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.
Hey Todd,
great write up! Where can you purchase foam and leather brushes? Thanks!
Thanks Mike!
The foam brushes are available at just about any home supply stores in the paint section. As for the leather brush, you can do a search for them online, and you can probably find them locally as well in any leather specialty store.
Hi Todd,
Very good write up. Like Mike S asked, from where can be purchased the leather brush? You use only Leatherique for leather seats?
Sincerely,
Stelian
Thanks Stelian!
Wherever there’s leather inside the car, I’ll use Leatherique. Ferraris in particular have leather everywhere inside them, and I make sure that all surfaces are covered.
Hi Todd,
Im new to automotive detail scene. Im looking to add a leather treatment product to my detail arsenal. I’ve been leaning towards the leatherique stuff but ive been reading that leatherique should not be used on treated or “plastic covered” leather as they call it. I read a lot of ur threads on club rsx and i see that u use leatherique on most of ur detail jobs. What is ur opinion on using leatherique on “treated” leather??
Thanks!!
Rudy G.
Rudy,
All automotive leather utilizes some form of coating or another depending mostly on when it was made.
Yes I use Leatherique on most cars, new and old, and I do because IT WORKS! I use products based on their consistently proven results, and that is exactly what I get with Leatherique.
Once you use the product the way it was intended, and achieve the results, you will never look back!
Hi Todd. Short question. I have always taken a special care of the leather in my cars. I usually use conditioner (a good one) every 2 weeks or so, specially in the driver’s seat. After 2 years with my current car, some areas look dry. Im ready to try leatherique BUT, I wanted to ask how can I maintain the leather in between leatherique treatments. Can I just use a good conditioner? How often can I use leatherique?
Andrew,
Between full treatments you should just use the Prestine Clean for your maintenance. It makes a great all-in-one (cleaner, conditioner, protectant).
In most cases you should be fine with just a couple of full treatments per year. If the seats are very dry though, or they have a lot of buildup of oily conditioners, you may want to do a couple of treatments back to back.
Thanks,
Todd
Todd,
Just bought the products and I’m ready to do the full treatment on my Acura TL. After doing the full treatment what product do you recommend to use in order to protect it against UV rays, sun exposure, etc? and how often the application of said product be done in a yearly basis (live in Southern California)?
thanks much in advance for your response and advice.
-Kelvin-
Kelvin,
The Prestine Clean utilies UV protectants, so there’s no actual need for an additional product. You could use something like 303 Aerospace Protectant afterwards if you like, but it will change the look and feel slightly from that of the Leatherique.
Even on convertibles I just use the Leatherique twins on all of the leather surfaces, and then I recommend a monthly quick wipedown with Prestine Clean. Just spray it onto your rag this time, and then wipe it onto the leather surfaces. So use the complete system twice per year, and the Prestine Clean monthly.
I hope this helps.
Todd
Todd,
Are there any instances where a second application of Rejuvenator Oil is applied before the Pristine Clean step? My leather is in very good shape considering the car is 9 years old, however, I know that it’s never received a treatment like Leatherique. I used the Oil today and was wondering if I should apply a second coat in the morning, and do the Pristine Clean step on Sunday.
I’ve applied a second coat before on exceptionally dry/hard leather. While it may not be needed in your case, it definitely wouldn’t hurt. Keep in mind too that it will continue to condition and soften the leather for several weeks after the application.
Thanks for pointing out that it continues to do it’s magic after the application…… I never even considered that! I’ll plan on doing another application in the early fall, while it’s still warm here in SoCal.
Todd,
Great write up and thanks for the link to it. It looks like the links for the 16oz kit and 32oz kit are actually the same thing though.
Chris
Thanks Chris! And good catch on the link…fixed!
Hi Todd,
I’m about to order some detailing products from DI and am looking for something for my leather Lexus LS430 air-conditioned seats. I just used some Meguiar’s cleaner but it was plugging up the small perforations in the leather. Lexus sells special leather cleaner/conditioner but I was wondering if Leatherique is suitable for A/C seats or should I look for something else; or go to Lexus?
Thanks,
Ron
Ron,
Leatherique would actually work very well for that as the perforations allow for even better penetration of the product into the leather. I have similar seats in my Acura (minus the A/C), and Leatherique works extremely well.
I hope this helps.
Thanks,
Todd
Hi Todd,
I have a 2005 Nissan Maxima SL with black leather interior, that I have had for about 3 months. I am starting to notice how dry the seats are looking. So I recently bought a couple different brands of leather cleaner/conditioner, such as Meguiars and then Turtle Wax ICE. None of them seem to work since my black leather seats still continue to look dry. Is Leatherique a good solution to my problem even though I have black leather?
Thanks in advance,
Winston
Winston,
It really depends on what your ultimate goal is here. With Leatherique, the finished product has a natural matte finish to it as leather is intended to look (which really shows up on black). While they may “look” dry because of the matte finish, the important part is whether they feel dry. Many times, products that add a gloss to leather may actually just be sitting on the surface and clogging the pores.
So if you use Leatherique on your Maxima seats they will soften up, but they may end up looking even more matte than they do now because they will strip any shiny residue leftover from previous cleaners/conditioners.
I hope this helps.
Todd
Hey Todd:
As always…great work! Do you have any pix of before and after shots with the Leatherique system used on leather wrapped wheels, shifter knobs and door pulls? Since these areas probably see some of the most use/grime from constant handling. I’m curious to see in detail how Leatherique restores those high use/wear areas.
TIA!
Cheers
Kevin
Kevin,
I don’t think that I have any before and after images of those areas, sorry. Having used Leatherique in those areas, I can say that it does a tremendous job there as well.
Todd
Todd,
I’ve been using the Leatherique twins for years and they do a great job. I now have a 95 BMW M3 and need to refinish the Dove Grey seats. The leather is off the seats and has been treated on both sides with rejuvinator oil (the back side really soaks it up!). Next step is the ‘stripping’ and then the dye (all Leatherique). I’ve heard that a spray gun is the best way to apply the dye but haven’t been able to find out what type of gun is best. Do you have any idea? Do you feel a gun is the best way to go?
Thanks,
Rick
Rick,
I know that Leatherique recommends the wipe-dye method as opposed to using a spray gun with their leather re-dye kits. I personally haven’t used a spray gun for this, so unfortunately I don’t have a recommendation for you.
Thanks,
Todd
Todd, thanks for the usual excellent advice and counsel! I used Leatherique tonight on my BMW’s seats just as you suggested, though I didn’t have any rejuvenator. They were not too dirty, so maybe before the car was sold to me in March the detailer cleaned the seats. The process worked well, and I am pleased with the results. Now, I’ll buy some rej and do the whole treatment next time. My seats are black leather. I am spending a fortune on product, but being a car nut, it’s OK! In my experience, when you take good care of your car, it pays off in countless ways. You are a mensch!
Thank you Brian! Leatherique is the “real deal” kind of product, and when used as directed will provide tremendous results. It’s well worth the investment in proper products to take care of a much bigger investment we have in our cars.
Take care,
Todd
Todd,
Excellent article. I am looking forward to using the product, however what results should I expect for the some of the leather in my Lexus SC400 where it is beginning to scale or crackle from sun exposure. Will leatherique smooth this out over time? Would a double coat be recommended?
Thanks so much!
If it’s that dry, you may want to consider doing several applications. Perhaps you could spread it out over a couple of weeks time. While it won’t “fix” your problem areas, it will significantly help to preserve it and prevent it from deteriorating any further. The softening effect will continue to take place for a few weeks after you use Leatherique…
What do you do if you accidentally use the cleaner before the oil? Do you just wipe it down and use the oil and let it sit overnight?
John,
Yep…just start from scratch in the proper order (Rejuvenator Oil –> Prestine Clean). Having used the Prestine Clean first won’t interfere with the process.
Does water harm the surface of the leather since water has a tendency to dry the leather?
Rich,
A little bit of water won’t harm anything, however a lot (leaving windows down in the rain) will dry it out. So if you were using just a damp cloth to wipe down your seats, it would be fine. Leather is water resistant…just not waterproof.