How to clean leather?
08-28-12, 03:05 PM
#1
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: BC
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
How to clean leather?
My passenger seat`s leather is starting to get dirty there are marks in the leather and stains 
This is why I don`t like driving people. Anyways, what can I do? Back then I tried armor all leather wipes and that was no good at all so I need a new method. Thanks in advance.
This is why I don`t like driving people. Anyways, what can I do? Back then I tried armor all leather wipes and that was no good at all so I need a new method. Thanks in advance.
08-28-12, 03:08 PM
#2
Lexus Fanatic
go to the Lexus dealership and buy some cleaner and condition from them. It works really really well. You simply spray the cleaner, work it in, dry it off, and then apply the conditioner. I have been using it for years and its amazing. Much better than the crap you get at walmart ot auto store. Lexus had them on sale last time I went in and I bought probably 6 bottle since I condition my leather every 2-3 weeks.
08-28-12, 07:34 PM
#6
For both leather and leatherette I recommend the Leatherique Prestine Clean and Leatherique Rejuvenator Oil. It's an awesome combo I use on new seats and neglected seats, the only difference is the more neglected or older seats will need just a bid more of the Rejuvenator (Conditioner). Check out the before and after pictures with step by step guide in our How to use Leatherique article on our Ask A Pro Detailer Blog. Let me know if you have any other questions and I'll be happy to help.
Greg @ DI
Greg @ DI
08-28-12, 08:29 PM
#7
Lexus Fanatic
Leatherique 
When I first got my ES the leather was filthy, never cleaned I'm sure. I initially panicked a bit and tried some "quick fix" stuff, various soaps, leather conditioners and general purpose cleaners. They did basically nothing even with scrubbing, the dirt was well embedded in the leather. Actually when I first saw the interior my first thought was, this is not the ivory interior the leather looked darker tan-ish because of the dirt and grime.
Leatherique completely brought back the interior, and the great part is little to no abrasion occurs in the cleaning process. It also made the seats softer and more pliable, I know the theory is that "oils" cannot penetrate the urethane coating, but however the product works, it works amazingly well. Even when using only the Prestine Clean when I do the interior detail, that step alone makes the seats feel softer and richer. I've done the full treatment twice a year and it keeps the leather perfect.
Amazing product, worth every penny.
When I first got my ES the leather was filthy, never cleaned I'm sure. I initially panicked a bit and tried some "quick fix" stuff, various soaps, leather conditioners and general purpose cleaners. They did basically nothing even with scrubbing, the dirt was well embedded in the leather. Actually when I first saw the interior my first thought was, this is not the ivory interior the leather looked darker tan-ish because of the dirt and grime.
Leatherique completely brought back the interior, and the great part is little to no abrasion occurs in the cleaning process. It also made the seats softer and more pliable, I know the theory is that "oils" cannot penetrate the urethane coating, but however the product works, it works amazingly well. Even when using only the Prestine Clean when I do the interior detail, that step alone makes the seats feel softer and richer. I've done the full treatment twice a year and it keeps the leather perfect.
Amazing product, worth every penny.
Trending Topics
08-29-12, 05:17 AM
#8
If you want to make that leather easy to clean next time get some Leather Masters Protection Cream. This protects the leather and will avoid things like dye transfer and staining. It's not like oily conditioners that attract and hold dust and dirt. It dries silky smooth and it's not slippery or grabby. No artificial sheen, just that new look you originally had.
Leather masters also makes some great cleaners as well. LM soft and LM strong leather cleaners are very effective at removing dirt and staining.
I believe a did a few how-to threads on the forum. Here is one:
Leather masters also makes some great cleaners as well. LM soft and LM strong leather cleaners are very effective at removing dirt and staining.
I believe a did a few how-to threads on the forum. Here is one:
I can add a bit here too. I've been using Leather Masters products for around 30 years. I originally got acquainted with the products when I bought some very high-end, ivory Italian leather furniture. It came with bottomless bottles of Leather Masters Leather Cleaner and Protection Cream. Whenever these bottles go empty I go back to the store and they replace them. I go back just about very two years.
The LM cleaner is very good and I use it on my own vehicles. When I detail other vehicles, I use Woolite Original mixed 1:10 or 1:20 with water and that also does a good job of cleaning. Both products generate ample foam which is vital to cleaning leather. Never scrub leather to get it clean. Use the chemical and let the foam dwell for a minute or two but not dry on the leather. If you need more cleaning power use warmer water. If you must agitate use a soft horsehair or nylon brush and gently aggitate but not scrub. Along the same line, I'd not use microfibers on leather as they can be too abrasive. I use 100% soft white cotton toweling. Using a white towel can let you see whether you are removing soil or not. It can also easily show you if you begin to start removing the dye. Most leather in modern cars is dyed and/or coated with a pigment to provide uniform color and texture, then coated with a thin clear coat. If you wear away the clear coat you will begin to remove the pigment.
I'm also a huge fan of the Leather Masters Protection Cream. This product prevents dye transfer from jeans, belts, jackets and most other stains. It leaves a breathable polymer coating on the leather. This coating needs to be replaced periodically but it does prevent the leather from becoming permanently stained. It also dries silky smooth and it doesn't interfere with moisture transpiration.
Lastly, and I've written about this several time before, leather needs hydration to remain soft and mostly crease free. Moisture is absorbed by the leather fibers. When leather is properly hydrated it feels soft and flexible. What happens is that the moisture is easily evaporated from the leather. The temperature in a car parked in the hot sun can easily reach 160 degrees or higher. This happens even if you crack the windows. Moisture tends to evaporate when it gets that hot. So then evening comes and the leather cools and begins to shrink. Since the leather is now dry, it is prone to stress. Winter is also hard on leather. Since leather relies on moisture to remain flexible and temperatures can drop to below freezing in a car left out in the elements, you can imagine that when getting into a frozen car seat, the leather might be stressed. It is pretty amazing that modern leather holds up so well when their temperature exposure can go from below zero to over 160 degrees and remains flexible.
Some thoughts and tips:
• Keep in mind that you are cleaning a urethane topcoat and not the leather. If you have a stain it is in the topcoat and not the leather. Basically the leather is a split hide that is a carrier for the topcoat.
• Park your car in a covered area whenever possible rather than in the sun. A sunshield won't keep a car from reaching high temperatures. Cracking the windows does very little as well.
• During very hot weather it would be a good idea to wipe down the leather with a moist cotton towel more frequently. Note that water won't directly be absorbed into the leather through the topcoat but the process of water evaporating will allow the water vapor to transpire into the leather.
• Many leather conditioners on the market today were designed for uncoated leather and may do more harm than good on modern coated leather. I don't use them. They are oily or waxy in nature and leave behind a film on the leather. This film may feel slippery or grabby depending on their nature and will hold onto dust and grime. It is this that forms an abrasive every time you slide in or out of the vehicle. Over time this will wear away the topcoat of the leather.
Another point about using an oily conditioner on older leather. If you have chipping or cracking occurring and you let oils get into the leather it will speed the delamination of the topcoat around this crack. In essence, it will make the crack larger as it weakens the bond the topcoat has with the leather.
• The most important thing you can do is keep your leather clean. Vacuum it regularly and wipe it down with a moist cotton towel.
• When you do use a cleaner, be sure to wipe down the leather with a clean wrung-out cotton towel after the cleaning to remove all traces of detergent.
• If you begin to see a lot of creasing, or your leather is beginning to feel hard, you might try more frequent hydration. I accomplish this by daily wipe downs with a moist towel for a week and I'll toss the damp towel under my seats for a day to assist in the hydration. Don't get things too wet or mold may be an issue. If that towel is dry after a couple hours you should be fine.
• Avoid using abrasives on your coated leather. Things like a Magic Eraser might make your leather look nice initially, but you will be removing some of the topcoat and shortening its life. You will also be roughing up the surface of the leather and making it more prone to soiling. Take your time when cleaning stubborn dirt and stains and use the CHAT method as recommended by leather professionals.
C=Chemical (Use an appropriate cleaning detergent)
H=Heat (Stubborn stains often respond better to heated solutions)
A=Agitation (Agitate with a soft brush, either horsehair or soft nylon)
T=Time (Increase dwell time when needed to allow the chemicals to work longer)
The LM cleaner is very good and I use it on my own vehicles. When I detail other vehicles, I use Woolite Original mixed 1:10 or 1:20 with water and that also does a good job of cleaning. Both products generate ample foam which is vital to cleaning leather. Never scrub leather to get it clean. Use the chemical and let the foam dwell for a minute or two but not dry on the leather. If you need more cleaning power use warmer water. If you must agitate use a soft horsehair or nylon brush and gently aggitate but not scrub. Along the same line, I'd not use microfibers on leather as they can be too abrasive. I use 100% soft white cotton toweling. Using a white towel can let you see whether you are removing soil or not. It can also easily show you if you begin to start removing the dye. Most leather in modern cars is dyed and/or coated with a pigment to provide uniform color and texture, then coated with a thin clear coat. If you wear away the clear coat you will begin to remove the pigment.
I'm also a huge fan of the Leather Masters Protection Cream. This product prevents dye transfer from jeans, belts, jackets and most other stains. It leaves a breathable polymer coating on the leather. This coating needs to be replaced periodically but it does prevent the leather from becoming permanently stained. It also dries silky smooth and it doesn't interfere with moisture transpiration.
Lastly, and I've written about this several time before, leather needs hydration to remain soft and mostly crease free. Moisture is absorbed by the leather fibers. When leather is properly hydrated it feels soft and flexible. What happens is that the moisture is easily evaporated from the leather. The temperature in a car parked in the hot sun can easily reach 160 degrees or higher. This happens even if you crack the windows. Moisture tends to evaporate when it gets that hot. So then evening comes and the leather cools and begins to shrink. Since the leather is now dry, it is prone to stress. Winter is also hard on leather. Since leather relies on moisture to remain flexible and temperatures can drop to below freezing in a car left out in the elements, you can imagine that when getting into a frozen car seat, the leather might be stressed. It is pretty amazing that modern leather holds up so well when their temperature exposure can go from below zero to over 160 degrees and remains flexible.
Some thoughts and tips:
• Keep in mind that you are cleaning a urethane topcoat and not the leather. If you have a stain it is in the topcoat and not the leather. Basically the leather is a split hide that is a carrier for the topcoat.
• Park your car in a covered area whenever possible rather than in the sun. A sunshield won't keep a car from reaching high temperatures. Cracking the windows does very little as well.
• During very hot weather it would be a good idea to wipe down the leather with a moist cotton towel more frequently. Note that water won't directly be absorbed into the leather through the topcoat but the process of water evaporating will allow the water vapor to transpire into the leather.
• Many leather conditioners on the market today were designed for uncoated leather and may do more harm than good on modern coated leather. I don't use them. They are oily or waxy in nature and leave behind a film on the leather. This film may feel slippery or grabby depending on their nature and will hold onto dust and grime. It is this that forms an abrasive every time you slide in or out of the vehicle. Over time this will wear away the topcoat of the leather.
Another point about using an oily conditioner on older leather. If you have chipping or cracking occurring and you let oils get into the leather it will speed the delamination of the topcoat around this crack. In essence, it will make the crack larger as it weakens the bond the topcoat has with the leather.
• The most important thing you can do is keep your leather clean. Vacuum it regularly and wipe it down with a moist cotton towel.
• When you do use a cleaner, be sure to wipe down the leather with a clean wrung-out cotton towel after the cleaning to remove all traces of detergent.
• If you begin to see a lot of creasing, or your leather is beginning to feel hard, you might try more frequent hydration. I accomplish this by daily wipe downs with a moist towel for a week and I'll toss the damp towel under my seats for a day to assist in the hydration. Don't get things too wet or mold may be an issue. If that towel is dry after a couple hours you should be fine.
• Avoid using abrasives on your coated leather. Things like a Magic Eraser might make your leather look nice initially, but you will be removing some of the topcoat and shortening its life. You will also be roughing up the surface of the leather and making it more prone to soiling. Take your time when cleaning stubborn dirt and stains and use the CHAT method as recommended by leather professionals.
C=Chemical (Use an appropriate cleaning detergent)
H=Heat (Stubborn stains often respond better to heated solutions)
A=Agitation (Agitate with a soft brush, either horsehair or soft nylon)
T=Time (Increase dwell time when needed to allow the chemicals to work longer)
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
j stuff
Automotive Care & Detailing
26
01-29-23 09:52 AM
Pineapple
Automotive Care & Detailing
5
09-03-07 09:23 PM
