Calling all detailer: How to restore dry leather?

[1991notchbackLX]

I was going to post this in the sound and shine section, but that area of the site is almost completely dead, so I figured this would get much more attention posted here in Talk.

I picked up a set of Saddle tan leather rear seats for my 1999 GT. They're in great shape but extremely dry. It looks to me like the leather was never conditioned a single time in its entire life in the car. I used a Turtle Wax leather cleaner and then conditioned them with Black Magic leather conditioner, but no matter how many times I condition, the leather just drinks it up and then looks dry again. How can I restore these seats to the shine they had when new? Thanks in advance!


Here are the seats:

Here are the products:

 

[stprorolla49]

Chemical Guys Liquid Leather (now called Sprayable Leather). Great stuff, works amazing. Give it 2 coast, and they should be awesome!

 

[robmac36067]

google

leatherique.......end thread.

 

[N8Dogg98]

IIRC the rear seats are not leather, and the only part that was leather was the top sections of the front seats.

Regardless, the best method for cleaning any leather or vinyl seats is to use APC and a brush to work away the dirt. Once they are clean, you can then use a leather conditioner/vinyl conditioner.

Whatever you decide to do, make sure you test a hidden spot first to be sure the product you are using doesn't stain/dye the leather.

 

[Mel96GT]

I had an upholstery shop re-dye my tan leather seats to cover all the hairline cracks then they sprayed a clear preservative over them. They came out looking like new! Also, when you store a car with leather seats, you should roll up all the windows to keep the leather from drying out.

 

[myponyrocks]

If the seats are the same as my 03 GT, the rears are vinyl. The front seat bolsters and seating (more or less everything your body touches except the headrest) bits are leather but the sides and back isn't.

I would assume it's always been this way as my '67 had rear vinly and front leather with a platic shroud on the rear?

Still leather care products work on vinyl usually, I know I use mothers and meguires leather shine products all over my interior... but I only use leather condtioner on the steering wheel and front seats.