not through the leather yet, and nice clean edges. Gotta be something that will work...

jeff, side question: If you don't mind me asking, what kind of deal did you get when you bought your '98? I just got mine - a '97, and it has about twice as many miles as yours. And I understand if you don't like to disclose that kind of stuff, so don't hesitate to just say you don't talk about $$$....

regards,
Andy

jeffmust2

Hey, that's why we're on these boards!

But so as to not bore all the other lurkers, just send me your email URL and I'll be glad to swap lies!

Jeff
jeffmust@aol.com

tendons

My 01 e55 with light grey/charcoal, ventilated seats, has small waves in the seats, enough so that I keep trying to smooth them out, about three on each seat, about three inches long and one-half inch or three eights inch high. The car has 8000 miles and does stay in the sun alot, but with the sun-roof screen closed. The seat themselves and the seat backs also just look like the leather is sometwhat loose. Any suggestions, ideas?

traderalex1

I think what you are seeing is probably the result of normal, environmental conditions to which the leather is exposed. Some leather seats can become a bit wavy, others stay smooth. There can be any number of reasons why these waves have formed, and probably little you can do other than to keep hitting the seats with a conditioner on a regular basis. My Audi leather does not "factory tight" on the seats anymore, either. As your vehicle is fairly new, and given the class of car, I would take it back to the dealer and play the role of a disappointed but polite customer. Generally, there is a fairly high instinct to please at Mercedes dealers. They may be willing to address the issue for you.

tendons

thanks Alex; I'll give the dealer a try. I have some concern because Im leasing and wish to not have to buy a new leather interior after three years.

w_harris

Does anyone know of a method for removing a 1/2" ball point pen mark from the back seat of my 2001 Lexus GS430 (ivory leather)? Tried Zaino cleaner...no luck.

I have read nearly every post on this board but have not seen a definitive answer to this problem.Thanks.

traderalex1

See if you can find the discussion we had a few weeks ago, when a Chysler owner accidently got red newsprint ink on his seating. This is never a good development, but the R&D people at the tanners would encourage you to try and very carefully work the stain out with either Fantastik or a dish washing liquid. In the case of the dish washing liquid, I raise a personal concern to be cautious, because some of them are dyed either green or a dark amber. And this might make your problem worse. Test on an inconspicuous spot, first. The key is not to over-saturate the leather with water. Apply with a sponge or soft cloth, work on the area, then rinse and completely dry the area. Then start again. You may have to attempt 15-20 repetitions of cautious and careful scrubbing, rinsing, and drying. If the target area feels like it is building up excess moisture-STOP, and let it dry before trying again. If this is not wholly successful, your next best ally will be continued seat using, and sun exposure. Depending on whether your auto glass is UV shielded, or not, exposure to sunlight during several months of normal driving should play a role in breaking down the ink pigment, and severity of the blemish.
You definitely do not want to risk using any solvents or other potent cleaners, as these will almost certainly damage the leather's top coating.

zoe22

It seems that after a trip to the park yesterday, a passenger left a small mark on the seat of my new VW Passat (black leather). I am almost certain that it is tree sap. Any suggestions? I already tried cleaning the area with water and pure liquid soap (as suggested in the manual) as well as a leather cleaner/conditioner. PLEASE HELP! Any and all suggestions are welcomed and greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance!

dhanley

Thanks for the advice about the hide food. I can't seem to find any around here, so can anyone suggest a good place to order some from online? Does it just cost sixteen bucks?

I beleive you about the relative quality of the BMW and saab leather. The BMW seats look new aside from a scuff on the driver's outside bolster, despite 4.5 years in albuquerque and very little care until i got it. Yet the single step softened them up right away. The saab's been 1/2 in minnesota before coming here, and its side bolster is badly worn, and its leather is very dry.

dave

noelbong

Hi, traderalex, I was refered to you by Drew, a host for the ML forum.

While cleaning the seats in my ML320, I noticed 2 scratches. one about an inch long and 1/4 inch wide, and one is a slight scratch (the kind you see if you brush it one direction but disappears if you brush it the opposite direction).

I was wondering if you can advise me on any leather repair kit that I can use. The scratches are too small to take to a leather repair place. Thank you in advance.

johnnnyc

Hey all-

I'm finally getting my first new car (after about a zillion years of waiting) - a 2002 MB ML320.

In a momentary burst of insanity, despite the fact that I have a baby on the way (due in January), I ordered a java interior (light beige).

It's too late to turn back now - and I'm due to get the car in November.

Any hints on what I can do to ensure that the interior - specifically those nice light leather seats - stays new?

I figured a good hit (immediately upon receipt of the car) of a leather conditioner should be a good start, followed by regular cleaning and conditioning.

I've got some Lexol - but I notice mine says 'rejuvenator' or something similar. Do I need new car Lexol (if such a thing exists)? Is there something better than Lexol (OK, I'm opening up a religious argument here).

TIA for any suggestions,
-John

noelbong

I had a ballpoint pen mark on my leather sofa and was advised by the furniture store (higher end furniture store)personnel to use hair spray to remove the ink mark. I did and the ballpoint pen mark was gone easily. However, the hair spray also caused a slight shine that can be noticed if looked closely at an angle. If you are going to try hair spray make sure it only touches the soiled area. I suggest try folding a paper towel a few times and only using a tip/corner of the folded paper towel with a little hair spray and carefully go along the ballpoint ink mark. Hope this helps.

noelbong

Andy or anyone who is concerned,
As I mentioned in my post#476 about some scratches I have on my ML320 back seat, I got one of them fixed using a do-it-yourself kit. (I couldn't find the other lesser scratch)
I am pleased with the result even though it was my first try. I got the kit from Wal-Mart's auto section, price:$5.95. I did it following the simple instruction that comes with the product. The tricky part is the mixing of colors to get it to match your leather. After some trials & errors, I got mine to be a near perfect match. I checked 3 sites on the internet selling similar products, prices are: $14.95, $29.95 & $49.95 (or somewhere in the ball park).

acuraowner

The leather in my car seems to be of extremely low quality from what I have read here. Its extremely coarse on the high traffic areas of the seat and there is a 3" long scar on the passenger seat. It has held up extremely well though, its still is tight and the only area that shows wear is the side bolster, its shiny and starting to wear through. I had my leather done aftermarket which I regret doing, the leather the comes on Acura's from the factory is 10 times better then what I have.

ls400boi

I recently bought a 1990 Lexus LS400 with light tan colored interior. I've successfully cleaned and conditioned the leather with Eagle One products that I bought at a local auto parts store. However, there are some very noticeable cracks on the front seats. I'd like to fill them with a colored filling. I'm thinking about trying leather renew (www.leatherrenew.com). Has anyone had luck with this product? In addition, if I re-color the entire interior, will that soften the leather any further or simply restore the original color?

wilcox

For over 2 1/2 all I've don is wipe down the seats with a moist clean towel. After reading here, went to Walmart and got some of that Tanners Preserve.
I cleaned the seats with a moist mit and very diluted car wash detergent followed by thorough towel drying. Applied the Tanners Preserve twice and buffed with soft towel obtained from Ritz Carlton.
The seats feel very good. Slick but not Armorally if you know what I mean (I hate armorall products). The leather seats look wonderful. SVT put in some nice tan all leather seats in this car! I'm a happy baby... : ^ )

thanks, wil

kokketiel

We have an ML430 Mercedes with the beige "java" interior. Recently I noticed that the lumbar area of the driver's seat is fairly dirty if you look at it closely. I have been trying to clean it for the last few weeks with various cleaners, E.g. Meguair's cleaner/conditioner, Lexol seperate cleaner and conditioner, and even mild detergent. I have tried various applicators like terry cloth, soft bristle brush, sponge. It does seem to get slightly better, but is still fairly noticable up close.

I looks like the "dirt" (a grayish colour) is trapped in the micro grooves, and no amount of rubbing seems to dislodge it. I am getting worried about damaging the leather, so I am using more of the conditioners to offset the cleaning.

My next step will probably be to try Leatherique, if I can find a place to buy it.

Any advice from the experts? I have read through the most recent 100-200 posts.

Thanks,
Daniel

johnnnyc

I'm sorry I don't have any advice, but had a question for you - I recently ordered my ML320 with a Java interior, and I'm having second thoughts. Are they tough to keep clean?

With regards to leatherique - check the m-class mailing list. They have the name of the site, plus an applicable m-class mailing list discount.

kokketiel

johnnyc,

Except for the problem I described above, we have been very happy with the interior. I do take reasonable care with it. The colour is so much nicer than the grey or black, especially with our Azure Blue exterior. I think if you choose a lighter interior colour it will always be more difficult to keep clean than, say, black. I don't think we will easily choose another colour. At least it is not the light cream or white in some cars...

Do you perhaps have a URL for the m-class mailing list?

almagg

Just got a '97 Buick Skylark 2-door and it is niice. The woman took great care of it.
It has gray cloth(i think) seats, but I was thinking of getting leather. Of course replacing the seats would probably cost way too much.
Any info/experience on leather seat covers? Is leather really a pain in tropical weather?
Seems to me they wouldn't absorb sweat etc... like cloth would. I would probably try for some nice soft leather if not expensive.
Thanks.
Al

acuraowner

Leather isnt really a very good idea in the south. It doesnt really let any air to your posterior. If your a/c is just adequate you will still sweat to your seat after a long drive. Leather doesnt really absorb any odors so if it does stink its just on the surface and is easily cleaned. Also be careful when your car has been sitting in the direct sun all day, the leather does tend to get quite hot.

traderalex1

Sorry, all. Have not been able to check the forum for a couple weeks. Much of my business in the trade is done via crossing of international borders, or ocean transport. Needless to say, since the WTC disaster, the necessary added security has caused a lot of stranding and/or delays of cargos, that I have to sort out with upset customers.

I have never tried one of those leather repair kits that another forum member mentioned he as able to use, successfully. I would gather, for relatively minor scratches as he described, you probably could get away it. Matching black is a probably a no brainer, but might be tricky matching for other colors such as various shades of grey or maroon. As the repair would be a very topical correction, I would believe that it will need to be reapplied, eventually. But if the time between reappliations is lengthy and not brief, go ahead and try it. For really minor scratches, I have usually found that the use of a conditioner will usually blend them away until the next cleaning service is due.

Biege leather-yes, that's a tough one. Beige probably provides the most splendid or lavish look for most car interiors, but it is truly a pain to keep clean and looking good for the long haul. It is a leather color that I personally would avoid for that reason. Small children in the family, especially, forget beige! I think, generally, you have to be on top of cleaning beige with a cleaner almost continuously. Needing likley far more frequent cleanings and conditioning than other colors, in a bid to stay ahead of the dirt. It's not just dirt that affects the leather in our seats. There is even the possibility of a transfer of dyes from our clothing as we perrespire (ie: blue jeans), that can lead to some shadowing on the seats bottoms, in time. I am not really sure it pays to drive one's self crazy trying to stay ahead of these issues. You use the car, you enjoy, and you do what you can to keep it looking good, relative to your use. But I have always observed that beige leathers generally look more aged than other possible colors. Its just the nature of the beast. You can try to a professional detailer to see if they can lift the shadow off the seat. But there is a limit to how much you should try to do, without risking damage to the top coating.

I don't really feel terribly confident about how well those so-called crack filling products work with leather. Especially with temperature changes hot and cold, I have to wonder how well they will peform. Something I don't think I would ever try. I don't have any confidence at all in those systems redye an entire seating surface. Placing dye into a small scratch area is one thing. But correct automotive leather dyeing is a full-pentration process accomplished by drum dyeing. These recoloring systems would be purely a topical application. They will be missing any of the proprietary topcoat technology that is applied to modern automotive leathers (this includes UV resistance). I wonder, also, how well the new dye job can absorb into the original top coat that will still be present. I really doubt this kind of job can look good or remain as a durable finish for very long. If it is a nice car that you really like and intend to keep, you are probably better spending money visiting an after-market auto leather upholstery shop. At least you will get quality results that will stick around for a while.

dhvyl

cookie22

My Van has 35000 mi. and the drivers seat is showing considerable wear . The dealer says it's not defective but is worn. The Van is still under warrenty, should it be replaced???