Wednesday, 17 June 2009

Separate the Good from The Bad

Buying a new vehicle with a leather package is the desire of most new car buyers. This does not have to be a reason for foregoing your desire for leather seats and upholstery because there are car upholstery leather seat kits available. There are literally hundreds of these kits available, but the following suggestions will help you separate the good from the bad.
Tip #1
Guarantee Always look for a guarantee when purchasing car upholstery leather seat kits. The reason for this is when you purchase a product with a guarantee the product will most likely work as promised, and if not then you are no worse for wear and can exchange or get a return for the product.
Tip #2
Instructions Be sure that whatever product you buy has very detailed instructions and directions to guide you through the repair process. In order to get great results youreally need good directions. Companies that have good products and are interested in really helping the customers receive good results will supply you with the instructions to get you there.
Tip #3
Testimonials and Recommendations When looking for car upholstery leather seat kits read online testimonials and ask friends and family members what products have worked successfully for them. This is one of the best ways to find a quality product.
Tip #4
Recommended for Your Vehicle Finally, make sure the car upholstery leather seat kits are recommended for your vehicle and particular types of seats. If so, then you should receive great results. If not, then you are at your own risk.

Cleaning the Automotive Upholstery

Car upholstery is made from different materials like leather, cloth, or vinyl. Cleaning of the interiors and the upholstery may be difficult and expensive since professional cleaners charge very high fees to remove the minutest of stains. One may maintain and clean the upholstery from minor stains but big ones are better done by professionals who employ strong cleaning solutions without damaging the upholstery.
Cleaning Common Car Upholstery Problems
• Dust- Car upholstery can easily be cleaned from surface dust using a vacuum cleaner. Extension tools of the vacuum will help reach gaps and crevices to get rid of dust in between automotive upholstery. Cleaning solutions like leather or vinyl protector will help maintain them in great condition and make them more durable for long.
• Spills - No matter how one avoids spills on the car upholstery, bad things happen when we hit a bump on the road. The key to cleaning it is by soaking as much of the liquid out of the upholstery as soon as possible by using rags or paper towels. Press the towel against the upholstery to get rid of as much liquid as possible. Damp cloth can be used on spills on leather seat covers. Leather upholstery is best treated for misfortunes like this by using protect ants on a regular basis to maintain the supple feel of the leather.
• Heavy Stains - Heavy stains are so unsightly. One quick remedy is to use baby wipes to absorb the fresh stain. If they don't does the cleaning trick then try to brush a little soda water on the upholstery.
• Bad Odor - Automotive upholstery can easily absorb any odor from the circulating stale air inside or from air coming from the outside. A cup of coffee or a bag of fries can have tremendous effect on the smell of the car's upholstery. A quick solution to this problem is opening the windows and spraying deodorizer to the interiors. Shampooing the carpet may also get rid of cigarette smell and improve the quality of air inside the car.
• Leather Upholstery - Aside from applying protective liquid to the leather upholstery, regular cleaning and avoiding of extreme heat will lengthen the life span of the leather.
Cleaning automotive upholstery is the best solution to have that new car scent once more but like the cliché goes prevention is still better than an ounce of cure. Cars are considered major investments. Aside from keeping the engine in top mechanical form, taking care of the interiors especially of the upholstery will make our driving experience more pleasurable and more comfortable.

Repairing Torn Leather Seats


One solution is to buy a leather repair kit to repair the seat.
• Buy a standard leather repair kit.
• Scuff the damaged area lightly with the sandpaper provided.
• Clean the area with the alcohol swab that is also provided.
• Secure cuts or holes with a sub patch and adhesive that are provided in the kit.
• Mix the color compound to match the color of the item you want to repair. Follow the color-matching guide that is provided in the kit. Spread the compound over the area and allow it to dry.
Another option for repairing torn leather seats is to sew them yourself. For instance, if the seat is ripped at a seam, you might be able to remove the cover from the seat and repair the seam. You'll need a heavy-duty sewing machine with large needle and heavy thread.
Repairing Torn Vinyl Seats
• Vinyl patch piece
• Vinyl adhesive
• Vinyl color (if you don't have the right color patch piece)
Steps to Repairing:
• Cut around the hole to make it even. This will make it easier to put your patch in.
• Find a piece of vinyl that matches in color and is big enough to over fill the spot where the hole is so that no gap will appear later in your repair.
• Tuck the patch piece of vinyl into the hole gently so you do not rip it and make it bigger. Smooth the patch out so it is spread out evenly.
• Lift the damaged vinyl section up and apply the vinyl adhesive to the original vinyl upholstery. Put the adhesive on the patch piece to secure the adhesion.
• Press the two vinyl pieces together carefully. If you press too hard a gap could appear from the pieces sliding apart.
• Allow upholstery to dry for 24 hours and keep out of direct sunlight or extreme heat.
Repairing Torn Fabric Seats
• Kit comes with 7 fabric fiber colors, fabric adhesive, spatula, mixing bottle, screen applicator, color mix chart and complete instructions.
• Fill the damaged spot with clear adhesive.
• Apply color fibers to applicator, lie over adhesive and move gently to disperse color fabric fibers.
• Let repair dry then spray with bonding adhesive.