Shiteist Car Treatments..

[gtd2000]

A while back on these very forums - I learned that linseed oil was a good way to restore the black on plastic trim.

 

My old 1995 Nissan 240SX has a leather interior which is generally holidng up very well but the Florida sunshine has really dried out/baked the leather to the extent it's become very hard.

 

Is there anything along the cheapo lines of the linseed oil solution, for restoring the life into the leather?

 

 

 

[Split_Pin]

I think baby wipes can have a limited effect, but why bother when a bottle of Gliptone Liquid Leather is less than a tenner from e-bay.

 

Its absolutely fantastic at restoring the suppleness, colour and smell of leather and if you let a shitload of the stuff just soak in for a few days (if your seats are really dry) it will last for well over a year. I've been using it for donkeys ages.

 

It comes top rated in most car magazine tests too.

 

Here's my Vectra's seats after being so treated.

 

 

They had not long been fitted by my mate at this point, and previously stank of fags and had been stored badly.

[coalnotdole]

You could try saddle soap, should be available in most tack shops. It really put the flex back into the dry leather in my Scimitar.

[warren t claim]

You could try saddle soap, should be available in most tack shops. It really put the flex back into the dry leather in my Scimitar.

+1 Works well and I've had good results in the past using it.

[R9UKE]

Iain I keep meaning to get that Gliptones stuff. My mates XM had the most amazing smelling interior, and it was because of this - seats looked amazing too. The leather in my Mégane convertible is crying out for it... Another job on the list! Looks like it'll be a satisfying one though.

 

EDIT - is your picture the result of the cleaner, conditioner or both?

[Des]

Neatsfoot oil is very very good, and it's cheap, I believe it's the active ingredient in a lot of leather conditioners, which are expensive.

[Junkman]

Do not use saddle soap under any circumstances. Most people are completely unaware what saddle soap is, does, and what its intended use is.

Saddle soap is not a detergent whatsoever and it's not a leather maintenance product. Its only intended purpose is to keep raw leather pliable while it is being formed, e.g. to make saddles or shoes. Finished leather should never be treated with saddle soap.

 

The best product to restore the suppleness of leather is leather oil. I use Carrs (sic), made by Carr & Day & Martin, but I guess any brand will do. Leather oil should be available pretty much anywhere where horse related stuff is sold (Lidl and Tesco are notable exceptions though).

 

The Advantages:

 

- It is the correct product for the purpose.

- It is cheaper than anything 'specially formulated for car interiors', which is bollox anyway. A cow is a cow, no matter what you make out of its hide.

- It is liquid. You apply it with a cloth, and you can control the dosage a lot better, than with any paste-like product.

- It is absorbed instantly. If the result isn't good enough after one treatment, you can repeat it, but it will be aborbed instantly again. Thus you can use the car immediately after you treted the seats without getting an oily trouser bottom.

- It is completely colour neutral. You can use it on white leather if you want.

 

And I can tell you from experience, this stuff does wonders. I have treated leather, that was so dry rotted, it started to crumble. I usually use it for old bicycle saddles and with old, I mean 1920s, 1930s.

 

Oh, and I have my knowlege from someone who does this:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[vulgalour]

Interesting that you should say not to use saddle soap, it was de rigeur at the stables for maintaining the cleanliness and good health of all the leather tack and I've used it to excellent effect on footwear. It serves well to clean and maintain the suppleness of leather in my experience, but only if you use the solid bar type rather than other products that are labelled as saddle soap. I never experienced any real benefit over saddle soap with leather oil except for very dry leathers.

 

Another product I found to be good to freshen up and soften leather is the Lord Sheraton (stupid name, never mind) leather balm which is a bit like moisturiser to handle. Not as good as saddle soap, but less work to get things moving in the right direction. Saddle soap is cheap for long term use insofar as a little goes a long way but the balm is cheap for short term use.

 

Providing the leather isn't too badly cracked, you can sometimes get some suppleness back into the leather with normal moisturiser for dry skin, believe it or not, which is very cheap and very readily available. This will offer no cleaning benefit whatsoever and should only be used to get things started before treating with a proper product. As an extremely short term measure, it is okay, but it can leave the leather feeling very slippery or greasy. I wouldn't normally recommend this, but you did want shiteist solutions and it's definitely that.

[gtd2000]

Welll that's a great set of suggestions..where to start?

[barefoot]

Start with neats foot oil!

[Split_Pin]

Iain I keep meaning to get that Gliptones stuff. My mates XM had the most amazing smelling interior, and it was because of this - seats looked amazing too. The leather in my Mégane convertible is crying out for it... Another job on the list! Looks like it'll be a satisfying one though.

 

EDIT - is your picture the result of the cleaner, conditioner or both?

 

On this particular occasion I used the cleaner as well as the conditioner as they had never been cleaned by the looks of it and stank of fags. Normally I'd just quickly clean the seats with leather wipes before applying the conditioner.

 

It's the most satisfying job ever!

[Spiny Norman]

Sorry for the thread hijack, but on a similar note, what's good for rejuvenating an old rubber spoiler? The whale tail on the Saab is quite porous and is pretty filthy, not to mention a bit green in places from the bushes it gets parked beside.

 

Particularly keen on shite solutions rather than going to Halfrauds and buying AutoGlym something-or-other. Will linseed oil work on rubber or would shoe polish do anything?

[Jimcit]

I bet those leather saddles leave some spectacular impressions on the user's arse.

 

If anyone has any tips for removing mould as well, 'twould be greatly appreciated - having cleaned it off, I'm left with the ghosts of the mould spots, I've exhausted all my specific fabric / interior cleaners and I fear cillit bang would dissolve the pleather.

[Wilko220]

Sorry for the thread hijack, but on a similar note, what's good for rejuvenating an old rubber spoiler? The whale tail on the Saab is quite porous and is pretty filthy, not to mention a bit green in places from the bushes it gets parked beside.

 

Particularly keen on shite solutions rather than going to Halfrauds and buying AutoGlym something-or-other. Will linseed oil work on rubber or would shoe polish do anything?

 

I'd recommend cleaning with paint thinners and then a treatment with linseed oil.

[Junkman]

I bet those leather saddles leave some spectacular impressions on the user's arse.

 

If anyone has any tips for removing mould as well, 'twould be greatly appreciated - having cleaned it off, I'm left with the ghosts of the mould spots, I've exhausted all my specific fabric / interior cleaners and I fear cillit bang would dissolve the pleather.

 

Vinegar.

[Junkman]

Sorry for the thread hijack, but on a similar note, what's good for rejuvenating an old rubber spoiler? The whale tail on the Saab is quite porous and is pretty filthy, not to mention a bit green in places from the bushes it gets parked beside.

 

Particularly keen on shite solutions rather than going to Halfrauds and buying AutoGlym something-or-other. Will linseed oil work on rubber or would shoe polish do anything?

 

I'd recommend cleaning with paint thinners and then a treatment with linseed oil.

 

+1

 

I know only one alternative to linseed oil - peanut butter. But you need to heat it for this application.

[Pete-M]

From experience, I'd avoid using paint thinners on rubber...

[gtd2000]

Sorry for the thread hijack, but on a similar note, what's good for rejuvenating an old rubber spoiler?

 

 

That's the whole point of this thread

[Partridge]

I bet those leather saddles leave some spectacular impressions on the user's arse.

 

If anyone has any tips for removing mould as well, 'twould be greatly appreciated - having cleaned it off, I'm left with the ghosts of the mould spots, I've exhausted all my specific fabric / interior cleaners and I fear cillit bang would dissolve the pleather.

 

Vinegar.

 

Isn’t vinegar a bit too acidic to use on leather?

[gtd2000]

Any tips for getting sun damaged window trims spruced up?

 

Example photo here:

 

[Partridge]

My Rover 45 had similar issues when I got it. A bit of back to black should see you right.

[Split_Pin]

You know that Clear Turtle Wax stuff in a skooshy bottle thats meant for tyres?

 

Its also superb on black bumpers and will also bring those window trims up a treat. Dont do it in direct sunlight, esp in the NZ summer as it will steam off and not stay on at all!

[Wilko220]

Any tips for getting sun damaged window trims spruced up?

 

 

I've used linseed oil to good effect on window rubbers. I'm told that vaseline also works although I've not tried this myself.

[gtd2000]

I'm not sure when this window rubber problem first appeared but it affects my mothers KIA Picanto and our Hyundai Entourage (KIA Sedona) but I've not really noticed it on any other cars I've owned.

 

Maybe it's something to do with Korean rubber?

 

I'll need to inspect my Nissan 240SX and see if it's got the same look about it - it's almost like a fungal infection of the surface....but presumably it's simply due to sun damage?

[Wilko220]

Don't think Korea's the problem - both my Peugeot and LDV have suffered from perished rubbers (although I expect both are rather older than your mother's Kia).

 

Notwithstanding Pete M's warning, I found that a good scrub with an old washing up brush, a clean with some cellulose thinners and a liberal treatment of linseed oil made them look much more respectable. How long it will last for is another matter though, I suppose.

[gtd2000]

I'll be in Florida at the weekend so I'll give it a go if I have some free time

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

Glycerine is also rather good for rubber. Mostly for elasticity, but it does work on the appearance front, too.