Dyeing and painting cloth are two very different things.

Dyeing cloth consists of immersing the entire fabric in a dye solution, soaking it through and through for a period of time, then rinsing the excess dye away.  Rinsing removes any excess dye left so not to transfer onto something that you don’t want dyed like your clothes. Dyeing cloth is a more permanent way to change a color. The dyes actually penetrate the fibers of the fabric.

Painting cloth consists of spraying a solution of colored pigments and a binder of some sort onto the cloth. This process is usually used to rejuvenate an existing color or slightly change a color. When trying to change a color you usually will have to go darker not lighter. If you have a dark gray and want to go light gray, won’t work. Painting cloth can be tricky, but can yield some really nice jobs. Painting cloth can be a semi-permanent way to change the color of fabric. Usually the paint will eventually wear off on high traffic areas. The paint lays on top of the fibers. Designs can also be done by the paint method, usually with an airbrush.

So with that said painting cloth seats can be done.  Dyeing a cloth seats, well…. if your willing to tear your seats apart and hope the fabric doesn’t shrink while washing it in the dye solution, which most fabric dyes require hot water, then dyeing a cloth seat can be done too, but with a lot of work. I guess it could save a little on reupholstering, but with all that effort you might as well go ahead and go all the way and just add new fabric the color you want. But to each his own, I guess if you have a new car and want it different color then maybe, that’s new fabric.

I got into a job today that you almost had to laugh at. This was a lot of time and effort put into a vehicle that if finished probably could have been a show car if…and I mean if….it were a different car. It was a 2006 Suzuki Forenza, that someone had put custom crushed velvet silver with emerald green inserts. Tucked, quilted, molded and sewn just right.  The job was done really well, just didn’t really match anything. The car was white with a two tone gray interior. They had done all four seats, headliner, door panels and trunk area only.Kinda looked like someone just wasn’t quite done. I don’t know it didn’t match and needed to get sold.

So my job was to turn the green to black.

Doing this took some prep time, I thought of just going in with a blocking card and paint and going to town but then I thought again, too many curves and just too much area. Masking was my only way. Now masking cloth can be a pain, usually tape just really doesn’t stick that well and I was a little worried, but this material held tape very well, thank God. Not really sure what it was, surely some sort of synthetic. If ever you run into a problem with your tape not sticking to cloth, I’ve found if you heat the tape a little with a hair dryer while applying it, it will stick better. The tape from 3M and from Scotch Tape, work the best I think. Anyways I taped off the entire areas using a 1.5″ tape. This took about an hour, paying close attention not to tape over the green or exposing any of the silver. I used my blocking card for the rest. Papering it off too is just a waste to me, I can use a blocking card most of the time and tape and get the same effect. Less material cost….

Now mixing up your paint solution. I used my water based vinyl paints to do this. Vinyl paints are dye pigments mixed with resins, or your binder. Water based works best for cloth, solvents seem to leave the cloth stiff and hard looking where water based paints are more flexible leaving the cloth feeling and looking more natural. And I see your questions flying, “Water Based?” “Will it wash off on my clothes?” Water based means the pigments and resins are water soluble, basically meaning when the water evaporates the paint is permanent. It won’t come off on your clothing once done, if done correctly.

I mixed my paint with about 2 oz. paint to 1 oz. water, with a dab of slip additive for a softer feel, and rubbing alcohol to help evaporate the water faster boosting dry time. I watered it down to help it absorb into the fabric better. Doing it this way helps to give you that softer feel in the end, more time, but worth the effort.

I laid around two coats on each panel before moving onto the next, then went back after wards and laid another coat to deepen the black. The darker designs on the fabric showed through giving it a pretty cool effect. It worked out really well.

I did this job today and will probably have to go back tomorrow to touch it up and brush the fabric, this will remove any excess left over and give the cloth a softer feel. Touching it up will consist of either having to dye the seats again or just laying a light coat over them. Sometimes the dye will soak into the fabric and lighten as it dries basically the other color will bleed back through. You really can’t tell if your really done until they are completely dry. So there’s where the time thing come in.

Painting your cloth seats can give you a revive to your ride or give you a new look all together. Just remember when doing so to use a water based paint to give you the feel and look your looking for.

Talk to ya soon,

Mike ” TIG”

I’ve already painted my little fridge in my shop using my image projector. Not a big deal but the idea is you can do anything. Cars, boats, ATV’s, walls, doors, ceilings, man I could go on forever, the possibilities are endless.

All you do is slide a picture under the projector and it enlarges the photo onto what ever your wanting to draw or paint on.  Trace over it and finish it off. It’s just cool, I love this thing.

Well check it out and let me know what you think.   Click Here

Tracer® Image Projector 225 360

A versatile art projector for the beginning artist or crafter, and Artograph®’s bestseller. The Tracer enlarges any design or pattern onto a wall or easel from 2 to 14 times the original size. Projected image can be easily traced and colored as desired. No set-up necessary and simple to operate. Standard 100-watt bulb included. Dark room required.

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• Lens: 200mm optical glass
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ART 225-360 - Tracer® Image Projector.
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Painting in temperatures less then 40 degrees makes it almost impossible to yield a perfect repair without a little preparation first.

The first and foremost thing is to heat up the area where the repair is being made. Now the best way to do this is with a hairdryer, not your heat gun. This will heat the area just enough to make it easier to work with and not damage the area any further (like a hole in vinyl getting larger due to to much heat being put to it).  Heating the area will also help your compounds work like their supposed to along with giving you a warmer surface for the dye to stick to helping in curing time.

Here’s probably the biggest tip I can give you in helping your water based dyes to dry faster. Add a little rubbing alcohol, otherwise known as isopropyl alcohol, to your dye mixer. Now not too much, just a little squirt or two from your squeeze bottle will do. It makes a huge difference. The alcohol evaporates the water from the dye faster which in turn dries your dye faster. When buying it though make sure you get the 90% or better mixer, it’s more of a pure mixer. Here’s a link to a 99% isopropyl alcohol.

I usually start adding alcohol to my mixer at about 50 degrees or so especially if there’s a lot of moisture in the air. We have some pretty high humidity here in the mid west so when I have a blustery moist day I add a little rubbing alcohol to my dye and it cuts my drying time to almost nil. One thing too by using a hairdryer rather then a heat gun they blow harder which with the alcohol mixer, airflow is the trick. It seems like with more air blowing on the dye with the alcohol the faster it drys too.

With the prices of gas going down we can also get a little leeway on being able to run a vehicle with the heat on. If you can, run your vehicles when doing your repairs with the heat blasted. This will not only help warm the inside up but will also save the battery and blow a few of the lot rot cobweb’s that occur when some of the lot cars sit. It’s still a waste of gas but when you have a cold day and a repair is needed to be made then a warm car can improve the result immensely.

Well I hope all is well out there in your automotive world. Stay warm and make sure to keep your water based dyes warm too. Frozen dyes are ruined dyes.

Talk to you soon,

Mike “TIG”

What this really is, is when the leather turns a blue color where your back, butt, or arm rests on the wet leather and the dye from your clothing is then transferred to the leather.

The dye from your clothing is actually dyeing the leather in your car. The leather soaks it up like a sponge, like I’ve always said “What you put on leather stays in leather”, and as you see it’s true.

Whats really bad about this is there’s is no cleaner to remove this from the leather without damaging the leather or the leather’s original dye, at least not one that I know about.  Your only solution to this is to have the seats, armrests, ect. resurfaced or dyed to bring it back to it’s original color.

I’d have to say the cars that I see this on the most are Lexus, Toyota, and Infinity, all have light interiors with a soft leather that just soaks it up.

I worked on and Infinity G35 today that had it bad, the door panel all the way down was blue not just where the guys arm was. It dyed the plastic part below the leather wrapped armrest, that was pretty surprising to me. Usually it’s the leather seats, armrests, and console lids are what gets the most damage.

This is one problem that there’s not an easy quick solution too, other then maybe using a towel to sit on when your out in the rain or if your out on a hot day.

When your leather seat turns blue from the dye in your clothing don’t try to remove it with solvents or harsh cleaners, all this will do is make a bad thing worse. All solvents will do is remove the original dye from the seat along with blue color and dry the leather out, causing it to crack later. Remember “what you put on leather stays in leather”. Just call your local automotive interior professional, like myself The Interior Guy, and have the leather seats, armrests, console lids, ect. dyed back to it’s original color and luster. This will not only save you time but money too. Why replace when you can resurface!

Talk to ya soon,

Mike - The Interior Guy

Today was definitely the day for “Blue”. I worked on 3 different blue interiors today which is kinda unusual. It’s weird like that though.  I’ll go for weeks and not have one blue interior and then bam all at once I’ll get them all in one day. The last blue one I worked on today was a 1980 Mercedes 450sl. The dash was cracked from the defrost vent up, above the instrument cluster, then another crack on the side of the hump above the cluster. I wish I had pictures but just didn’t think, sorry.

Let me put it to you this way if we could have pulled the windshield we would have, it was not in a great spot. There’s only about 3 inches from the top of the dash to the windshield. When things get that tight it’s almost impossible to yield a perfect fix. You’ll have problems from not having enough room to sand or the worst is getting the job almost done and not having enough room to dye the area without dyeing the windshield too. But luckily this turned out a lot better then I had anticipated. I had just enough room to sand and just enough room to lay a good coat of dye, with the exception of down inside the lip of the vent, here I took a small sponge brush and brushed the dye on. You will find that when you brush dye on it will have a little different sheen to it then if it were to be sprayed on, so top coat with a clear when done to even this effect out.

When I started this dash repair the edges of the crack were curled up slightly and in one spot it was raised up about an inch. The way I usually would fix this would be to trim this off. But I thought I would try something first and see if it would work. I took a matching grain pad, basically for protection from the hot vinyl, and heated the curled and raised areas up then pressed the grain pad into the areas pushing them down and leveling them out. I just kept heating and molding the areas until I was satisfied. It worked really well. I was able to level the area out which gave me a level crack to fill.

I then sanded the cracks with a 120 grit sandpaper about an inch all the way around. This is prep for the next step which is something I’ve talked about before. It’s one of the best products I have found for repairing cracked dashes.  It’s called Padded Dash Filler by Urethane Supply Company. Now these guys know a few things when it comes to plastics. I have never been disappointed with Urethane Supply Company’s products and the Padded Dash Filler is no different. It spreads like butter and sets up really fast… I like fast.

After I sanded the area around the cracks I prepped with my prepping solution and then mixed up me a batch of Padded Dash Filler. Now I use a little different catalyst then what they send, I think they give you the red stuff in the little tube (the catalyst). I use the blue stuff, it’s a little “hotter” then the red. But if your just starting out using the filler then use the red, it takes a little longer to set up but you can work with it a little longer. Mix up small amount at a time, I usually use a glob of filler about the size of a shooter marble with a pea size of catalyst. I mix it on a piece of 4″x4″ smooth tile, it’s small enough to hold and cleans up nicely with a razor blade so you can use it over and over again.

Basically your first coat of Padded Dash Filler will be a rough fill, meaning don’t worry about getting it perfect. I’ll sometimes lay about 3 to 4 coats before I happy. The whole idea is to get your repair as level and smooth as possible, the texture comes after wards. I will use a 120 grit to start out with then graduate to a 240 then 400 if needed. This Mercedes was a hard one too, I actually used the reflection from the windshield to see the back side of the dash when I was sanding, not real fun.

The texture on this one I used the Sem Texture Coat.  It’s about the only way to get texture back into the repair area when using the filler. If I would of had more room I would have done my little trick with my grain pad. I was able to do it on the lower crack though. What I’m talking about is taking your grain pad and pressing the grain into the Sem Texture Coat. You can do this if you get the right amount of texture coat on and do it when the stuff is still soft. Try it out sometime it works pretty good, just wait until the texture coat flashes then press the grain pad into the texture coat “lightly”, and you have a matching grain.

Now dyeing the repaired area was a booger.. to say the least, after I covered the windshield I realized how much room I didn’t have to get my paint gun in. Thank God I use the paint gun I do, this Sharpe 7040 top trigger gun I use is small and has an adjustable cup so I was able to get it in where most guns I wouldn’t have had a chance. Like I said I was able to get almost all the area covered with the spray but I had to sponge brush a small area along the defrost vent.

I top coated the dash with a low gloss clear when I was done and I was pretty happy with the repair. I wish I could have gotten a better grain into the area though, but you couldn’t hardly tell because of where the repair was unless you got right up on it. My customer was happy so that was good.

I’m a perfectionist when it comes to my repairs, if I’m not happy with it then I know my customer won’t be. I never try to settle for just good enough. This one I had to settle a little though, I just physically couldn’t have made it better due to the amount of room I had to work with, grrr.

Cracked Dash Repair is one that can be frustrating but take your time and don’t rush things. The Padded Dash Filler does take a little bit to set up, and getting your texture just right takes a little practice. Well I hope my little experience today gave you some ideas in doing a repair on a cracked dash and if you need anything don’t forget to join my forum or just throw me a comment.

Later….Mike”TIG”

If a heat gun breaks down while your doing a repair it can cost you time and money in the long run. So buying a cheap heat gun and thinking your saving money is a bad move believe me. I went through that phase of thinking buying a cheap gun just to get me by would work, well after running back and forth to the hardware store every other week or even sooner I figured it was not saving me anything, all it was doing was causing me frustration and more money each time I was down. So I figured it was time to break down and get with the big boys and buy the right equipment for the right job.

There are so many options out there to choose from. I’m going to try to give you a few pointers in the use of your heat guns and give you some choices to choose from.

First and foremost there is something that I’ve learned that will save your heat gun and make your heating element last ten times longer, now this is a feature that is not available on most of the less expensive models, its what is called the “cool down” time. The cool down time is crucial in cooling the element gradually so not to burn it out.  What this is is when you turn the heat off on the gun, you can switch it to where cool air blows through cooling the element slowly. This little trick will make your heat gun last a lot longer, believe me. In fact I won’t buy a gun unless it can be switched to cool air. I used to go through elements like crazy and then being the man I was didn’t think to look at the manual, but one day in the shop going through some paper work I happen to read a little about the heat gun I was using and came across a part that talked about the cool down stage and how when you get done with the unit to let it sit and run on the cool air cycle for about a minute before it’s to be shut down. They gave no real reason for this, you know most instruction manuals, anyways it made since. You know how if things that are really hot and don’t get a chance to cool down right, then they sometimes take on a different shape, form or even molecular structure. So I tried it and it really worked, really it was kinda a “duh” thing but just one more thing to help from having down time. No more buying elements on a regular basis.

Depending on the heat gun you use and really this can go for all the guns is to be careful not to drop it. On the inside if you haven’t ever seen the heating element, is a coil of wire wrapped around a ceramic piece and this stuff is kinda delicate. If you break the ceramic too bad then the gun will burn itself up. It has to do with the heat transfer or something like that, but they will break if you drop them to many times. We all get in a hurry sometimes and tools get to fly’n but this one is just a little more delicate then most so you gotta be a little more delicate with this one.

Laying your heat gun down while doing a repair can be a challenge, because you can’t really keep turning your heat gun off and on just to lay it down for a second to get more compound on the repair or shoot a little dye on the repair area. So finding a gun that either stands up on it’s own or finding something to lay the gun on without burning something else and creating another repair. I do a lot of new limo’s and when I’m inside there’s no room for error, and if my gun falls over onto a seat or burns a spot in the carpet then I’m….well let’s just not go there.  I use a piece of cardboard to set my gun on and really pay attention to where the blast is going. I’ll even hold the gun between my legs so I don’t have to set it down if needed. Just anything to keep a very bad thing happening.

I’ve used both types of heat guns that either stand up on there own or not. The ones that have the stand, well they’re handy but I see why they have the stands because they’re so big and heavy. One thing to keep in mind is the weight of a gun too, it’s kinda hard holding a heavy heat gun up to doing a repair. But I like my big gun the elements are easy to change and I like the way I can set it down easily.  It heats well and does have a cool down mode.  But like I said it is heavy and a lot of times I will use my lighter weight heat gun.  It’s easier to handle and the one I have has a digital read out so I know what temp I’m at for each job.

The digital read out is nice, I have total control of temperature.  There’s a couple of heat guns I would recommend if your looking for control with your heat. One is the Steinel IntelliTemp and the other is the Wagner Digital heat guns. Both are great guns, the Steinel is of course a more commercial grade type of gun, made to last in extreme work environments. The Wagner I’d say is more lower end commercial model but probably won’t last as long. I’m using the Wagner right now, I’m still kinda in that cheap a@# mode but the gun works pretty good. I bought it in a pinch when my big gun went down and I couldn’t get a part right away and happen to find it on the damaged shelf, the only thing wrong with it was the spout had a dent in it, yes I know I’m a cheap a@#.  The read out isn’t exactly a LCD read out but you do have control over your temperature range. The Steinel will probably be my next purchase due to the durability and the LCD read out is nice, but so far so good the Wagners doin the trick.

Now one other little device you do need to go along from with your heat gun for doing a vinyl repair and even leather repairs is a reducer tip. What this will do will concentrate the heat to a smaller area giving you more control in your smaller repairs and reducing the “halo effect”. That is one thing that I didn’t like with the Wagner is that it did not come with a reducer tip. Luckily I had one made for my other gun. It’s a long 1/4″ tube welded to a piece that slides down over the end of the heat gun. But I will tell you if you use one of these make sure it is on there before you start your repair, if it falls off in the car when it’s hot it will burn the car and You when you go to grab it in a frantic, been there, it hurts.

One last little tip when using your heat gun. If your dyeing an entire seat don’t use your heat gun to dry the dye. Buy a hairdryer!  This will save time and your gun too. When your dyeing a lot of over spray is floating around and gets recirculated back through the gun. It will clog the gun up and ruin it. Using a hairdryer will save your gun from this and they blow harder anyway which dries the dyes quicker. You don’t run the risk of melting or bubbling your dyes like with a heat gun.

So the biggest things to look for when purchasing your next heat gun is variable heat settings, a cool down mode, accessibility to parts like elements, and really in my opinion is weight, the lighter guns are just a little easier to use.  Don’t forget your reducer tip too, it will come in handy.

Hope this helps in your repairs with the few tips on the use of your heat gun and heating your repairs.

Heres you a few choices for heat guns and accessories:

Steinel SNL34850 IntelliTemp Heat Gun with LCD Temperature Display - 2010E STEINEL heat guns have built a reputation for using state of the art technology to maximize precision and durability. Our new generation of heat guns incorporates exciting new features responding directly to ever increasing global requirements for rigorous, formalized quality control. Microprocessor controlled heat gun with LCD display enabling temperature selection in 10 degrees Fahrenheit increments. STEINEL’s exclusive DuraTherm heating element ensures long life and even heat. Temperature: Continuously variable 120 - 1150 degrees Fahrenheit Airflow: 3.6 / 10.6 / 17.6 CFM Switch: 1) Cool Air (120 degrees Fahrenheit / 3.6 CFM), 2) Var Temp/10.6 CFM, 3) Var Temp/17.6 CFM Output: 1500 watts Voltage: 120 VAC / 60 Hz Weight: 30 oz Warranty: Full One Year Accessories Accepts a full range of nozzles and accessories.

Wagner Digital Heat Gun, Model# HT3500 Digital touchpad with LED indicators. Great for paint removal, loosening rusted bolts, thawing pipes and more. Watts: 1,500, BTU Output: 5,100, Heat Settings: 12, Temperature Capacity (°F): 250 - 1,350 2 fan speeds Cool setting cools down gun and automatically shuts off Ergonomic handle with hanging eyelet

Milwaukee Variable Temperature Heat Gun with Digital Temp Display, Model# 8988-20 Required CFM: 7.06, 8.83, 15.89, Heat Settings: Variable, Temperature Capacity (°F): 90 - 1,100 Independent controls for temperature and air flows Digiatal display for temperature settings Three controlled air volumes allow you to match the air speed to your application Removable air filter keeps debris out Ceramic encapsulated heating element for maximum tool life One hand operation with lightweight and easy grip handle Upright stationary use with pads on back cap and lower handle

9Mm Reduction Nozzle For Steinel Electronic Heat Guns ? Provides a precisely concentrated stream of hot air. Used for welding or soldering. ? Can be used as a base for specialized attachments such as the SNL07091 Plastic Welding Attachement. ? Precision formed from high-grade, polished stainless steel for superior performance and reliability. ? Note: For use on Steinel electronic heat guns only.By Steinel.

Master Appliance 750-1000deg Heavy Duty Heat Gun 120v 14.5am (Sold Individually) CASE PACK: Sold Individually DETAILS: Powerful high speed universal motor Sturdy die cast housing Adjustable non-slip stand Use to bend plastics, cure adhesives, dry parts, heat parts, shrink tubing and packaging, strip paint and more *Operating Temp. = 750 deg F Min , 1000 deg F Max *Voltage = 120.00 VAC *Frequency = 60.0 Hz *Amps = 14.50 A *Watts = 1740.00 W *Flow = 23.0 CFM *Velocity = 3000 ft/min *Fan Speed = Single *Length = 9 in *Width = 5.200 in *Height = 10.100 in *Outlet Size = 1 in *Cord Length = 6 ft *Control Type = Variable Temperature, Switch (3 Pos-Off/On/Heat) *Handle Type = Pistol Grip *Type = Heat Gun *Wt. = 3.70 lb UL listed UPC: 635705101099

Bosch 1942 Heat Gun The Bosch Heat Gun features: *14.3 Amps, 750-1000F *Powerful blower Provides a high volume of air needed for industrial applications *Air intake regulator Adjusts the temperature to the requirements of the job *Cool air setting For cooling tool and for no-heat applications, adds versatility *Insulated nozzle Protects operator, provides a cool exterior temperature *Padded, adjustable stand Allows stationary use with multi-position holder *Multiple uses Strip paint, shrink tubing or packaging, heat liquids, loosen fittings, soften caulking and surface finishes, thaw pipes *Range of accessories Adapts tool for specific uses in building trades, industrial applications, and laboratory work Includes: *Heat Gun - 1942

JD Buckridge - The Branding Specialist

Later…Mike”TIG”

This graining technique is actually pretty easy and gives you a light grain on a leather repair when a little more hide factor is needed.

Now you can do this with pretty much any air dry leather repair compounds on the final layer before the dye is applied. Or with a compound that isn’t really a compound but a gel. It’s called Leather Gel. I get it from Viper and works really well with this technique. Leather Gel is just that a clear thick gel, it kinda reminds me of hair gel but of course it’s not. It used as a final coat over your repair before your dye to help blend your repair or can be used to lay down frayed leather like around the seams of a leather steering wheel. It’s pretty amazing, flexible, and durable stuff. Go check it out at ViperProducts.com, and don’t forget your promo code IG1100.

Spread your final layer of compound over the leather repair area then heat the grain side of your matching grain pad with your heat gun, this is the reverse part. Get it as hot as you can, then press the grain pad into the compound, hold it on there with a towel or something to protect your hand from the heat. Lay your chill bar over the grain pad to pull the heat out of the repair and so your grain pad doesn’t stick to the compound. Gently pull the grain pad off and there you go, grain in your leather repair. Sometimes you will have to sand lightly with a 600 grit to take the high spots off, but not to much, you don’t want to mess up the grain pattern you just did.

Well hope this helps in graining your leather repairs, this might even work with a low heat compound too. I’ve been experimenting a little with this one. That’s what a love about this business is theres a challenge in everything I do and with a little imagination and the right materials I get to make a bad thing a good thing.

Oh and one more thing before I go. The economy might be tough right now but WE have to get tougher and work smarter to survive. Only the strong survive! Keep your head up and just keep plugin away. Start looking into different avenues besides just automobiles, like aircraft, trains, buses, golf carts, marine vehicles of all type, hot tubs tops, furniture like bars stools or dentist office chairs. All these things have either vinyl or leather seats and will need a repair eventually. So I just thought I might throw a few ideas out there for you to help keep you going in tough times.

Good luck with graining your leather repairs, and let me know how it goes.

Talk to ya soon,

Mike “TIG”

” Are you going to leave them on all the time? ”

If they answer is yes then I have to say that their seat probably won’t look new when they take them off say a year or two from now.

The reason for this is that seat covers may protect your leather seats from major dirt or spills but dust and dirt still get under the seat covers. When this dirt is sandwiched between the seat cover and the leather seat each time you sit on the leather seat this dust and dirt gets ground into the leather, and in some cases acts like sandpaper and actually rubs the dye right off the leather surface. Leaving you in worse shape then if you had used nothing. One other down fall to having seat covers is that they will actually act as a sponge to the oils in the leather which keep them soft. If left on for too long without replenishing the oils the leather becomes hard an brittle and will crack.

Now I don’t discourage anyone from putting seat covers on their leather seats because in all actuality they can be a great investment to the interior of your leather vehicle if, and I stress if, you take them off and clean and condition the leather seats periodically. It doesn’t take much to do this and it will make your leather seats last and look new for years to come. Take your covers off at least once a month and clean with a mild neutral ph detergent like Dawn dish soap mixed with warm water, then condition with your Lexol Leather Conditioner. This will eliminate any chance for damage from your seat covers.

Now here’s a great reason to invest in seat covers for leather seats. This one I see a lot, and that is for people that have pets that like to go for a ride. Our little furry family members are great to take along for a ride but their sharp claws play havoc on leather seats. Claw scratches are inevitable if you let your pet run around on bare leather. Another problem I have seen is body oils from your pet. Your pets have oils in their coats that can damage leather if left. I have even seen extreme cases where a dog has laid in a seat and the dye actually stuck to his fur and peeled the dye right off the seat. I also had a case where a lady had just put flea and tick stuff on their pet and they jumped up on the seat to go for a ride and the flea goo got on the seat and ate the dye right off the seat within a mater of minutes, scary what we put on our pets to keep them pest free. One way to prevent this is to either lay a towel down under your pet, which if your dog is like mine he never sits still and the towel ends up in the floor, or you can put a seat cover on. There are covers that you can just slip on and off so when your pets not with you and you don’t want to use the seat cover just slip it off and stuff under the seat.

But at least put something down for them, or I promise you, you will be calling me to fix your leather seat.

Now for those of you on a limited budget and would like to make a bad leather vehicle look great again, heres your answer…Seat covers.

Looking for a specific seat cover for a specific vehicle go to Auto Parts Warehouse and search by year make and model of a specific vehicle. No trouble shopping if you ask me. They have all kinds to choose from, and some I thought were pretty cool looking. Also they have a special going on right now Get $5 + FREE SHIPPING on purchases of over $99 or more at Auto Parts warehouse. Use this code upon checkout (5APW).

So go check it out if your needing seat covers for leather seats, and don’t forget to clean and condition your leather seats on a regular basis with Lexol Leather Conditioner to keep them soft and looking new for years to come.

Talk to ya soon, Mike “TIG”

CANINE SEAT COVERS: Dirty dogs? Clean seats. Choose from 16 colors & patterns. Cut to fit your car, they’re durable and washable.

CarCover-Depot.comK9.htm

I get into so many autos that the buttons on the radio are peeling off and what your left with are white buttons that just look awful. At night it can be at the least distracting. Have you seen one of those? Well Viper Products has done it again and has come up with a fix for those peeling buttons. Its a two part film. A translucent film and a black film with cut outs for the lettering. All you do is sand the peeling radio button to give you a smooth surface to put the film onto. Prep, then lay the film over the radio button and heat it to reform the coating to button. The lights from the radio still shine through the lettering and the finished product looks, as Viper Products always does, factory. I’m waiting on a video that I can put on here for all to see, but I just couldn’t wait to tell you all about it until then. You can view the video here - Viper Products - and don’t forget your discount code when you order - IG1100 - Guys you just can’t go wrong with this one. Like I said I see a lot of vehicles with the radio buttons peeling and I get a lot of requests to fix them. Up until now I’ve had to tell them to replace the radio, or try to buy new knobs, or just live with it. I’ve even dyed a few of them to to cover up the ugly, but the letters are gone and they won’t light up. So this system is a must add to your automotive interior repair business. Some of those radio’s can get pretty pricey, so being able to fix the peeling radio buttons without having to replace the radio can be a huge asset to your business and your customers. Go check the video out and come back and shoot me a comment on what you think of How To Fix Radio Buttons Peeling.

Hey guys…It’s been a while since I’ve posted a helpful tip to add to your arsenal of automotive interior repairs I’ve given here on my blog.

So I thought of giving you a little bit on Stain Removal in Carpet. This is one thing I get a lot of questions for and that is how to get those nasty brown, or black, or even red stains out of the interior carpet of the vehicles I work on on a daily basis.

The trick isn’t to it isn’t really a trick at all, it’s timing and knowledge of what to use where and when. Getting to a spill before it gets a chance to soak in is your best defense against a stain in your carpet. If you spill something wipe it up and soak it up as quickly as possible and then flush with water and soak it up with a towel, or what ever you have at the time. But thats not always the case and thats where this little guide will help you, but really if you can wipe spills up a fast as you can and this helps to get the actual stain out later when you have more time.

One of the most common stains I see in vehicles are footprints or skid marks from dirty and greasy shoes. The answer to this is a degreaser. There are so many different options to use in this situation, but I’m here to make this as simple as possible and effective. Supplies you will need are a couple of white towels, a scrub brush and a mild detergent, like dawn dish soap, a small pail of warm water mixing the soap to 1/4 oz. soap to gallon of water. Dip your brush in the soap and water, scrub the areas lightly with the brush making sure not to soak the carpet then wipe and blot with the towel. Repeat if necessary, wiping and blotting the area with the towel to remove the dirt and grime and the water, you don’t want it to sour later if left wet. If your have a shop vac, use it to suck up the water and to fluff the carpet pile back up to dry better. Place a fan in the vehicle if needed to dry further if you’ve had a bad one.

Now sometimes more then not you will need something a little stronger to get the grease out. I use Castrol Super Clean, the purple stuff. I’ve used Simple Green at times too, and some of the products at some of detail shops I’m at from time to time, so really any good degreaser will work. Just spray the area with the cleaner, scrub with the brush, then wipe it up with a towel. Now if at all possible flush the area with water, this will help to remove the chemicals from the carpet and will help to preserve the natural look to the carpet. Some of those chemicals are pretty strong and if left can damage the carpet.

Soda pop and coffee stains, are another I run across a lot. Now this one can be booger to get out. A coffee stain if left can do permenant damage to the carpet and at times I have had to just dye the carpet to cover up the stain. If coffee is your problem, here are a few tips, catch the spill as quickly as possible then flush with mild soap and water like before with the grease, but you may have to soak it a little more to get it out. Now if this is an old stain, one thing you can try is hydrogen peroxide. This can be used as a mild bleaching agent. Just pore a little in a cup and with a tooth brush scrub it into the stain let sit for about 20-30 minutes then flush with your soapy water solution. If this doesn’t work, I found a product at my local janitorial supply shop called Perculator, it comes in spray bottle and is primarily a peroxide mix, and works pretty good, but it’s still not a miracle worker. Coffee can be a pain, but with a little luck and timing on this one you can get it out. Now soda pop, if it’s not an orange or red which I’ll talk about in a minute, can usually be taken care of with the warm water and soap.

Food stains can range from greasy french fries smashed in the carpet to dried ketchup, to jelly beans and candy. Most of these can be dealt with with your soap and water. Ammonia can be added to the solution to help cut the greasy foods. Scrape the chunks out with a blunt knife before you get wet this will help to not spread the stain further. Candies might take a little more due to dyes added for color, wash as much as possible to remove the candy, if the stain remains you can try peroxide but like I said there are dyes in some candies that do just that, dye the carpet. Gum is another candy that can be removed with mostly picking it out but the rest might take a little chemical. Goof Off is a good one to keep on hand for a lot of different things, but it works great on gum too. After you pick most of it out just take a little Goof Off on a towel and wipe the rest right out.

Red Wine is sort of a food stain but treated a little different. If it’s fresh flush with cold water and soak it up as much as possible. Try even a little club soda and pore directly onto the stain and soak it up with a towel. This should get most of it. One last trick is an enzyme cleaner, enzymes get right to it when it comes to food stains. They are known for removing food stuff stains, but I haven’t had much luck with red wine though so I’ll talk about it in a minute on getting the red stains out of your carpet.

Now if you have a misfortune and happen to get a blood stain on your carpet then this one needs to be handled with cold water and not warm or you will set the stain. If it’s dried then scrap the dried blood with a blunt knife to get the chunks out, vacuum them up, then scrub the area with cold water and a mild soap. Peroxide can be used to help remove the reddish tint if needed. Then flush again with the soap and water, then vacuum with your shop vac. One other remedy is a blood enzyme, which will eat the blood away. Blood Buster is good one, it’s an enzymatic cleaner designed for bio stains.

One that I deal with upon occasion is pet urine. Talk about nasty…but, hey they have to pee too, just not where we always want them to. This one is one you can go to your kitchen for, vinegar, helps to nutralize the acids in the pee. Supplies for this one are paper towels if still wet, white towels, mild soap and warm water, brush and vinegar. First soak up what you can with if it’s still wet with the paper towels, next take your soapy solution of warm water and soap, 1/4oz. of soap to a gallon of water, dip the brush and scrub the area with the soapy water, blot with the towel and repeat until the stain is gone. Afterwards pore a little vinegar over the stain and let set for about an hour. Lastly rinse with water and vacuum with a shop vac or dab with towels until mostly dry. If the stain is still there, let it dry, then apply an enzyme. Enzymes work really well for all bio stuffs including urine. The guys over at Petguest have come up with a 100% enzyme concentrate that is made for the elimination of pet stains and odors.

The old melted crayon stain in the carpet….Man what a mess this can be, but believe it or not it’s pretty easy to remove if you have a clothes iron and a brown paper bag. Scrape the majority away with a blunt knife then lay the brown bag over the crayon and with the heated iron, rub it over the bag over the spot. The heat from the iron will melt the crayon into the bag. Just rotate the bag around to keep a clean side down and after a while the crayon will be on the bag not on the carpet. Patience on this one helps, but again if the spot remains try a little chemical like your Goof Off.

Paint is another carpet stain that can give you a bunch of problems. First thing you need to determine what kind of paint it is. If it’s automotive paint then a solvent paint reducer or thinner can be used to remove it. I usually use lacquer thinner, works fast and removes most paint spills. Now if it’s house paint, then scrape off the excess with a blunt knife and pull out the Goof Off, try not to spread it out to much, work small and from the outside in on the stain. I guess nail polish is a paint, but with this one use nail polish remover or straight acetone with a towel, and again work the stain from the outside in so to not spread it out to far.

Now this is probably got to be the worst carpet stain out there. The red stain in the carpet. This is caused by a #40 Red dye that is put in a lot of drinks like Kool Aid and, red and orange sodas. If you run across this one there is only one way to remove it and thats with a strong chemical. I have found a product that I use on these type of stains and have had really good luck with it, it’s called Red Dye Solution. There are others out there like Red Relief, and Red Out, all work pretty similar. You pore the chemical on the stain, and with a wet white towel and a steam iron you remove the stain. It is a time consuming project and with some luck all of the stain will be removed. Sometimes a little blue hue will be left from the chemical but it sure is a lot better then a bright red stain jumping out at you. But with a little carpet dye over the top and your good as new. You can find these products usually at your local janitorial supply shop or online. I’m working on getting some here on my site, so bare with me.

Stain Removal In Carpet can be frustrating at times, but there no substitute for a professional. These tips can help and may just save you but if you have any problems or feel that the stain is just a little above your head then don’t hesitate to call an automotive interior repair professional like myself to come in a make your life a little easier. For those of you that are the professionals feel free to post your tips in the comments so we can all benefit from your expertise in carpet stain removal.

The official name is an Enhanced Air Flow Flameless Heat Tool, and is exclusively available first through Viper Products. Check out these specs.

Viper X-7 Heat Tool

Self-igniting, butane-powered flameless heat tool
with fan assisted air flow

	Eliminates scorching and burning damage to vinyl and other substrates
	Ideal for pinpoint repairs on vinyl, leather, and plastic and much more…
	Variable temperature 302°F to 572°F (150°C to 300°C) with fan
	Enhanced air flow volume is 4 times greater with fan
	Variable temperature 482°F to 932°F (250°C to 500°C) without fan
	Butane-powered and completely portable/cordless, for use where no electrical outlets are available
	Built-in battery-powered motor uses 4 standard AA batteries (not included)
	Built-in LED light provides lighting in dark locations

	Built-in stand is convenient for safety and hands-free use
	Use with or without enhanced air flow and with or without shrink attachment
	Ergonomic handle makes tool easy to use over an extended period of time

What I thought was cool was the control of your heat. With the fan on you get a nice low temperature for doing low heat compounds like on a leather seat. In fact today I was able to repair a hole in a drivers leather seat bolster on a GMC Envoy, a low heat repair. I just turned the flow down and fan on. I also fixed a small hole in an armrest of a Chevy Suburban, a high heat repair, this was a small crack, close to the seam. With this little heat gun I was able to pinpoint my heat and make the repair without damaging the seam, which as you know I hate messing up the seam on a vinyl repair. This time I turned the flow up and used the fan on some of it, and when I needed a little more heat I turned the fan off, and there it was. I just couldn’t go wrong with heat control.

There’s also a little led light for those unlit areas we sometimes get ourselves into. My idea for this tool is on some of the repairs I have to do on Limousines, with very low light situations.

You’ve got to have this little tool, it is a must if you do vinyl repairs. I’ve used regular ultra torches before, but didn’t have the control like this one. Normally there’s a flame you have to deal with and damage to the vinyl happens really fast with not a lot of control. Basically you burn your repair instead of melting it. With the Viper X-7 you have heat control with no flame.

Now it’s not going to replace my big heat gun for doing larger vinyl repairs, but what a great compliment.

So anyways here it is, and here’s where you can get it - Viper X-7 - Now don’t forget your promo code IG1100 for a discount.

Vinyl repairs require so many different temperatures to achieve the desired results. Heating your repair with a the right tool will get you your desired results with your automotive interior repairs.

Like I said before I have used a lot of different automotive interior products from a lot of different suppliers, and over the years I have been looking for a product that I can truly say is a top of the line product. I can finally say that now.

A few months ago I received an email from a supplier that wanted to know if I wanted an automotive interior product that I could guarantee, signed it with a contact name and a phone number. This was kinda a no brainer, of course I’m looking for such a product. I’d be stupid not to. Now the products I was using at the time I thought were pretty darn good. The one problem I did have was wear. I was having problems with some of my jobs lasting like I wanted them too. Now remember I am a perfectionist, so my jobs have to satisfy me before I feel my customer will be happy. So I contacted this automotive interior product supplier immediately. If I could have a product that would last and give me the results I wanted then I wanted some…right now!

The man that answered the phone was Tom at Viper Products, he was also the guy that contacted me in the email, and I’m here to tell you he changed my life. He put an automotive interior product in my hand that I have to say is truly a professional product.

When we talked he told me he had a water based interior dye that I could guarantee and when done with the job the leather seats would look new, not painted, but new. His compounds he said, would hold, grain just as well or better, last and make my life a lot easier doing repairs. Of course I was a little sceptical, but definitely curious, excited to try it, and interested in bringing the best for my customers.

Tom told me what was in the interior products I was using and what was causing my problems of a lasting repair and told me what was in his interior products that would help me and get me where I wanted to be in the automotive interior repair business.

Tom is not just a supplier either, he doesn’t just turn products, he actually makes the stuff. Now I don’t mean a backyard chemist either. He designs each compound and each dye from the ground up, which means they start out as raw materials such as fillers, resins, tacking compounds, feel enhancers ect. and are mixed to the specifics needed to get the job done right the first time. He is extremely knowledgeable with all his products and will tell you strait up what to use and where and at what temperature and so on. If you have a question, he’ll probably have an answer to it. Customer service is A number one.

Well, Tom sent me a sample package of the water based dyes and leather repair compounds to try out. I am here to tell you, before I started my second job I was on the phone calling to thank Tom for putting such a premier product in my hand and ordering more.

The first vehicle I did I couldn’t believe how good the dye covered and when done, he was right, the seat looked new, not painted but new. I couldn’t believe it, this stuff was it. The feel was another big thing, you could feel a huge difference in the surface that was just dyed, the leather seat was soft as a babies butt.

I have been using Vipers Products for a while now and have checked and re-checked the vehicles that I have repaired and up to now not a single problem. The dyes and repairs are lasting just like Tom said it would and mostly, like I wanted them too.

Now Tom and I have been talking about how I could bring his products to you in a way that it would benift all of us. Tom has given me permission to give you all a code to enter in the promo coupon box on his site. So when you go to place an order, (and believe me you will) you will get a discount. Isn’t that cool, not only are you gonna get one of the best automotive interior products on the planet but also get a discount too. Now what could be better then that. This offer is only good through me and my promo code. So if you happen to call your order in by phone, like I do, then be sure to give him the code that I’m about to give you.

So heres the code, now this is case sensitive so copy and paste this to a safe place for keeping or write it down.

Okay here it is…

IG1100

Keep this code in a safe place you can use it over and over again with each time you need supplies.

Now when you click here on Viper Products it will open another tab and take you to the official Viper products website, don’t forget to use the code to get your discount, and enjoy theres all kinds of stuff in there and more to come. In fact I’m looking forward to a new heating tool he told me about the other day. When I get it and test it out for myself I’ll show you what we got.

Go there now and check it out, you will be sorry if you don’t. Here’s your code again….IG1100, and the link Viper Products Don’t miss out on one of the best automotive interior products on the planet.

I got into a 2007 Chevy Avalanche today at one of my dealers to clean and repair the drivers seat. When I got done with the seat and was wiping up some dirt on the carpet, I happened to look up and directly under the steering column on the dash panel were 2 screw holes in the dash from a trailer brake that had been removed, I about choked. This truck didn’t have but maybe 30k miles on it and screws had already been put in the dash, I couldn’t believe it. There has got to be a better place to mount those things, but whats done was done and now I had to fix it.

This repair is not that hard to do, and can really make a difference in the appearance of an automobile. Automotive plastic no matter where it is in the vehicle can be repaired the same way, this repair works for all screw holes and small holes as well. Now the holes say the size of pencil eraser are about the biggest you can go with this one. The holes you see where a toggle switch has been are really too big for this fix.

First and foremost is getting rid of the burr’s and raised area left from the removal of the screw. Most of the time the holes have not been pre-drilled so there’s a raised portion around the holes and burrs left from the threads of the screw as it is screwed into the plastic. To remove this and make the holes level you will need to trim this off. The way I do this is with a brand new razor blade. I use a new one because you will need a very sharp edge to cut the plastic, and not your fingers. Take your razor blade and lay it flat up against the plastic piece and push it through the plastic that is raised up, making the screw hole level with the rest of the area.

Here’s the fix. It’s a kneadable epoxy, it’s like play-do. The stuff I use is Magnum Plastic/Marine & Fiberglass Repair Epoxy Putty. But I have also seen a product on TV that is basically the same stuff, called Mighty Putty, you’ve probably seen it. It’s great, just slice a small amount off knead it into a ball to get the two parts combined, tear a small amount off then push it into the screw hole. Now leave a little bit above the hole, don’t push it all the way through, basically a little glob on top. Grab your 240 grit sandpaper and sand lightly over the glob until it’s level, finishing with a finer grit like 400 or 600. You have to kinda work fast this stuff sets up pretty quickly, 15 minutes to be exact. Inspect the hole and see if it’s all filled in, if not pinch a little more off and push into the hole, sand and inspect. If it’s level and all filled in, your done filling and now it’s time to clean the area thoroughly with your prepping solution.

Sometimes depending on the size of the screw hole and where it’s at, you may need to texture the area a little. Now I use the heavy body water based spray grain for dashes and door panels. I do it the old fashioned way with a mouth atomizer, I have a little more control with it that way. If you have a smooth piece of plastic, then no need for the texturing. Sometimes you may need to apply a surface primer to help fill in the small imperfections on the smooth plastics.

Lastly, apply your grip base then dye the area to match with your water based dyes and then topcoat with the appropriate sheen of topcoat.

When your done the screw holes in the plastic should be gone and look at the difference it makes on the appearance of the automobile, wow.

This fix is a great way to eliminate those unsightly screw holes in automotive plastic dashes and plastic trim panels. As far as that 2007 Chevy Avalanche it turned out pretty good, you could still see the areas just a little, the grain in those dashes are pretty hard to imitate, but it still looked better then two big holes sitting there staring at you on pretty much a new vehicle.

ITW #44229 2OZ Repair Epoxy Putty 2 OZ, Magnum Plastic/Marine & Fiberglass Repair Epoxy Putty, 15 Minute Set Time, 1,500 PSI Bond Strength , Adheres Above Or Below Waterline, Fresh Or Saltwater Application, Dries White, Will Not Shrink And Is Rustproof, Uses Include Plastic, Fiberglass, Plastic, PVC Pipe. *Manufacturer: ITW CONSUMER *Model number: 44229 *UPC Code: 078727442298 *Length: 2.88 *Width: 1.25 *Height: 7.88

Mighty Putty As Seen On TV Mighty putty bonds to almost any surface Easy to use epoxy resin will fix fill and seal almost anything Can be painted sanded machined tapped or drilled when fully cured Easy to use instructions included 3 tubes

As I was sitting there on the dock this weekend I couldn’t help to think of what I was going to write this week. I started thinking of some jobs that have been somewhat of booger for me, and I couldn’t help to think of the fist time I painted silver plastic trim. You know where the paint rubs off or scratches off and leaves you the black plastic underneath.

It was on a Mitsubishi Eclipse door trim. I freaked out, and the reason being is that I mixed all my paints by eye and I remembered with exterior paints how many different shades you got with metallics, a bazillion…. The only shade of metallic I had on board was straight silver, gold, and pearl. Man….I thought how am I going to get this to look right. So off to mixing I went…. By looking at the plastic trim piece, it was silver metallic, but with a brownish gold look to it, and darker then straight silver. I started with silver, added a little brown, then a drop or two of black to darken it, and a little yellow oxide to give it that yellowish gold look.

When mixing metallics, one thing to keep in mind is using the color white, if you need it lighter, then try adding a little pearl white or more silver if you added to much black or if it’s to dark. The reason, you will milk it out and lose your metallic look. White is just not good with silver, but there are cases where you will use it, just add a little at a time.

Now with testing metallic paint you can’t just dab a little and dry to see if your colors right. Reason being is that the metallic flake in the paint will lay flat and show darker then it really is, what you want is the metallics to stand up and sparkle. So the only way to check your color is to spray it. Spray a little spot, light coats, and see if it disappears against the color your going for, if it does then your there. You can almost see if your ok by just looking at your mixer, but by spraying a little you’ll be for sure.

Prepping the area is pretty simple, but there are some do’s and don’ts . Most of the plastic trim, I’ve found, don’t have a large amount of dye on them. Now, I call it dye because you use your vinyl dye to paint the plastic, so I’ll probably go back and forth calling it dye and paint. Anyways, if you take a scotch brite pad and your prepping solution, ( alcohol, acetone, THP substitute, ammonia, and water ), and spray the plastic trim piece and scrub, most if not all the paint will come off, and at the same time your scuffing the plastic for the dye. You can strip it all off or leave a little depending on the amount of paint missing, the prepping solution works a lot like Sem Sand Free in that it feathers the edge. But if you need your Sem Sand Free then go for it, it works on the smaller stuff just as good ( like just a scratch or something ). Don’t use sandpaper with a heavier grit then say 400, or you will leave sanding marks that will show up in your finished product. If you have a scratch thats needing filled or just sanded out, you can use a heavier grit but always finish with a finer grit to remove the marks. Wipe it clean, with a lint free towel so to not get fuzzies in your job.

Once prepped, mask the area off, apply your grip base or sticky primer, then spray. Now with spraying metallic paint, or dye, you always use light coats and don’t hold your gun too close or in one spot for too long. You will get what they call modeling your paint. What this is, is a dark shadow in the paint. What causes this is the metallic flakes laying flat and showing you a dark shadow in your paint. So light even coats, and dry between. This will give you the effect you need and make the finished product look like it’s supposed to.

Topcoats are another thing too. When your done your work will have either a glossy finish or a