Restore | Dye Worn Leather Car Seats

How can I restore my dye-worn leather car seats? By following the procedures below, you will learn how to restore your vehicle’s leather seats. This guide provides instructions on restoring a leather seat on any car, including a Mercedes Benz.

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Should your car’s leather seats develop cracks and holes, you can follow our step-by-step guide below to restore them and save a lot of money.

What you will need

Tools

• Spatula for leather repair
• 600 grit sandpaper
• GDL Solvent
• Solvent Cleaner
• Masking Tape
• Leather patch
• Leather glue
• Leather dye

Procedure

How to dye leather seats without cracks or holes

1. Find the matching seat color for the car by looking for a VIN Sticker on the side of the door or in front of the driver’s side dash. Once found, give out the VIN to your dealer and ask for the color code for your seats. Buy the dye from your reputable dye store or online and use the acquired color code as a color reference.
2. Clean the target area of the seat with a strong leather cleaner, then remove the cleaner using a microfiber towel.
3. Use a degreaser to remove the remaining leather cleaner.
4. Apply solvent cleaner using a towel to remove the old clear coat on the target area; this would help the dye adhere better to the surface of the seat.
5. Spray cleaning solution to the affected areas of the seat. Typically, the dye comes with a cleaning solution and a sponge.
6. Wipe the solution off using a clean and dry microfiber towel.
7. Use 600-grit sandpaper to roughen the target area. This would allow the dye to adhere to the leather.
8. Brush off the dirt from the affected area.
9. Place masking or any tape on areas that should be exempt from dyeing.
10. Place some dye on the sponge and dye the target area, preventing paint from dripping on any part of the seat.
11. Wait for a few minutes to dry, and apply the dye again. To speed up the process, you can use a hairdryer or a heat gun to dry the paint.
12. Do steps 10-11 at least three times.
13. Let the dye dry, and you are done.

Note: If the dyed part of the seat did not match the color of the entire heart, dye the whole center using steps 2 to 13.
How to dye a leather seat with deep cracks or holes.

1. Acquire a leather patching cloth.
2. Cut the patch in a circular shape, a bit bigger than the hole.
3. Apply glue on the other side of the patch and insert the patch into the hole; insert the side without glue first. Secure the patch using a needle, then insert the sides using a small spatula.
4. Use a heat gun to dry the glue.
5. Using a sponge, apply a leather binder around the area around the hole.
6. Dry the binder using a towel.
7. Lightly sand the surface using 600-grit sandpaper.
8. Use the filler to cover the hole and cracks on the leather. Apply the filler using a small spatula.
9. Wait for thirty minutes for the filler to dry.
10. Use a GDL solvent to wash off the excess filler.
11. Sand the area using 600-grit sandpaper.
12. Wipe off the seat using cleaning spirit to remove dust particles from the heart.
13. Brush off the leather dust.
14. Place masking or any tape on areas that should be exempt from dyeing. Place some dye on the sponge and dye the target area, avoiding coloring from dripping on any part of the seat.
15. Wait a few minutes for the dye to dry, and apply the paint again. To speed up the process, you can use a hairdryer or a heat gun to dry the stain.

Frequently Asked Questions

We hope you find the Restore | Dye Worn Leather Car Seats guide helpful. Check these troubleshooting and repair guides for more help on your vehicle.