How to Use a Hair Dryer to Remove Wrinkles on Leather Seats
by Joshua DuvauchelleLeather seats are often seen as a sign of luxury, especially in a car. Regardless of location, a leather seat can occasionally get wrinkles that detract from its appearance. Wrinkles might be a sign that your leather is suffering from environmental stress or damage. Fortunately, you can remove wrinkles without sending the seat to a dry cleaner or professional leather maintenance provider. Using a hair dryer to remove wrinkles on a leather seat can quickly restore the leather's appearance and save you money.
Step 1
Wipe down the leather seat with mild soap and water or a specifically formulated leather cleaner. Use the cloth to rinse and dry the leather seat so that no soap or cleaner residue remains on the surface of the leather.
Step 2
Inspect the leather seats and find all the places that have wrinkles.
Step 3
Turn on the hair blow dryer to its hottest, strongest setting.
Step 4
Position the end of the dryer eight to 10 inches away from the wrinkled leather surface. Move the end back and forth so that the hot air from the dryer is not hitting a single portion of the leather for too long. This prevents the dryer from burning the leather.
Step 5
Wait for the wrinkles to disappear. The heat from the hot air in the dryer will gradually shrink the leather, tightening its surface and effectively removing the wrinkles. Hair blow dryers operate at a lower temperature than the professional heat guns that are typically used to remove leather wrinkles. As a result, it might be several minutes before the wrinkles are completely gone.
Step 6
Apply a light coat of premium leather conditioner and work it into the surface of the leather. This helps to protect the leather from the environment, and it might prevent or minimize future wrinkles. Buff lightly with a cloth. A high-quality leather conditioner might cost slightly more than some other brands, but it has less wax and can extend the life of your leather. Popular leather conditioners include Mothers Leather Conditioner and Meguiar's Gold Class Rich Leather Cleaner and Conditioner. Such products may be purchased at your local automotive store or online.
Things You'll Need
- Clean cloth Leather cleaner (or mild soap and water) Leather conditioner solution Hair blow dryer
Writer Bio
Joshua Duvauchelle is a certified personal trainer and health journalist, relationships expert and gardening specialist. His articles and advice have appeared in dozens of magazines, including exercise workouts in Shape, relationship guides for Alive and lifestyle tips for Lifehacker. In his spare time, he enjoys yoga and urban patio gardening.
