PAC tells how... to rejuvinate your leather using Leatherique products
02-28-2011, 07:39 AM
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PAC tells how... to rejuvinate your leather using Leatherique products
How to recondition Automotive Leather using the Leatherique Twins.
The majority of today's automotive leather is coated. This means that the actual leather hides under a top coat of material, often urethane. While the top coat makes the leather easier to clean and more resistant to wear, it also makes it harder to care for the hides underneath. This can lead to the hides drying out or rotting, giving a cardboard like feel. While most of today’s excellent leather cleaners and conditioners do a great job at treating the coating, Leatherique is designed to treat the hides underneath.
The three main types of leather.
Uncoated
Aniline- Aniline or uncoated leather is leather which receives its color during the tanning process. It is dyed through out the thickness of the hide. Since there is no protective coating, aniline leather will give the softest, most luxurious, and most natural feel of any leather type. However it requires extensive upkeep because leather is naturally porous and stains extremely easily.
Coated
Semi-aniline leather- Semi-aniline leather features a hide that has been dyed in the tanning process as well as a protective coating. The coating can be dyed or clear, and is usually very thin. This gives semi-aniline a very soft, subtle feel plus the benefits of coated hides. This type of leather is often used on an exclusive luxury cars and exotics, although it is becoming more common.
Pigmented leather- Pigmented leather is the most common form of automotive leather. A colored coating gives the finished product its ultimate hue and provides the highest resistance to wear. We should note that pigmented coatings vary widely in the quality of coating used. Some less expensive leather may feel almost synthetic. When the leather cracks on pigmented leather, the raw gray hide is often visibly exposed.
The most important step in maintaining today’s coated leather is keeping it clean! Grit and grime will abrade the leather’s surface like sandpaper, eventually polishing it to a high shine, and over time removing the top coat completely. Frequent vacuuming is the first step in keeping your leather happy. Wiping the coated leather frequently with water or a light cleaner such as a Blackfire’s Interior Cleaner will remove light soiling. And conditioning the coated leather with a high UV protectant such as Blackfire’s Hi UV Leather Conditioner will go a long way in preventing the coated leather from cracking.
A deeper approach.
Over time the coating will develop microscopic tears making it more permeable and exposing more of actual hide to dirt, grit, and worse, human body oil. For over 50 years Leatherique Restoration Products has been in business of treating and preserving leather. Their products deep clean the leather hide and restore suppleness and original feel.
Getting started.
First vacuum the leather thoroughly and inspect it. If the leather coating is extremely soiled clean it using a mild leather safe cleaner. For light soiling Lexol Leather Cleaner works great. For heavily soiling a non-caustic cleaner like Optimum Power Clean works extremely well. Spray the cleaner directly onto a cloth and wipe into the leather. Flip the cloth over and wipe clean. If there is still soiling use a leather friendly brush such as the Leather Brush. Remember to test an inconspicuous area first.
Vacuum thoroughly first
Clean the leather to remove topical soiling
After cleaning all of the leather surfaces to be treated we like to give them a wipe down with a damp towel, to remove any residue from the cleaners.
Heat
Leatherique’s leather restoration products work best when used with heat. We recommend using them on a warm and sunny day. First roll up the windows to your car and let it sit outside for about an hour to build heat into the interior.
Rejuvenate First!
Next begin by applying the Leatherique Rejuvenator Oil to all of the leather you wish to treat. We like to attach a Trigger Sprayer to the bottle to make it easier to apply and recommend wearing gloves. Spray the leather liberally with Rejuvenator (for hard to reach areas spray the Rejuvenator Oil directly onto your gloved hands and apply). Then work the Rejuvenator into the leather with your hands paying special attention to the threaded areas and folds or sharp corners to insure that the product reaches the hide.
Attaching a trigger sprayer to either Leatherique product makes it easier to apply.
Start by rubbing Rejuvenator Oil into the hides liberally.
Roll up your windows to create a greenhouse and allow your automobile to sit in the sun for several hours. We recommend checking on it after a couple of hours. Reapply to any areas that have soaked up all of the oil and continue to let sit. Finally after 5-6 hours you should be ready to remove the excess product. Keep in mind that leather that is excessively stiff may require multiple treatments to restore original suppleness too.
Allow to sit outside with the windows up. Touch up any areas that adsorb and
appear dry.
Cleaning for that pristine finish.
After Rejuvenator has fully absorbed and conditioned the hides it will float out any grease and grime giving your leather a sticky, dirty appearance. Use Leatherique Prestine Clean to fully clean your conditioned leather. We recommend filling a bucket with warm water to aid in the cleaning process. We also recommend attaching a Trigger Sprayer to the Prestine Clean to make it easier to use.
First spray a section to be cleaned and wipe with a terry cloth.Then rinse out the towel in the warm water and ring until it is barely damp, and wipe the section again. Work a section at a time until the all of the leather has been cleaned.
Mist with Prestine Clean and wipe away the residue.
You can see how much dirt and grime has been released from the actual hides,
even though we cleaned the leather before starting!
A super soft, great looking leather interior restored to its original feel.
How often should the leather be treated?
How often the leather should be treated depends on the age and frequency of use. As coated leather ages the coating becomes more permeable and exposes the hide to more problems. If your leather is like new, than an annual treatment is necessary. If your leather is worn or highly used than we would recommend at least using Leatherique twice a year.
The majority of today's automotive leather is coated. This means that the actual leather hides under a top coat of material, often urethane. While the top coat makes the leather easier to clean and more resistant to wear, it also makes it harder to care for the hides underneath. This can lead to the hides drying out or rotting, giving a cardboard like feel. While most of today’s excellent leather cleaners and conditioners do a great job at treating the coating, Leatherique is designed to treat the hides underneath.
The three main types of leather.
Uncoated
Aniline- Aniline or uncoated leather is leather which receives its color during the tanning process. It is dyed through out the thickness of the hide. Since there is no protective coating, aniline leather will give the softest, most luxurious, and most natural feel of any leather type. However it requires extensive upkeep because leather is naturally porous and stains extremely easily.
Coated
Semi-aniline leather- Semi-aniline leather features a hide that has been dyed in the tanning process as well as a protective coating. The coating can be dyed or clear, and is usually very thin. This gives semi-aniline a very soft, subtle feel plus the benefits of coated hides. This type of leather is often used on an exclusive luxury cars and exotics, although it is becoming more common.
Pigmented leather- Pigmented leather is the most common form of automotive leather. A colored coating gives the finished product its ultimate hue and provides the highest resistance to wear. We should note that pigmented coatings vary widely in the quality of coating used. Some less expensive leather may feel almost synthetic. When the leather cracks on pigmented leather, the raw gray hide is often visibly exposed.
The most important step in maintaining today’s coated leather is keeping it clean! Grit and grime will abrade the leather’s surface like sandpaper, eventually polishing it to a high shine, and over time removing the top coat completely. Frequent vacuuming is the first step in keeping your leather happy. Wiping the coated leather frequently with water or a light cleaner such as a Blackfire’s Interior Cleaner will remove light soiling. And conditioning the coated leather with a high UV protectant such as Blackfire’s Hi UV Leather Conditioner will go a long way in preventing the coated leather from cracking.
A deeper approach.
Over time the coating will develop microscopic tears making it more permeable and exposing more of actual hide to dirt, grit, and worse, human body oil. For over 50 years Leatherique Restoration Products has been in business of treating and preserving leather. Their products deep clean the leather hide and restore suppleness and original feel.
Getting started.
First vacuum the leather thoroughly and inspect it. If the leather coating is extremely soiled clean it using a mild leather safe cleaner. For light soiling Lexol Leather Cleaner works great. For heavily soiling a non-caustic cleaner like Optimum Power Clean works extremely well. Spray the cleaner directly onto a cloth and wipe into the leather. Flip the cloth over and wipe clean. If there is still soiling use a leather friendly brush such as the Leather Brush. Remember to test an inconspicuous area first.
Vacuum thoroughly first
Clean the leather to remove topical soiling
After cleaning all of the leather surfaces to be treated we like to give them a wipe down with a damp towel, to remove any residue from the cleaners.
Heat
Leatherique’s leather restoration products work best when used with heat. We recommend using them on a warm and sunny day. First roll up the windows to your car and let it sit outside for about an hour to build heat into the interior.
Rejuvenate First!
Next begin by applying the Leatherique Rejuvenator Oil to all of the leather you wish to treat. We like to attach a Trigger Sprayer to the bottle to make it easier to apply and recommend wearing gloves. Spray the leather liberally with Rejuvenator (for hard to reach areas spray the Rejuvenator Oil directly onto your gloved hands and apply). Then work the Rejuvenator into the leather with your hands paying special attention to the threaded areas and folds or sharp corners to insure that the product reaches the hide.
Attaching a trigger sprayer to either Leatherique product makes it easier to apply.
Start by rubbing Rejuvenator Oil into the hides liberally.
Roll up your windows to create a greenhouse and allow your automobile to sit in the sun for several hours. We recommend checking on it after a couple of hours. Reapply to any areas that have soaked up all of the oil and continue to let sit. Finally after 5-6 hours you should be ready to remove the excess product. Keep in mind that leather that is excessively stiff may require multiple treatments to restore original suppleness too.
Allow to sit outside with the windows up. Touch up any areas that adsorb and
appear dry.
Cleaning for that pristine finish.
After Rejuvenator has fully absorbed and conditioned the hides it will float out any grease and grime giving your leather a sticky, dirty appearance. Use Leatherique Prestine Clean to fully clean your conditioned leather. We recommend filling a bucket with warm water to aid in the cleaning process. We also recommend attaching a Trigger Sprayer to the Prestine Clean to make it easier to use.
First spray a section to be cleaned and wipe with a terry cloth.Then rinse out the towel in the warm water and ring until it is barely damp, and wipe the section again. Work a section at a time until the all of the leather has been cleaned.
Mist with Prestine Clean and wipe away the residue.
You can see how much dirt and grime has been released from the actual hides,
even though we cleaned the leather before starting!
A super soft, great looking leather interior restored to its original feel.
How often should the leather be treated?
How often the leather should be treated depends on the age and frequency of use. As coated leather ages the coating becomes more permeable and exposes the hide to more problems. If your leather is like new, than an annual treatment is necessary. If your leather is worn or highly used than we would recommend at least using Leatherique twice a year.
02-28-2011, 07:05 PM
#2
Drifting
Proper:
I absolutely love the information, tips and tidbits you put out. I have learned a great deal on how to care for my NSX and C6 Corvette from you!
However, I want to share my experience with Leatherique Rejuvinator and Pristine Clean.
Like most cars made in the past ten years or so, the interiors in both my NSX and C6 have very little actual leather. The center of the back rest and the center of the bottom seat are all that are really leather...and they are painted leather to boot!
The side bolsters, door panels, backside of the seats, headrests, etc., are just vinyl painted with the same paint (not dye like everyone wants to call it) that the center leather pieces are painted. This is what makes everything in the interior look like leather.
Both my NSX and C6 Corvette have very low miles and the seats are perfect. No wear, no tear, no shiney spots, nothing!
I cleaned my seats, put Rejuvinator on them, closed the doors and windows for one day, and then cleaned them with Pristine Clean. I was very unhappy with the results.
First, the seats became "gummy." Then, they got dirty real fast!
The vinyl also got creases in them that weren't there before.
I have since taken an All in One Cleaner and removed everything. Fortunately, the seats now look as good as before.
I contacted Leatherique and they said you should never put any conditioner or oils on "painted" leather and vinyl seats. The reason is that the conditioner cannot get past the paint and soak into the leather. Therefore, the product just sits on top of the paint and collects dirt. The dirt then grinds into the paint and the paints breaks down quickly.
If anyone doesn't believe what I am saying about the vinyl/leather combination, do two things and you will see for yourself:
1) Look at your car's spec sheet or window sticker. Notice manufacturers no longer call leather seats, "leather seats." Now they are called, "Leather Trimmed," "Leather Accented," or something close to this.
2) Look underneath one seat. Find a spot where the side bolster wraps under the seat, leaving a little bit of extra material. Flip that material over and you will see...it is vinyl! Leather has a grain finish. Vinyl has a white cotton backing. You will see nothing but white!
I am convinced that the only way to treat today's "Leather Trimmed" (i.e.: vinyl and leather seats), is to wipe them down with a good All in One Cleaner regularly and do nothing else.
I absolutely love the information, tips and tidbits you put out. I have learned a great deal on how to care for my NSX and C6 Corvette from you!
However, I want to share my experience with Leatherique Rejuvinator and Pristine Clean.
Like most cars made in the past ten years or so, the interiors in both my NSX and C6 have very little actual leather. The center of the back rest and the center of the bottom seat are all that are really leather...and they are painted leather to boot!
The side bolsters, door panels, backside of the seats, headrests, etc., are just vinyl painted with the same paint (not dye like everyone wants to call it) that the center leather pieces are painted. This is what makes everything in the interior look like leather.
Both my NSX and C6 Corvette have very low miles and the seats are perfect. No wear, no tear, no shiney spots, nothing!
I cleaned my seats, put Rejuvinator on them, closed the doors and windows for one day, and then cleaned them with Pristine Clean. I was very unhappy with the results.
First, the seats became "gummy." Then, they got dirty real fast!
The vinyl also got creases in them that weren't there before.
I have since taken an All in One Cleaner and removed everything. Fortunately, the seats now look as good as before.
I contacted Leatherique and they said you should never put any conditioner or oils on "painted" leather and vinyl seats. The reason is that the conditioner cannot get past the paint and soak into the leather. Therefore, the product just sits on top of the paint and collects dirt. The dirt then grinds into the paint and the paints breaks down quickly.
If anyone doesn't believe what I am saying about the vinyl/leather combination, do two things and you will see for yourself:
1) Look at your car's spec sheet or window sticker. Notice manufacturers no longer call leather seats, "leather seats." Now they are called, "Leather Trimmed," "Leather Accented," or something close to this.
2) Look underneath one seat. Find a spot where the side bolster wraps under the seat, leaving a little bit of extra material. Flip that material over and you will see...it is vinyl! Leather has a grain finish. Vinyl has a white cotton backing. You will see nothing but white!
I am convinced that the only way to treat today's "Leather Trimmed" (i.e.: vinyl and leather seats), is to wipe them down with a good All in One Cleaner regularly and do nothing else.
Last edited by Rob4092xx; 02-28-2011 at 07:07 PM.
