leather cleaning and conditioning

[snowbrdr033]

I just use it on the leather itself and use Aerospace Protectant if anything at all on the seat vinyl. The Lexol leather cleaner is really good too and makes a big difference when you use it before the initial Lexol conditioner application.

I use both Lexol's to clean my leather. There's a cleaner and a conditioner. I've only been able to find it at Autozones and auto parts stores, kinda pricey @ 8.99 a bottle, but it works well, from what I can tell.

I use the cleaner first, let it dry, then do the conditioner.

 

[chayos00]

I have found the best thing to CLEAN dirty leather is a 10-1 ratio of water to Woolite, my wife has a tan leather interior on her Acura TL and I've tried Meguires, Lexol's, and a few others. It would NOT get it clean. The guys over at Acurazine.com pointed me to the Woolite, and I would never go back to cleaning with anything else. Just remember to follow up with a clean rag and water to flush it clean.

Now for conditioning Meguires wipes is my favorite, I didn't care too much for Lexol's products smell.

 

[blockhead]

I just did a lot of reading on the internet regarding cleaning leather upholstery. I bought a 2000 that looked like it had never been cleaned except by the used dealer selling it. I included a before and after pic showing the drivers seat half done.

The products sold at car stores are often just not strong enough for seats in bad shape.

So I used Staples brand All Clear cleaner diluted to directions on the bottle and a very soft bristle bath brush from a local grocery store which I cut the handle off of. The cleaner I used said it is safe to use on anything that is not harmed by water.

Cost: about $4. (we use the cleaner at work).

http://www.expert-mobile-car-detailing.com/cleaning-leather-car-seats.html

This article recommends McGuires general purpose cleaner. Very informative and my seats look like new.

My next cleaning job is carpets.

 

[blockhead]

Just saw the post about woolite. That sounds like a good idea too.

 

[BlackCat]

I spent a day scrubbing the leather with a very soft toothbrush and some leather cleaner.

it actually worked pretty well see here for pictures:
Day 1: cleaning

 

[keh3180]

I second the Meguiar's stuff....they make great products....however, Mother's is very good as well.

 

[rayjay]

I'm new to the leather world. We just got a '99 with tan leather interior. I usually use Lexol products for my dash and other area's so I may try the leather stuff. My question is how often do you guys do this? Like a twice a year thing, or whenever it gets dirty...? Always clean before conditioning?

Thanks

 

[rayjay]

Bump for my questions above...

 

[chayos00]

I'm new to the leather world. We just got a '99 with tan leather interior. I usually use Lexol products for my dash and other area's so I may try the leather stuff. My question is how often do you guys do this? Like a twice a year thing, or whenever it gets dirty...? Always clean before conditioning?

Thanks

I usually clean whenever it gets dirty, I usually wipe down my leather seats every time I was my car. But i use woolite to give it a good wipe down whenever it looks dirty, where water won't do.

 

[jonwilly2]

purple power

one day i was cleaning some grease off some trim and got some spray on the back seat and i noticed after i got the grease off there was spots on my leather. I sprayed it and in about a minute there was clean drip marks so i had to spray them down and scrub them with a rag and it brought it back to factory color.

 

[Fullrutt]

Guys I own a mobile restoration company here in Louisiana and I've been Doing it for 12 years now... Ive won a few competitions down in Florida for Leather repair and redye, cigarette burn repair and vinyl repair..

The best cleaning for leather vinyl is simple green and windex.. This will clean and condition your leather so that it will get all dirt, grim, grease, body oils out and also condition and soften the leather so it does not dry out and crack..

You buy a bottle of simple green and a bottle of windex spray seat first with SG the Windex... Let sit for a couple seconds take a soft hand bush and start with the back top of your seat.. Work your way down to the but of the seat.. Massage the two cleaners together with the hand brush until you see clean leather.. Take towels and wipe of dirt and cleaner... Then start on uncleared section of Leather seat until its completely finished....

If you ever have any questions on repairing or cleaning or removing hit me up anytime...

 

[jonwilly2]

Guys I own a mobile restoration company here in Louisiana and I've been Doing it for 12 years now... Ive won a few competitions down in Florida for Leather repair and redye, cigarette burn repair and vinyl repair..

The best cleaning for leather vinyl is simple green and windex.. This will clean and condition your leather so that it will get all dirt, grim, grease, body oils out and also condition and soften the leather so it does not dry out and crack..

You buy a bottle of simple green and a bottle of windex spray seat first with SG the Windex... Let sit for a couple seconds take a soft hand bush and start with the back top of your seat.. Work your way down to the but of the seat.. Massage the two cleaners together with the hand brush until you see clean leather.. Take towels and wipe of dirt and cleaner... Then start on uncleared section of Leather seat until its completely finished....

If you ever have any questions on repairing or cleaning or removing hit me up anytime...

I use windex on my carpet

 

[4RNNR]

Leather Masters makes some great products

I've also had super results with Poorboys leather stuff

 

[toyotatravis]

Hey guys. The best product for restoring leather is called leatherique.

I uses it on my old BMW and the seats we're like new.

 

[flatboy]

On my wife's 2004 crv I,ve always and frequently used armorall orange cleaning wipes and the armorall leather conditioner, it still looks almost new, and we have two kids that are hard on interiors.
On my 2000 runner I,m using the zymol stuff and it seems to be good also. I think it's more important to use something as apposed to nothing, so I don't know what's best.

 

[kiloil]

Hey guys. The best product for restoring leather is called leatherique.

I uses it on my old BMW and the seats we're like new.

I second this. Leatherique is the best product hands down. Still use it today>

 

[LTDSC]

i use Adams Leather Cleaner & Conditioner. Makes my leather not slippery, little no no "cure" time. The cleaner is great. Really got out a lot of stuff from the previous owner. I usually condition it monthly. My seats are amazing. I love Adams.

 

[CookieRoe]

Weather's been pretty nice lately. All of our family's cars/suvs have leather in them (except my DD; 2007 Civic). Anyway, I've been using Meguiar's products for years, however I was really never 100% satisfied. I always thought the leather wasn't as clean as it could be. I've tried ALOT of products. I tried the Windex just out of shear curiosity. WOW!!!!!!!!!

Seat is clean is after a few wipes with a terry cloth (white terry cloth got very dirty). Ok, I thought, this is great, now that its clean, what about conditioning it? Well as post #32 says, the Windex works great and conditions it. Don't know what chemical in Windex helps the leather nice and soft, but it works. NOBODY is more anal about how clean their car is than me. I'm a Windex believer :thumb3:

I can't justify buying any more Meguiars or other companies products for leather care after this.

Thought I would share...................

 

[MarcusAurelius]

I have a 2003 4runner with sand/beige leather seats and I'm wondering how to fix a few small things. It looks like the last owner left some heavy things on his seats (it looks like a car seat) and I managed to get the majority of the indent out using gradual heat from a heatgun.

However, there's still a ring where it looks like the seat being pushed back and forth left somewhat of a scratch in the leather. I'll try to post a picture later. Is there a way to reseal this surface and protect it?

 

[scrapper]

I have a 2003 4runner with sand/beige leather seats and I'm wondering how to fix a few small things. It looks like the last owner left some heavy things on his seats (it looks like a car seat) and I managed to get the majority of the indent out using gradual heat from a heatgun.

However, there's still a ring where it looks like the seat being pushed back and forth left somewhat of a scratch in the leather. I'll try to post a picture later. Is there a way to reseal this surface and protect it?

Leatherique Rejuvenator Oil and Pristine clean.
It's a two step proess. For all of the leather not
just the car seat scuffs. It has never failed to make
a substantial difference. Google the product along
with before and after pics to see some examples.
Roughly $50 total for the two 16oz. bottles.

Then there's Saddle Soap. Old school stuff my Dad used
on everything leather. It's in a round tin can with the
shoe shine products. Dirt cheap and been around forever.