USCmatt

I bought some very nice tan leather seats a month of so ago, and when I got them they looked to be in excellent condition. I cleaned and conditioned them once already with Mothers. Today I decided to do a more thorough cleaning job. When I looked closely though, it looked like I was wearing off some of the color, but underneath it looks like the real tan.

So my question is, what does this look like? Oxidation? Do you think the seats were dyed? A thin dirt film over the seats from 13 years?

BTW, it takes a lot of elow grease to get down to the real leather.

SayNoToPistons

it may be anyone of those. i would try lexol cleaner/conditioner instead of mothers or meguiars... lexol is a bit more gentle and effective.

USCmatt

I'm thinking its more along the lines of dye now. I actually saw some light overspray on one of the black brackets holding the seat back and bottom together. It seems to have preserved the color various nicely, but I'm wondering whether there is a stain somewhere that I'm going to uncover which led to it being dyed.

yuichiror

iTrader: (1)

Go with Lexol. Is the "reddish" color the color is comming out from your cleaning? Or the nice tan?

impactwrench

Forum material?

yuichiror

iTrader: (1)

Are you asking if this is good enough for a post to the forum?? Yes it is. Though it belongs in the interior/exterior section.

USCmatt

It seems like forum material to the guys who have responded. If you don't agree then you dont have to post in it.

I posted in this section because I was in the middle of removing this "stuff" and I knew I would get a quicker response. 3rd Gen Section (45 viewing) Interior/Exterior (4 viewing)

USCmatt

The color on the right side of the picture is the color underneath. So it is what you are reffering to as the "reddish" color. But it actually matches the tan panels exactly whereas the top color did not.

quicksilver_rx7

It looks as though the seats have been dyed and the cleaner is taking a toll on the dye.

Joe

t-von

iTrader: (8)

Some OXY Clean powder/water and a bristle scrubbing brush will clean the leather like a ****. Seriously! I use it to clean the oily residue off leather then I use the leather cleaner and conditioner. Think of the oxy clean as a clay bar. It gets the deep grime out before you polish and wax.

USCmatt

OXY Clean huh? I think I'll get some tomorrow and try that, along with some Lexol since my Mothers cleaner is now empty after cleaning just the bottom of the passenger seat.

Right now I'm just wondering what would have been the reason to dye the seats almost the same color. I'm assuming something might be wrong with a section of leather on either seat to warrant having to dye both of them to match.

Here's a pic of the difference so far...

GoodfellaFD3S

iTrader: (213)

connoly's hide food. The stuff worked wonders on some old, dried out FC vert seats I bought.

GoodfellaFD3S

iTrader: (213)

No, your post definitely is not.

t-von

iTrader: (8)

Yea! I'm not sure if it will help with the die problem however it will get all that soaked in oily grim off your leather and door panels (where you rest your elbow). Just add on scoop in about 3 cups of water and scrub away with your bristle brush. I use a small hand brush like you would use to clean showers and bathrooms. Hope that helps.

shepski

wow, the original tan colour looks much richer and warmer, good luck with it, maybe they were dyed to match other parts of an interior they were originally in? anyway good luck, hope theres nothing wrong with them.

yuichiror

iTrader: (1)

ahh, ok. Now I see it. Yeah, I think the "original" tan is much warmer. Good luck!

SayNoToPistons

<3 connoly's hide food + lexol