Best way to recover sun bleached seats?

[Matt V]

My seats in the '90 are now a light gray because of them being exposed to the sun for 20 years. What are some ways that I can recover them? Would new covers be the easiest way?

[Titus]

Go to the auto-parts store and buy a can of black fabric paint. Worked wonders on my faded seats.

[trickyrix]

Go to the auto-parts store and buy a can of black fabric paint. Worked wonders on my faded seats.

+1... if the fabric's not ripped up or worn out, then that's the way to go.

[modernbeat]

I use commercial carpet dye. But same as the other guys. If it's not ripped, and only faded, then dye it back to black.

[Matt V]

I was thinking that dye or fabric paint would work. I'll have to grab some today.

I imagine you paint the cover with it still on the seat?

[trickyrix]

I imagine you paint the cover with it still on the seat?

Yep... just take them out of the car first...

[farphle]

+1

Worked GREAT on my seats! Went on easy, dried in a couple of hours in the sun, not much smell (and not for long), didn't come off on clothes. Win!

[Matt V]

You used the fabric paint?

[farphle]

Sure did!

[modernbeat]

Yes. Use Mar-Hyde or Duplicolor vinyl and fabric paint.

Here's a short tutorial

http://www.miata.net/hakuna/0041/aindex.htm

The only thing I did differently is I used a scrub brush to work the paint into the fabric as I sprayed it. Then again after the seats were dry to break up the stiffness some people complain about. I also scrub them with dishwashing soap and then power-wash them clean.

I recently bought another pair of black seats that I'll have to paint. I'll most likely be doing it in a couple weeks if you want to come into town and see it done. I'll be washing on the 12th, and painting on the 13th.

[Matt V]

I just finished doing this tonight, I took a picture that looks similar to farphle's.



I'll be renting a RugDoctor tomorrow so I can shampoo and scrub these seats once they cure overnight, they are slightly stiff from the paint and I'm hoping the RugDoctor treatment will fix that.