BMW Blog

Cloth bucket seats that is.

They've been in storage for a while now (over a year) and the foam cushioning on them feel as hard as a rock.

Is there any product or step-by-step method you can use to soften them up a bit?




I don't think so, the foam has probably become brittle after all that time. Have you tried sitting in them and just moving around in them to soften them up a bit that way?
Cloth bucket seats that is.

They've been in storage for a while now (over a year) and the foam cushioning on them feel as hard as a rock.

Is there any product or step-by-step method you can use to soften them up a bit?

Like to help here, but need a few quick questions answered. Did these cushions possibly get wet, or freeze? Did you try to put them in the sun for a few hours? Are they dirty?

We may have a solution for you here, but it will help to get a little more info.

Thanks!:)
AFAIK, the seats had been in storage for over a year and a half in a shed.

They were a bit dirty when I bought them (mostly dust and from storage), but I managed to clean them thoroughly with some Turtle Wax Power Out upholstery cleaner and followed up by blasting them with a steam cleaner and letting it dry overnight.

They came out good as new.

However the foam cushioning is a bit hard, do you have any products that will soften them up perhaps?
That makes sense. The foam got wet, and that's why it's now hard. Foam does that, and am not sure why it happens. There is no cleaner that will make foam soft again, and I'm sorry to give the news! If you use them for a while, they'll soften up. The foam will be crispy now, and you'll want to vacuum extra, as you'll notice yellow 'sand' under your seat for a few thousand miles.

Future: Don't power-wash seats! Upholstery hates water, and water damaged vehicles are worth less. When it comes to power-washing, limit it to floor mats, or any carpet that can be removed, and has no padding or foam beneath it. Leave them out for a few days to dry, indoors, like a garage or shop.

-My $.02
That makes sense. The foam got wet, and that's why it's now hard. Foam does that, and am not sure why it happens. There is no cleaner that will make foam soft again, and I'm sorry to give the news! If you use them for a while, they'll soften up. The foam will be crispy now, and you'll want to vacuum extra, as you'll notice yellow 'sand' under your seat for a few thousand miles.

Future: Don't power-wash seats! Upholstery hates water, and water damaged vehicles are worth less. When it comes to power-washing, limit it to floor mats, or any carpet that can be removed, and has no padding or foam beneath it. Leave them out for a few days to dry, indoors, like a garage or shop.

-My $.02

Following up on my last post.... upon further research it seems as though these seats are naturally firm to provide the necessary lateral support while cornering. The only seemed harder than normal because of the cold weather and long storage time (almost 2 years it turns out). The owner said they would break in and return to their normal softness once the weather gets warmer and with proper usage.

The upholstery cleaner by Turtle Wax which I used only produced a foaming solution which only dampened the top layer of exterior fabric of the seats, I had to scrub to get the seats clean, so the inner foam cushioning was untouched. The seats dried completely within a few hours. Only after they were dry, I steam cleaned them with a small handheld steamer. I did not pressure wash them as you mentioned. I was careful not to utilize methods of cleaning that would damage seats so I know better not to soak them with water for fear they might rot or be damaged due to their age. I completed all the cleaning inside my house in a heated basement.