Hi Guys,

First time poster with a quick cosmetic question — what's the best way to maintain my S60's leather? It has some creases I would love to remove. Moreover, I'd like to try and prevent future ones.

Can you recommend a good method or product to combat this? I have heard Lexol, but will any product work? How often should I condition?

Thanks!
Curran
--
1997 Volvo 850 • 210,000 (and still chugging)
2005 Volvo S60 2.5T • 25,000

 

Lexol is good. I just had my front seats on my 02 S60 redyed. I think I'm going to try some saddle soap on mine. It is a paste like shoe polish that soaks into the leather. I used to use it on my baseball gloves and it really was good. If I try it I'll let everyone know how it worked.

 

Creases in the leather are natural, and as it ages, it will show more and more. Just make sure to condition the leather, because if you don't creases will turn into cracks right off the bat! Lexol is a good product. Personally I like Bickmore products. This spray is an exellent cleaner and conditioner. http://www.bickmore.com/bickmore/Lea...are/Bick5.html. I use on my 850 I use a cream cleaner http://www.bickmore.com/bickmore/Lea...are/Bick1.html and creme conditioner http://www.bickmore.com/bickmore/Lea...are/Bick4.html
am conditioner.

 

Question to avoid me learning the hard way. Seats are pale tannish color on 06 V70.

What can I use to clean and condition without darkening that leather? Everything I've read on various labels suggests doing a "test" spot in a not-so-visible area. Not a good plan since my wife would spot it in about 3 seconds.

 

The stuff on the link above your response will not darken..... All cleaners and conditioners will put that on there to cover themselves as a "Legal Clause". You can also use Neatsfoot oil to condition.....My 850 has a light tan interior and has never darkened. I also do leatherwork where I work and normally untreated leather hyde will tan since it hasn't been processed. The stuff in our cars has been processed so darkening shouldn't happen.

 

Thanks for the help, guys. I tried Lexol tonight on my S60 and it seemed to soften the leather really nicely. The seats are very pliable.

However, I have an 850 whose seats are pretty far-gone. The driver's seat is very badly craked, although the rear seats are still in tact. I am going to have the new leather put in the front, but in the mean time, I'd like to try and condition the seats back to 'health'. Is this possible? Moreover, how would I do this?

Should I spray some Lexol conditioner on the seats and let it sit overnight, allowing it to soak in? If not, could youguys help this noob?!

Thanks.

 

The best way to condition leather is to close all the windows and allow the car to sit in the sun for 30 minutes or more. This will allow the pores on the leather to slightly strech and also allows the heat to soften up the leather. Once the car heats up, spray the lexol on the hot leather and saturate the leather. Don't wipe down! Let it sit for another 10-15 minutes and you will see that the lexol will have been absorbed. If the leather is bad, repeat once more. The heat will essentially allow the liquid to seep intot he leather and pores evenly and all the way to the other side of the grain.