Restore leather seats

melon_collie

Can anyone recommend a good cream/ polish for restoring leather car seats. The seats are black and in a Audi at at mk1? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

Curran

In an Audi what? What year?

Circa 1990, for most cars, leather manufacturing for car interiors changed, and leather changed from a breathable material to a non-breathable material. The old, real, leather would absorb water if it was spilled on it, and thus conditioners would also absorb. It needed to be conditioned to stop cracking, etc. But modern leathers dont absorb, and thus any conditioners would sit on the surface, and attract more dirt. They really only required to be cleaned to keep them maintained.

That said, people are split over how they care for leather - those who just use a leather cleaner, and those who use a cleaner and conditioner.

Dr. Leather Liquid Cleaner if they require a deep clean, the Dr. Leather Wipes are more for regular maintenance cleans.
CarPro Inside is another good choice. Plenty of cleaner choices within any detailing range, Chemical Guys, Autoglym or whatever.

melon_collie

Hi thanks for that. Apologies its an Audi TT Mk1 '01. What exactly will the leather conditioner do?

Curran

Previously conditioning was to stop the leather from wear and cracking due to it drying out. But since the manufacturing process of leather change, it no longer absorbs conditioners, essentially, it shouldnt need it, due to the changes/improvements of the way its manufactured.

How older leather would look if not cared for, and conditioned would help in the battle against cracks by keeping the material soft and subtle.



Modern leathers will damage in a different way - sagging of the cushioning underneath may lead to cracks, or wear will appear due to abrasion; this sort of damage would require a die to restore the damaged area.