Rejuvinating leather seats

[Airborne001]

I posted this as a reply on another thread, but decided it deserved a thread of its own.

I just got my car a few months ago, and was amazed at how hardened the leather was. It ain't that way any more. You need about a quart of neatsfoot oil, and about 3 days that you are not going to drive the car, but you will be amazed at how soft this can make the seats again.

Neatfoot oil (get 100% pure at a local tack shop) is what we use on saddles to keep them looking new. Trust me, if this stuff can keep a saddle soft in the conditions it has to endure in the Sierra mountains of California , it will do wonders for your seats. Unlike other products, this stuff soaks right into the pores of the leather, but on coated seats like in the car, you have to give it time. Depending on what color interior you have, it will darken the seats a bit (perfect if you have black) but this will mellow in about a week.

You basically put it on with an applicator, (I used one of those dishwashing things that you put soap in the handle) and let it sit for 2-3 days in a cool place. Buff off any left on the surface ( I doubt there will be any) and you are good to go. You MAY want to use a towel to sit on the first time you drive it to make sure all has been absorbed and not ruin a $60 shirt.

This works much better than any of the other "conditioners" I have seen out there thart just treat the outer surface of the seats, and don't do anything to keep the interior structure of the leather supple.

[e34musician]

Thanks a lot for letting me know :) I just bought the car for 2 weeks. I've been trying to soften the backseat leather, but not successful. Will try this Neatfoot oil today. Can I find it at home depot?


I posted this as a reply on another thread, but decided it deserved a thread of its own.

I just got my car a few months ago, and was amazed at how hardened the leather was. It ain't that way any more. You need about a quart of neatsfoot oil, and about 3 days that you are not going to drive the car, but you will be amazed at how soft this can make the seats again.

Neatfoot oil (get 100% pure at a local tack shop) is what we use on saddles to keep them looking new. Trust me, if this stuff can keep a saddle soft in the conditions it has to endure in the Sierra mountains of California , it will do wonders for your seats. Unlike other products, this stuff soaks right into the pores of the leather, but on coated seats like in the car, you have to give it time. Depending on what color interior you have, it will darken the seats a bit (perfect if you have black) but this will mellow in about a week.

You basically put it on with an applicator, (I used one of those dishwashing things that you put soap in the handle) and let it sit for 2-3 days in a cool place. Buff off any left on the surface ( I doubt there will be any) and you are good to go. You MAY want to use a towel to sit on the first time you drive it to make sure all has been absorbed and not ruin a $60 shirt.

This works much better than any of the other "conditioners" I have seen out there thart just treat the outer surface of the seats, and don't do anything to keep the interior structure of the leather supple.

[Fetch]

I am interested in this, but I have WHITE leather, should I not use this stuff?...

[jnmip]

Thanks a lot for letting me know :) I just bought the car for 2 weeks. I've been trying to soften the backseat leather, but not successful. Will try this Neatfoot oil today. Can I find it at home depot?
I did a search and found it here:

http://www.nrvss.com/item.php?item=/pure-neatsfoot-oil.html

[Bill R.]

past and found that Dr. Jackson's hide rejuvenator as found here (http://www.tandyleather.com/products.asp?Dept=140)
worked the best for me, better than neetsfoot oil or mink oil. All of them will darken up the cracks and creases in coated leather like bmw uses. It will lighten back up some after a couple of weeks, Dr. J's seems to darken the cracks less. I use it on a really hot day and rub it in all over the seats and then cover them up with plastic or saran wrap. and let i soak in all day. Sometimes i have had to repeat it 2 or 3 days in a row to get any softening on really hard leather. Then wipe it off with a soft cloth and buff off.
Any of these if you coat the seats and let the car sit in the sun will tend to leave a coating on the inside glass that you'll have to clean off with glass cleaner.
The color plus leather conditioner works really well also, but usually hand in hand with redying the seats using the color plus process.






I posted this as a reply on another thread, but decided it deserved a thread of its own.

I just got my car a few months ago, and was amazed at how hardened the leather was. It ain't that way any more. You need about a quart of neatsfoot oil, and about 3 days that you are not going to drive the car, but you will be amazed at how soft this can make the seats again.

Neatfoot oil (get 100% pure at a local tack shop) is what we use on saddles to keep them looking new. Trust me, if this stuff can keep a saddle soft in the conditions it has to endure in the Sierra mountains of California , it will do wonders for your seats. Unlike other products, this stuff soaks right into the pores of the leather, but on coated seats like in the car, you have to give it time. Depending on what color interior you have, it will darken the seats a bit (perfect if you have black) but this will mellow in about a week.

You basically put it on with an applicator, (I used one of those dishwashing things that you put soap in the handle) and let it sit for 2-3 days in a cool place. Buff off any left on the surface ( I doubt there will be any) and you are good to go. You MAY want to use a towel to sit on the first time you drive it to make sure all has been absorbed and not ruin a $60 shirt.

This works much better than any of the other "conditioners" I have seen out there thart just treat the outer surface of the seats, and don't do anything to keep the interior structure of the leather supple.

[Airborne001]

Can I find it at home depot?

I'm not sure they would carry it, try looking under tack or saddles or saddlery to make sure you get stuff made just for leather. Trust me, where you live there are going to be tack shops around. I think there is a huge one in Gilroy, at least there was 10 years ago....


I am interested in this, but I have WHITE leather, should I not use this stuff?...

White leather might be pushing things This stuff is an oil, so it is going to darken it. Since all the other color leathers fade over time, this is not a problem but a benefit. Whit white you want the opposite, to keep it white.

I like the idea of the saran wrap, that might be the way to go with white leather.

[saj3n]

How many of the "jars" did you have to use to complete all seats? The product container looks a bit small in the pictures.

[Michael999]

For AUS members, seems this place is selling it.
http://www.vetstop.com.au/shop/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=273&hid=3&cat=Leather+Care
Ill be ordering some tonight! :D

What sort of quantities should i be ordering? i was just going to get the 5L just incase, but if thats silly overkill for a couple of complete treatments then ill go smaller.

[Alexlind123]

My seats seem to be coated, will this help? Also, im guessing its best to thoroughly clean the seats beforehand, is htis correct?

[jkromelow]

Try

http://www.leatherique.com/

http://www.leatherique.com/serv02.htm

leather restoration products...good instructions...there is a yahoo group of people that just resotre leather using these products. I have seen some examples of complete restorations using the products and the results were amazing. I am resorting the leatheron my steering wheel next week..getting rid of the wear spots...

[Bill R.]

easily do all the seats. Its extremely slimey and a little bit goes a long way.
It worked the best on solution dyed leather like some of the sterlings had in them. The bmw leather by its nature is a coating on top of the leather and it makes it harder for any of these conditioners to penetrate except where there are cracks and creases. Thats why if the leather is really bad off you end up having to do the color plus or leatherique process where you wetsand the surface to remove the color and open up the pores of the leather so the conditioners will soak in. But this is only done if your redying the seats like this onehttp://www.bimmernut.com/%7Ebillr/images/635seatfinished1.jpg








How many of the "jars" did you have to use to complete all seats? The product container looks a bit small in the pictures.

[Ross]

Try Effax Lederbalsam (leatherbalm). Also available at tack stores. A very good product imho that didn't darken my seats a bit. Also from the fatherland.

[Airborne001]

Neatsfoot oil goes a LONG way, I have a gallon jug that I have had for a year and it is only half gone. Keep in mind that you can use this stuff on anything leather. Purses, shoes, belts...anything, just don't ever use it on suade.

[Paul in NZ]

how did yoyclean the leather?

[Airborne001]

My seats seem to be coated, will this help? Also, im guessing its best to thoroughly clean the seats beforehand, is htis correct?

This will help with all seats, and yes, you should clean them well first. Lexol has a good cleaner that is pretty mild but does a good job.

I didn't think this was going to be such a controvery, but I just wanted to point out one thing. When you are comparing vinyl to leather, there are some huge differences. With Vinyl you are just treating the very outer surface of the product. Leather is an entirely different animal ;) . With leather you have to be able to care for the entire structure, therefor you need something that is going to be absorbed by ALL the layers, not just the surface.

A lot of the leather care products out there do great at treating the surface, and can be used, but first you have to condition the entire structure of the leather with oils to get rid of the "cast iron" feeling. Then you can follow with any leather wax/conditioner you like for the surface.

[fujioko]

I picked up a gallon at a local tack supply. I gave $22.00 for it. Seems I'll have plenty left over.

Anyway the seats are soaking in the stuff... I guess I cant drive the car now.

[Airborne001]

As I said in the first post, you need a few days that you aren't going to drive it, after 48 hrs you can go buff the seats down with a towel, anything not absorbed by then is excess.

[Airborne001]

Wanted to bump this up and see how things went for those that have tried this.

[Jehu]

All i/ve tried is the leatherique Prestine Clean and Rejuvinator Oil . I don't think it did much other than remove a thin film of dirt. The leather is too hard to penetrate so from everything i read, unless i'm missing something, I need to do the wetsanding with their prepping agent which apparently then makes a redye neccesary....

[Russell]

I have used the leatherique 2 part process. I thought it helps soften a bit. However, not as much as I thought it would on the tops of the back seats. May try soaking with neatsfoot oil. Also, Lexol also makes a leather conditoner with neatsfoot oil.

[gtopaul]

After installing my new E32 drivers seat it was obvious that the leather was softer and in better shape than my original E34 seats. I happened to have some Lexol Neatsfoot laying about and decided to use that on the old seats. I put a heavy coating on with a small sponge and left it there overnight. I was suprised how much the old dry (cardboard like) leather drank up. I buffed them out and they are really much softer than before. I'll probably use one more time before the weather turns cooler and then it will be back to just Lexol regular conditioner/preservative to maintain the leather.

Paul

[Bimmerman]

Try Effax Lederbalsam (leatherbalm). Also available at tack stores. A very good product imho that didn't darken my seats a bit. Also from the fatherland.
I'm a big fan of Effax products.(Made in Germany) I used Effax Ledersoft (AU$23 for 1/2 litre from horseland) and got superb results where i had wet sanded the seats (only lightly, not enough to strip off all the colour) Took 4-5 applications on both front seats which were like dry cardboard before, now they are as soft as new. I had a few days to do it though. The back seat was already okay so difference wasn't as impressive.

[Airborne001]

The leather is too hard to penetrate

Unless someone has sprayed an epoxy/plastic coating on your seats, the neatfoot oil will soak right in.

[Tiger]

Your seat must have been recoated with dye. I have used Leatherique... it really does soften up the leather seat and take away heavy grime that no other cleaner can do.

[Russell]

Not to my knowledge. I am the second owner and I grilled the original owner (PO was an older lady) and they stated the seats have never been redyed.

This was the second time doing the Leatherique treatmment over a one year period. As I stated it just did not soften as much as I liked. It did clean very well and left a very nice mat finish. The tops of the rear seats were the only area that ssems to resist softening. Even then, there is significant improvement.

BTW, I had some Lexol neatsfoot oil leather conditioner. I applied a heavy amount on the top of my rear seats last evening. By noon today, much of it absorbed. Will check this evening to see if the area is softer.

[Airborne001]

You may have to do it a few times, I am pretty sure that is not 100% neatsfoot oil, and my be gassing off products instead of soaking in.

[Barry]

This is probably one of the best ideas to come from anyone for ages...
I applied the Neatsfoot oil 5 days ago and simply left the car standing.
Today I checked up the seats and found that a lot of the oil had been absorbed by the very dry leather..The rear headrests are like shriveled oranges and just as hard..Well,they are very dry of oil(Im re applying some now..)and are getting softer .I hope they might just loose that curvature and regain the original soft shape..
First pic is when I applied the oil very librerly,second is 5 days on..a definite absorbtion has taken place..Thanks Airborne..Great advice..
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b324/BarryHenning/DSC00530.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b324/BarryHenning/DSC00576.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b324/BarryHenning/DSC00577.jpg

[Fetch]

Barry, is your leather darker looking than it was before?

[Russell]

I agree. I am applying the Lexol neatsfoot oil conditioner on the top of my back seats. It almost all soaked in after a couple of days. Left it a bit softer. Plan to do again this week. I think it will condition almost as well as leatherique. However, not sure it it will clean very much.

[Barry]

Yes,Slightly..But I reckon its the original colour coming out now thats its nourished again...Cant be sure though..
Proded it with a finger last night and for all the oil absorbtion its still very hard in places..so I re applied again.It has al the time in the world to do its job...

[Barry]

Fetch,I oiled the steering wheel leather as well last night..The result is tremendous-The South African sun realy gets to cars here..
Why not do a patch on your white seats down below where its not noticeable??
Then again,it should be soft and new where its not exposed...

[Fetch]

hmm. Yeah, I might do that, thanks

[Barry]

Sorry to keep on bumping this topic,BUT..................
I cannot get over the amount of oil these seats are absorbing..and the steering wheel.I soak the steering at night,next morning its dry again..fully absorbed..
Ive now gone as far as oiling the 308`s MOMO steering that realy looks it age(1979)The result on this is amazing...
Fetch,dont hesitate mate,go for it..

[632 Regal]

yea, I'm going to start conditioning my new seat skin, you reminded me about the wheel, I'll start that as soon as I get home. really bad.