This video provides a step-by-step guide on how to restore the look of faded or worn leather car seats. The first step is to prepare the leather for color applications, which can be done using a leather repair kit or a leather colorant kit. The steps to restore your leather furniture depend on the extent of the damage, such as discoloration, minor cracks, or deep cuts.
To restore black leather, use a leather color enhancer or black leather repair paint to repaint pigment leather. A high-quality colored leather conditioner can also be used. If these methods don’t work, try using a high-quality leather show polish.
To restore black leather, rub the Restorer into the leather in a circular motion and leave for 5 minutes before buffing the surface. Dr. Leather liquid cleaner or LTT leather cleaner can be used to clean the leather. For lighter surface scratches and scuffs, use leather wax polishes and creams.
To clean the leather, wipe it down with a damp cloth and treat the entire surface with alcohol cleaner. Allow approximately 30 minutes for the leather to dry. Lighter surface scratches and scuffs can be buffed out using leather wax polishes and creams.
In summary, restoring the look of your leather car seats requires careful preparation, application of repair compounds, and the use of leather conditioners and wax polishes.
📹 Black Leather Bolster scuffs and colour repair | Geist. | leathercare.com
Geist. #leathercare.com #leatherrepair Today we will show you how to repair a damaged black leat her bolster using our DIY …
📹 HOW TO FIX NASTY LEATHER SEATS IN 10 MINUTES for CHEAP
How to fix cracked and worn leather for little to nothing in cost. This process works every time and works great on all real leather.
Hi Paul and Ram after perusal this article I have ordered some paint and other cleaning products .I have just completed my refurbishment of my front seat my car is janan import golf mk6 .Now the seat look a million dollars 😮and wood like to thank geist for supplying all the correct products and perusal the article to complete it.😂😂
So apply the dye and then any imperfections apply a little filler then sand back again with SOLVENT? DISSOLVE which for some miraculous reason does not effect the new dye by breaking it down and pulling it off….. SOLVENT ??…. REALLY?? what are you not telling us solvent sniffers or are you marketing that water to make a extra buck….. lmfao….
I just did this on a Range Rover Classic. I considered buying new upholstery, doing a full leather restoration, etc. This came out great. Almost unbelievably so. It also took some of the hard patina off the seat and made it seem years younger and softer. I think I spent $20 or so and an hour of time.
Im a professional detailer and all I can say is damn. I wish I would have done this about 8 hours ago before I started this restoration job on leather seats. He bypassed the whole waiting process and its cost efficient. Folks he is absolutely correct. It doesnt change texture. The lacquer thinner acts as a cleaner and paint promoter mixed with new paint and this technique causes it to blend instead of changing the texture on the substrate. Good job man!!! Why didnt I think of this
Man! I just finished the seats in my Harley Davidson F150…I was pretty worried about trying this technique, but it looks AMAZING! Like new! Thanks so much for showing this procedure. I didn’t use spray paint though, I went to a local body shop and had them mix me half a litre of paint, using the Ford paint code. I did pour some lacquer thinner in it when on the cloth as you did, perfect match. Thanks again!
I think it’s amazing. I got a 06 Tahoe, no tears, just faded worn on the edges where someone’s shoulders would be. Tan in color, sure there’s another name for it. But I will give this a go! So laquer thinner, and the paint you recommend, follow up with aerospace 303. Which I buy by the gallon. That stuff is hands down best interior protectant I’ve ever seen. Thank you sir
Thank you! It worked wonderfully well on a 2007 VW Passat with 120,000 mi, black interior. I live in a very warm region with lots and lots and lots of sun, the car spent to 30-50% of it´s time under the sun (not anymore). Now I am trying the same on the steering wheel, which is badly faded. I am into the 4th. application. It has improved BUT is still far away from being “normal”. Planning to use some leather dye next.
Just bought a used Cadillac for my mom. It needs a little cosmetic TLC before i give it to her. Among some other absolutely great articles on how to rejuvinate road-rashed wheels, fix moisture in the headlight assembly, and fix minor surface scratches…..I originally thought, “man, i wish these black leather seats looked better”. They not torn, just cracked a bit…..and now, thanks to you, I’ll be adding this to my list of inexpensive but highly effective how-to’s! Thank you very much!
My brother has a 1972 Chevrolet Corvette convertible,and at first I asked my brother if I could help him get his leather seats looking brand new.he replied with a simple (No) as an answer.and one day when he went out for a trip to New Mexico for a month. I decided to try this and see if it worked and if it didn’t I would of simply just bought him brand new leather seats… But it actually worked! And when my brother came back from a long trip. He just stared at the car and said to me “how in the hell did you do that?” I simply replied and said. A YouTube article! He gave me 200 hundred bucks, and at the same time he sort of got me in trouble for not listening.but he’s very thankful for what I did. 🙂
I have to tell you, I’ve done your technique on my 2005 325i BMW on my gray interior with Satin Granite Rust-Oleum 2X Painters Touch Paint and Primer with the same brand “paint” thinner you used because I didn’t have the “lacquer” thinner. I watched this article, and then followed with the black leather and your other tan/beige leather article. I used Surf City Garage Voodoo Blend Leather Rejuvenator that I saw in another article…AH’MAZING RESULTS!!! I am restoring my BMW. This technique is actually good enough for restoration projects. It absolutely does not rub off on your clothes or your rag after you use your leather conditioner. You are a wizard! Thanks so much for your articles. People are flipping out over my before and after results! I tell everyone about you. I wish we could show you pictures! I do wear gloves…lol. I even did a little sanding on my seats and armrest. This technique still gave full professional coverage. It’s flexible and durable. 😎👍
I just did this to my 04 xc90. Your technique worked better then the leather dye I had. I applied a bit of the thinner first to remove remnants of shoe dye that someone put on seats to hide the wrinkles. Over time it wore off/discolored. It stood out as a bad dye job. I also removed blue jean dye that got on side of seat. Then dyed seats per your vid. They look great now! Husb thought I was destroying seats. Showed him your vids. Now he’s hooked. Lol.
Just perusal some of your old articles….That’s plain nuts! My daughter is going to love me (at least for a bit) when I restore her leather seats in her Forester. Every article I watch just boosts your amazing status up a notch Dan! Oh, and I’ve been using 303 for probably 10 yrs. With your advice I’m using it in many more ways. Ok one last thing. I’ve been looking at used cars and now I know that leather seats in this condition are not an issue and can be easily recovered.
Hey there man awesome articles but I want to ask would it also work on biege/tan interior? My seats are in pretty good shape but my armrest and door handle are in pretty bad condition the color is already scuffedt down and there are few places mainly on the edge with almost no color would this method save it or it’s only for repaint at this stage? Thanks a lot in advance!
WOW! I have to admit, I was a skeptic at first. I wasn’t sure if this was one of those youtube pranks to fool us all into wrecking our cars, but I decided to give it a try on some inconspicuous sections of leather and it worked amazingly. I recently bought a set of door panels off of a ’98 Volvo V70R to install in my aging ’00 V70 with separating stretched vinyl (the R had leather door inserts that don’t separate). They were in slightly rough shape. I used this trick on them, and they look almost new. There were a couple of small nicks I was going to use one of those leather repair kits on, but now I don’t even know if I am going to bother, as I can barely see them. Since the door panels worked out so nicely, I also did the drivers seat in my 2009 Volvo S80 T6 which as been getting ugly, and the difference is like night and day, with very little work. I am amazed. In this day and age where everyone shares everything online, you don’t expect there to be many of these hidden insider secrets left. Thank you for sharing this trick, and not being one of those selfish professionals who keep secrets so they can charge others for work they can do themselves!
Wow!!! I’m very much surprised at this!!!! All the positive comments as well!!! I have a 08 CRV w/ 97,000 miles one owner. Very much inclined on doing this coming this spring!!! I’m also going to subscribe! Very cool saving money technique!!! Why spend hundreds of dollars when you can do this and spend that money elsewhere!!!! Great article!!! Thank you!!!
I have a Lexus GX 470 in my seat only mine just on the edge when you get in is a little cracked but not really cracked it’s just like lost some of the color and then on the seat where my leg goes it’s a little some of it’s coming our office a little bit but not cracking anything just coming off. And it’s tan colored. What color would I get my stolen for tan color if you could let me know that would be great. Luckily I don’t have to do much on my just that little side thing that you just did on that one but mine doesn’t look as bad as that
I don’t want to knock it because I’ve never tried this but why not just use leather dye? It’s not very expensive. You can mix and change the colors to better match what you’re dying. I’ve never used leather dye but I’ve watched a lot of articles because working with leather is a hobby of mine, I just haven’t done a lot of it yet.
SPC, I’m about to attempt this as I have my seat out…and for another good reason too on this newly purchased Volvo S 70 GLT SE which I’m restoring. I used the extractor on the carpet and it came out beautiful ! One of the perks of working at a detail shop. Ok, what is the drying time between application of the paint/paint thinner to applying the protectant ? I’m going to want those vapor fumes gone as well. How long should I wait ? (not knowing your name.. I guess I can call you ‘Joe from SPC)
Do you think SEM color coat vinyl spray paint would work for leather? I have tan leather seats and this SEM can I have is the exact same color, but it doesn’t say it’s for leather. I’m should also mention that it says “is not a dye, but a fade resistant flexible and permanent coating” if that matters.
Thanks a ton man for this. You became one of my fav websites out there. Professional, Beginner friendly and Cheap! .. you successfully combined all the three factors together efficiently.. Stay awesome, God bless you 🙂 I have some light white stains on my Lexus dashboard, it’s a black vinyl and when I spray any of those dashboard cleaners it comes out perfectly, but after 1 day or two, the stains come back…. Can I use this method on it? or what do you prefer? Thanks!
I just found this while doing some research (I’m restoring a 1963 Chrysler 300 K model that my uncle left to me, not only because it was a project that he’d wanted someone else to complete since he knew he never would, but I think it’d make a beautiful show car), and I have to say– I’m no professional and I don’t know damn near anything about cars, but this method looks great. and I checked it with my dad who also said that it was a great way to restore seats on the kind of budget that I currently have. Honestly, I’m going to try this! I couldn’t use it on my seats since there are holes from it sitting on my dad’s car lot for 20+ years without any good maintenance, but luckily enough for me, there’s a twin car that I can use for interior parts since it’s far beyond repair in the mechanical aspect of things, so I’m definitely going to try this with the twin’s seats to make them look new. Thank you for this!
I got a question, my friend. I went to buy some 303 protectant and this is what I found… I found that it can range in price from $9.99 to $89.99! I was a bit overwhelmed at the price on the higher end but at the same time, I don’t think that paying extra to ensure your car’s interior never gets cracked or worn, is asking too much. Is the one you’re using in this project the lower, middle or higher end version of the 303 protectant? If it is not the higher end version, have you used the higher end version and if have, what is your opinion on the more expensive version versus the less priced versions?
If your leather doesn’t have any cracks and you want it to last a long time would you just use the 303 protectant for home leather couches, chairs and also car chairs? I was told Howard’s leather conditioner is very good, but other people told me to use nourishing coconut shampoo to clean the leather then use Mothers VRL. What’s your opinion on this?
Hey mate greetings from Australia. I just used your trick on my holden caprice. It had exactly the same look as the seat you repaired which Is fairly typical of a car that age. My leather is a cream shale colour. Went to the local hardware and grabbed a can of paint as close as possible to mine. Used the lacquer thinner and bang, job done looks a million times better. My best mate is so impressed I’m doing his car this weekend. Thanks for the simple informative article. Your a legend.
Excellent article ESPECIALLY because you didn’t say “GO AHEAD AND”, “GO AHEAD AND”, “GO AHEAD AND” even once!!! People don’t realize when they keep saying that over and over and over it makes their articles sound stupid and harder to follow because most people subconsciously start waiting for the ” GO AHEAD AND’S” and miss the point of the whole article. In one two-minute article I once counted 143 “GO AHEAD ANDS”! Needless to say now after a few “GO AHEAD ANDS’ I turn the article right off. Thanks again, can’t wait to try this on my leather office chair!
@Sweet Project Cars plz can u suggest any other color and thinner for this great DIY. In fact i am very much interested to restore my sofa but in my country both these products are not available in market. Here in my city majority of paint shops have acrylic spray paints and simple thinner which they usually use to thin the lacqure. Your kind feeback is required…..Regards
This turned out incredible. I just bought the lithium leather love to try on my aged seats. I was wondering if i did this first, would i be using the leather love next or a form of leather sealant next? Or should i try the leather love first to see what result i get and then this after if im still seeing colour fade? Thanks again for your articles
I enjoyed the article but what kind of leather seats are these. Up through the 80’s maybe a bit later you would often have had uncoated leather. On newer cars more than likely it’s got a clear coating of vinyl over the “leather” many with 100%vinyl on the sides only leather or coated leather in the center. Would this work with any type or would there be adjustments in the mix or techniques needed. Especially important if someone were to be dying to a different color rather than repairing the existing color.