I want to address a popular misconception about the practical use of Leatherique products. For those that are curious about the technical (how to) use of the Leatherique system for restoring leather seats, there is an article that covers that topic here.

Many of us have seen the (oftentimes dramatic) transformation of the appearance of leather from using the Leatherique system to its full potential.

I restored 40-year-old leather seats (pictured above) that showed its age here in this article: My Favorite Leather Restoration Products.

Most modern car interior leather seats are coated and it has become more common for people to detail modern leather the exact same way as they would certain plastics.  Using a more general interior cleaner is not totally or necessarily wrong but there is a flawed methodology behind treating modern leather the exact same way you would treat vinyl or plastic.  Coated leather cracks just like non coated leather.  Some people have expressed that there is no benefit or that it is counterproductive to use Leatherique on modern leather seats.

Although not at the same pace as the leather seats from classic cars, modern (coated) seats harden and crack over time as it builds up with contamination.  The modern coated leather seats are more water resistant (versus waterproof), compared to the leather seats of our classic cars.  But just like it would be a bad idea to dump a gallon of water on your new leather seats, it is still important to put some thoughtfulness into how you clean your seats.  The Rejuvenator Oil rubbed into the seats, which is the first product used in the Leatherique system, will do its job penetrating through the coating of the seats and pulling up the impurities from leather.

The transformation may not be as dramatic, but there is still value for use on modern leather interiors.  This is particularly the case after several years of wear.  I may not recommend using Rejuvenator Oil for brand new seats.  This is more of an issue of managed expectations.

My findings are not solely based on the company or its resellers.  I often use these products on my clients’ cars.  Also, some of my clients use Leatherique products.  In both cases, I received feedback on the results.  Most often I am told there is a moderately noticeable difference.  In some cases, no noticeable change was reported and in a few other cases, I have been told the effect was quite significant.

I used the leatherique leather care system on these cracked seats which did not make the seats visually transform to like new with one application.  But the owner felt an immediate and dramatic difference sitting in the car.

Other examples of the value of Leatherique on coated leather:

• Blue Jean transfer and Leatherique
• Leatherique Leather Care How-To