Leather re-hydration over Summer

With the record high temperatures being recorded all over Australia right now, I thought it might be pretty relevant to write this article on car leather rehydration. These are the conditions that a large majority of leather damage occurs in, so let us give you some simple steps can help reduce that dramatically, helping to stop the potential damage and distress to the polyurethane coated (PU) leather in your car.

Nicole will be showing us how to use the leather love on the prototype EL GT.

 

On a hot day in the sun, with the windows up and doors closed, your cars interior can hit temperatures of close to 75+ degrees, with surfaces the sunlight hits getting even hotter. It all helps to create one of the worst environments for your cars leather.

For PU coated leather to stay, soft and supple, not break apart and crack or become brittle, it needs to be constantly hydrated. The only thing that can help is a water-based product. The water vapor molecules are the only nourishing item that can penetrate into the coated hide, unlike any other oils, balms or other snake oil, that all sit and seal the leather surface, actually making the whole drying out process more pronounced. Of course if the water molecules can get in, they can also get out, which is what happens on those hotter days as the heat begins the process of evaporation. So you can begin to understand why it is critical over the hotter months of the year to keep re-hydrating weekly, if your car sees a bit of sun.

 

Re-hydrating your leather

To rehydrate it, Use our Leather Love cleaner/ conditioner as it has all the good gear in it to help your leather over summer.

Nicole's favourite job!

Make sure the car is in a nice cool, shaded area, then vacuum leather using a soft bristle attachment so it does not mark the leather. The reason you vacuum it first is so you will not be rubbing excessive surface dirt back into the leather.

Applying with the microfibre pad means you can keep it away from other areas., like the Alcantra bolsters here.

Spray the Leather Love into a microfibre applicator pad and gently rub it into the leather surface. Let it sit for 10 minutes, or till dry and then do it again, this time wiping it clean with a microfibre cloth after 5 mins, to remove any extra residue off the surface. Do this once every two weeks till the hot days are over and your leather will be helped dramatically.

The final finish, note how there is no white residue in the leather perforations.

Stronger dose of Love

If your leather no longer feels soft and supple, it is most likely needing a really good dose of Love. Basically, spray a good amount into the applicator and apply to the leather area, let it dry for 15 mins then apply again the same way. Let it sit for a few hours, even overnight, before doing it twice more as above and then on the final coat, wiping down the seat after 5 minutes. Then apply the Leather Guard afterwards and you are done. This more intensive treatment we have used many times before to bring back leather that many thought was dead!

 

You can find all these products at our supporting retailers Australia wide, find your closest one here. Or if there are none in your area, check out our online shop by clicking here.

 

I hope this article has helped you out with looking after your cars leather, if you have not read it yet, have a look at our big leather care article by clicking here. If you have any questions, please email info@bowdensown.com.au or FREECALL our office on 1800 351 308.

Love your leather,

Dan Bowden