Overview and Before Pictures
Here we have a ’99 Chrysler LHS that, quite frankly, has been a bit neglected for the past 10 years. The customers biggest concern was to bring the interior back to life. I don’t think that the leather had ever been cleaned, and it was showing a bit of wear. I saw this as a great opportunity to outline the processes of simple leather restoration.
Even in a short period of time, light colored leather in particular starts to get soiled from dirt, grime, perspiration, airborne contaminants, etc. Without the occasional cleaning, this will build up over time making it quite difficult to remove. Since this vehicle probably was never cleaned, I knew it was going to require a lot of effort.
Given this, I decided to use Leatherique as it has always performed very well with the more challenging leather restoration jobs. Two products are actually used were Rejuvenator Oil and Prestine Clean. The Leatherique system works backwards compared to what you’re normally used to. First you use the conditioner, and then you use the cleaner! Yes, it sounds counter-intuitive, but it works (well)!
For the before and after photos, I tried to use the exact same lighting and exposure setting so they are all accurate comparisons. I also do not use any post-processing either other than to re-size and add a border.
Here are a few before pictures showing the condition of the interior. As always, the driver’s seat was the worst.
Here you can see that the lumbar support is actually cracking.
Passenger seat:
Leatherique Rejuvenator Oil – Step 1
The first step in the process is to vacuum the surfaces to make sure all of the debris is picked up.
Here I have the Rejuvenator Oil and Prestine Clean ready to go. To make it easier, I utilize a spray nozzle on the Prestine Clean, and I put the Rejuvenator Oil in a small bowl and apply it with a foam brush. Leatherique recommends applying it with your hands so you can rub it in, but I find that I have much more control of the Oil when using the brush. After I have applied it with the brush however, I will then go back and massage it into the surface of the leather with my bare hands.
Here I am applying the Rejuvenator Oil. Be sure to get a thick coating everywhere, and work it into the stitching as well. After you’re done applying the product, you can further work it into the surface, folds, seams, and stitching either with your hands or with a leather brush.
You can see where the seating surface is completely coated.
The Rejuvenator Oil works with time and heat. The best way to allow the product to work is to roll up the windows, and let the car sit outside in the sunshine for the day to create a steam room effect. During this time it conditions the surface and brings all of the dirt, grime, salt, and other toxins to the top leaving a sticky or tacky finish before it’s removed. I prefer to let it sit for about a 24 hour period. If it’s cooler outside, you’ll need to leave it on longer. You could cover the seats with plastic wrap and heat it up with a hair dryer (or drive around with the heater and seat warmers on!)
Here’s a good tip. If you need the ability to pull the car in and out of the garage, then cut up a large plastic garbage bag and cover the seat. You won’t have the worry of getting the Oil all over yourself, and the plastic won’t remove it from the leather. Afterwards I wipe down the plastic, fold it up, and store it in the cabinet for future use.
Fast forward now to 24 hours later…
Leatherique Prestine Clean – Step 2
Now that you’re done with the first step, it’s time to clean the surface off with Prestine Clean. You’ll need to have a bucket of warm water, a soft brush and towel, and a spray nozzle for the next stage as the Prestine Clean isn’t thick like the Rejuvenator Oil.
First, spray the Prestine Clean directly on the leather surface.
Now you want to use your leather brush and work the product in. Pay particular attention to the creases, seams, and stitching. You’ll quickly see the grime being removed. If you don’t have a leather brush, you can simply use a microfiber towel.
Now that you’ve worked that particular area, wet your towel in the bucket, wring it out, and then wipe down the leather to reveal a remarkable new look. I like to wipe it down, rinse out the towel, and then wipe it once again with the same towel. Next grab a dry towel, and lightly buff the surface. After I’ve done this, I’ll then move on to the next section and spray, scrub, wipe and buff. In this picture the surface has already been wiped down…look at the difference in the color of the leather in comparison to the photo above!
Since this process removes so much dirt and grime, you’ll probably want to refresh your bucket with clean water halfway through the cleaning to make sure you’re not re-introducing dirt (or use a two-bucket method).
In this photo, the passenger seat has been finished, but not the driver’s seat…notice the difference in color on this one as well.
Leatherique: Before and After Photos
Passenger seat before:
Passenger seat after:
Driver seat before:
Driver seat after:
Driver seat before:
Driver seat after:
For convenience, DI has both a Leatherique 16oz kit and a Leatherique 32oz kit available in cost savings packages.
I hope you found the tutorial to be helpful, and please let me know if you have any additional comments or questions below.
Yes it does thank you.
Todd –
this is the best step-by-step guide I have found on the whole Internet! My question is when I’m finished with the process the seats feel kind of dry. The surface is not shiny which I believe is a good thing but I was hoping to improve the elasticity of the leather a bit. Do I need to repeat the process to make sure the RO is absorbed fully or am I too light on the final step involving the cleaner? I have ’06 BMW 325 in black leather. Thank you!
Peter,
Thanks and I’m glad you found the tutorial to be helpful!
Yes, when you complete the process the leather should have a matte finish to it. As for it feeling “dry”, that may just be the grain of leather used which has a big impact on the overall feel of it. Some automotive leather has a nice, supple feel while others have a bit more of a tight, rough feel even after using Leatherique. Provided that you used a liberal amount of RO and allowed it to sit on the surface for plenty of time (I typically give it 24 hours), then the leather should have been fully conditioned. Keep in mind that the surface can continue to soften up over the next week or two. If at that time you feel that it could use more, then do a second application making sure that you use plenty of RO, then massage it in with your hands, and give it overnight to dwell before doing your final process with PC.
I just had the Leatherique Treatment performed on the seats of my 2004 Infiniti G35x by Todd… AMAZING.. the driver seat outer bolster was hard and glossy and was starting to show the telltale signs of aged leather.. lots of creasing and potential cracking if not treated soon… after the treatment, the seats had a nice soft matte looking finish, very pliant to the touch.. very soft and comfortable to sit in… and had that nice “new leather” scent restored… feel good, look good..and smell good!
simply amazing Todd!! Thank you sir!!
Thanks for chiming in Rick, and I’m glad to hear that you were so happy with the results. Your car was definitely a good candidate for the Leatherique process, and it most definitely made a big difference in both the look and feel of the leather.
hi i had a q…if i were to apply just the Oil but then instead of the Clean, can i use something else instead ..like Auto Glym or Meguiars leather cleaner??thanks
That’s not something I would recommend. Prestine Clean was designed specifically to work together and remove the tacky residue left behind by RO, and to leave a pure, clean finish. If you use an off-brand leather cleaner as a substitute, you may not fully remove the residue, and you’ll be putting the waxes and oils back on the seats that you just worked to remove.
Todd,
I am planning on ordering my leatherique kit, including the dye for my black leather seats in my 2007 Acura TL. The seats that you used the oil and cleaner on look great, but there are still cracks and in my case, some faded areas. Would you recommend using the dye? And if so , how would you recommend me going about and doing that?
If you have cracks and noticeable wear in the leather, then you should consider repairing and redying them, or hiring a specialist that it can do it for you. The Leatherique repair and redye kits are available directly from Leatherique, and they can help you with product recommendations and instructions for use. Thanks.
I used the twins on my leather his weekend. I though my leather was pretty clean because I regularly used “quality” cleaners and conditioners. I was wrong. The water bucket was filthy.
I’m glad you achieved such stellar results with the Leatherique products Greg, and it doesn’t surprise me. I too have worked on black seats where people “thought” they had taken good care of them, only to find that the rinse bucket afterwards was black with dirt, oils, grime, etc. It’s truly a fantastic product(s) that works as advertised!
I have factory white seats with black perforated inserts and the white didn’t even appear to be too bad before either.
Hey Todd, thank you for the detailed demo. You’ve confirmed everything good I’ve heard about Leatherique products.
I’m wondering, however, if these two Leatherique products will do as well on vinyl as they would on leather? And by “vinyl”, I am specifically referring to Mercedes’ MB-TEX seats and door panels, for which I have tried several products and yet nothing seems to give it the matte clean look that I like… It simply looks “dull” and with my seats being black in color “dull” can look… well, faded and old, and yet this car is a 2008.
I do realize the value of a good product but if it is not going to work for my particular situation, it’ll be like throwing money away…
Thanks in advance!
Omar
For that I’d probably try 1Z Cockpit Premium to maintain a natural look, or you can use 303 Aerospace Protectant if you want to add a richness to the look.
Thank you Todd, I’ll give those a try!
Intresting results. would like to try
great article…. about to use the kit on an 89 325i vert….. I am about to go out of town for a week and was planning on leaving the Rejuvenator Oil on while I was gone… So it would be on for a week while the car sits in an unconditioned attached garage…. Is it alright to leave it on for a week? thanks
I don’t think it would be an issue to leave it on that long. It won’t condition it “more” because it’s been on longer, but it shouldn’t harm anything either.
I have creases in my truck from where I sit. Will these products get the creases out? I noticed on the car above it cleaned it very well but the creases are pretty much still there. Is there anything to get the creases out? Thank you!!
Casey,
Leather is a natural product, and will have / get creases and such in it that will not come out…just a nature of the beast so to speak. The Leatherique system will deeply penetrate and plump up the fibers, therefore helping to reduce fine creases, but it will not get rid of the bigger ones. There are no products out there that will cure this or prevent it from happening. But by keeping them properly conditioned, you will be able to keep them looking much better for longer.
As it is winter now, I’d like to get a comment on how do these products work in sub zero (celsius) degrees? It’s not too cold at the moment ranging maybe from -5 C to +5 C, but is the key leaving the RO for a longer period of time on the leather? For example apply RO to the seats and then cover the drivers seat with plastic bag so I’m able to use the car and whenever driving use the seat heater? Do this for 2-3 days and then proceed with the cleaning process? And I won’t be rubbing the dirt that came out from the leather back to the seat while driving?
Thank you for the great article and happy new year!
As I don’t know how RO would react in freezing temperatures, I wouldn’t recommend trying it that way. Doing it in a heated garage overnight would be great, but if you don’t have that option I would simply wait until the weather breaks before doing the treatment. In the meantime, you could simply apply Prestine Clean as a one-step maintenance application.
Thanks for your write-up. It’s been really helpful. However, I do have one question. After the Rejuvenator Oil has been “baking” on the leather, do I need to wipe it off before I spray on the Prestine Clean directly on the seats? Or do I just spray the Prestine Clean directly onto the RO covered seats? Thank you!
The Prestine Clean is designed to remove RO, so just spray it right on top of the RO residue. Thanks.