1Z Leather Care Lederpflege
08-21-2008, 09:17 AM
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1Z Leather Care Lederpflege
Probably one of the best leather resources on the web!
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Today, many new vehicle buyers check off the box ‘leather’ on their options list. Leather is luxurious, durable, feels good, smells great, and is simple to clean compared to upholstery. Despite these features, especially the easy maintenance aspect, many customers are still not sure which product is the best for taking care of their leather.
For many, finding the best leather care product is as simple as “Google-ing” on the Internet and seeing what is most popular. While popularity can sometimes be a reliable barometer, it isn’t always the correct choice. Some customers even make their decision based on fragrance alone! With so many choices, how do you choose? The key to making effective choices is going beyond popularity and fragrances.
Proper vehicle surface care is about knowing the properties of the surface you want to treat and what product contains the correct formulation of chemicals best suited for that surface.
For example, someone might suggest a degreaser for removing soap scum, but it’s not just as simple as that. A degreaser is a generic term for a cleaner that can be acid or alkaline base. A degreaser that is alkaline based will react poorly to soap scum, which is also an alkaline. But if a degreaser that is acid based is used, it will effectively remove the soap scum. Further complicating the issue is knowing the surface that the soap scum is affecting. Is it porous or smooth? Some strong acids can harm highly pourous surfaces such as stone and concrete. As you can see, it’s not only important to be able to decide between an acid or alkaline based cleaner, but to also know the surface properties so a decision can be made on how acidic or alkaline the cleaner should be.
Choosing the correct chemical for a surface makes every job easier. Unfortunately, not everyone is an expert at chemicals and surface types so we rely on car care product manufacturers to tell us that Product X is effective on Surface Y and not Surface Z.
With this in mind, my hope is to help you become more familiar with the properties of leather and leather care products so you can make a more informed decision that will yield in lasting enjoyment of your leather interior. In addition, I will show you how einszett can assist you in making the right choice for your leather care needs.
Today’s Leather
Somehow, massaging leather conditioning oils and hide food into leather feels like you are going back to basics – to a time when everything was less technical.
Leather feels good and you want to take care of it the best way you can. This may seem overdramatic, but let’s face it, it’s true! Many choose a leather care product based on a label stating words such as soft, supple, rich, warm, natural, etc. They also choose based on fragrance.
If we looked beyond the words and looked at the leather, then we’d see there is something to be discovered. Many years ago, applying conditioning oils or hide food on leather would have been the only way to maintain its richness and life. However, that was many years ago and leather has changed and so has the proper way of caring for it.
Let’s look at the different types of leather offered in the automotive industry today.
Types of Leather
Aniline Leather
This type of leather is the finest quality available, sourced from the best part of the hide. It has a rich and very soft texture, has practically no surface defects (scars), and is even in color. These features make it the most expensive leather, which is why it is primarily reserved for high-end luxury vehicles. The leather is aniline dyed in a vat process and has no color coating applied to the surface, which is why it’s referred to as “unfinished leather.” Since the leather does not have any coating, it breathes better, staying cool in the summer and warm in the summer. It does absorb liquids easily so to test whether you have full aniline leather, place a drop of water on the surface of the leather – it should absorb into the hide and darken the surface.
Semi-Aniline
Semi-aniline leather is dyed and has a coating applied to the surface of the leather. The dyeing process, followed by the thin coating, allows for soft and supple feeling leather while offering the protective benefits of a surface finish. Semi-aniline, or “finished leather,” is the second most common leather installed in vehicles today. Because of the finish coat, the leather does not breathe and can become very hot in the summer and cold in the winter. Unlike aniline leather, the surface finish does not allow liquids to be absorbed into the surface. To determine if you have semi-aniline leather, place a drop of water on the surface of the leather – it should remain on the surface and not absorb into the hide.
Pigmented
Pigmented leather is the most common leather application found in today’s vehicles. The leather will have surface defects such as scars but a thick coating of colored pigmentation covers this. The coating may be embossed with a grain pattern for visual effect. Like semi-aniline leather, pigmented leather cannot absorb liquids because of the protective properties of the finish. Also like semi-aniline, pigmented leather is referred to as finished leather because of the surface finish. It is used in vehicles of all price ranges, especially utility vehicles and convertibles that require more durability against the elements. The water drop test should yield the same results as semi-aniline; the water should not absorb into the hide.
Suede
Suede is not commonly found in vehicles. However, a synthetic imitation known as Alcantara® is commonly found in sport luxury vehicles on the steering wheel, armrests and seat inserts both for visual purposes and grip (on the seats and steering wheel). Suede is unfinished like full aniline leather and is highly absorbent. Because Alcantara® is synthetic; it does not require the same maintenance as suede. Please refer to the website for Alcantara ® for more information on proper maintenance (www.alcantara.com).
Maintaining the Finish
Aniline Leather Maintenance
Only in rare cases will you find full aniline, or unfinished leather, which is characterized by its extremely soft and rich texture. Because aniline leather does not have a finish on the surface, it is exposed to the elements and you can feel the natural grain of the leather.
Although aniline is the least commonly used type of leather in automotive leather applications, many products available on the market are formulated specifically to address aniline leather needs and are the most sought after products.
Products such as leather soaps, conditioners with neatsfoot oil, and hide food still prevail as top sellers in a market that is dominated by semi-aniline and pigmented leather. The exact reason why this is the case is unclear. It’s possible that there is an association with quality made with these types of products, despite the fact that the automotive industry has been using pigmented and semi-aniline leather for many years. These leathers have been more popular due to lower maintenance, better value, and lower cost, making leather attainable for a wide customer base.
Since aniline leather has no coating, it can become dry and requires more maintenance care. Leather care products formulated for aniline specifically address this issue by offering natural oils that replenish lost leather oils due to heat, normal aging, and wear and tear. On occasion, the aniline leather must also be cleaned with a gentle, pH-balanced soap to remove grime, body oils and sweat salt.
Avoid using products formulated for finished leathers that contain chemicals that address the needs of the protective finish on pigmented and semi-aniline leather because they can harm the more delicate, non-coated leather hide.
Semi-Aniline and Pigmented Leather Maintenance
Since the leather hide is coated in a synthetic finish, when treating the leather, you are actually only treating the finish coating, which feels smooth, yet unnatural to the touch compared to aniline. You will need to use a product that is chemically formulated to treat the synthetic coating and not the hide itself.
Products specifically formulated to treat the finished coating are commonly referred to as “one-steps.” They are formulated with special cleaners that are specific to treating the finish coating, which is similar to the clear coat on the exterior paintwork. They also remove oxidation and add agents that maintain the flexibility of the finish so that the leather remains supple, not dry and brittle.
One-steps both clean and condition in one, hence their name. Since one-step products are usually associated with convenience rather than quality, these types of leather care products are usually considered lower in quality than products that come as a separate cleaner and conditioner. Unfortunately, this is a false assumption based on the premise that like aniline leather, you need a separate cleaner and conditioner.
einszett Leather Care 'Lederpflege' is specifically formulated for treating both semi-aniline and pigmented leather. einszett worked with local European automotive manufacturers and their leather suppliers to produce a product that effectively cleans the surface, removes oxidation, and maintains the suppleness of the finish without it looking unnaturally glossy or greasy. In addition, einszett Leather Care does not leave a powdery residue around the stitching, does not clog the pores of perforated leather, does not contain harsh chemicals that can strip the pigmented dye, and has a pleasant fragrance. The overall objective is to maintain the appearance of the leather as it was from the factory.
Similar to einszett Leather Care are products offered under the Audi, BMW, Porsche, and Volkswagen name for the finished leather available in their vehicles.
If you are a professional looking for a product that will only clean the surface, we suggest einszett Blitz all-purpose low alkaline cleaner. Blitz will clean the surface but not treat the finish so it is important to occasionally treat the finish with Leather Care.
While cleaning the finish with a soap-based product on a regular basis is ideal for maintaining the cleanliness of the surface, it still does not address the oxidation or the malleability needs of the finish. This is why the chemicals in einszett Leather Care Lederpflege, or similar products, are important to use at least twice a year. While it will remain clean, only using soap will yield a surface that will eventually become dry and brittle. Imagine only washing your car’s paintwork and never polishing it; over the years, the clear coat will eventually lose its luster, become brittle and crack. The same effect can occur on the leather finish.
It is also important to mention why products that address aniline leather leave a greasy residue. Simple, they do not absorb into the leather – they remain at the surface on top of the finish coating. This is why the only surfaces the product has an effect on is your legs and pants. It is completely ineffective in treating semi-aniline or pigmented leather surfaces.
Also, keep in mind that many leather goods, both automotive and non-automotive related, are either semi-aniline or pigmented leather. This includes jackets, luggage, handbags, belts, shoes and wallets. Remember, to find out if the leather you own has a finish or not, simply place a drop of water on the surface. If it is absorbed and darkens the leather, it is aniline and does not have a finish. If it rolls off, it has a finish.
Conclusion
The key to efficient and successful vehicle surface maintenance is to first determine what surface you are treating and second, applying this knowledge to find and use the correct treatment product.
I hope this article answers both of these questions for you when it comes to understanding how to best care for your leather. Keep in mind that it is more important to use the right product on the right leather type than using the leather care product based on consumer popularity or how good the product smells when applying. Ultimately, how good your leather feels and how long it lasts is most important.
Source:
Today, many new vehicle buyers check off the box ‘leather’ on their options list. Leather is luxurious, durable, feels good, smells great, and is simple to clean compared to upholstery. Despite these features, especially the easy maintenance aspect, many customers are still not sure which product is the best for taking care of their leather.
For many, finding the best leather care product is as simple as “Google-ing” on the Internet and seeing what is most popular. While popularity can sometimes be a reliable barometer, it isn’t always the correct choice. Some customers even make their decision based on fragrance alone! With so many choices, how do you choose? The key to making effective choices is going beyond popularity and fragrances.
Proper vehicle surface care is about knowing the properties of the surface you want to treat and what product contains the correct formulation of chemicals best suited for that surface.
For example, someone might suggest a degreaser for removing soap scum, but it’s not just as simple as that. A degreaser is a generic term for a cleaner that can be acid or alkaline base. A degreaser that is alkaline based will react poorly to soap scum, which is also an alkaline. But if a degreaser that is acid based is used, it will effectively remove the soap scum. Further complicating the issue is knowing the surface that the soap scum is affecting. Is it porous or smooth? Some strong acids can harm highly pourous surfaces such as stone and concrete. As you can see, it’s not only important to be able to decide between an acid or alkaline based cleaner, but to also know the surface properties so a decision can be made on how acidic or alkaline the cleaner should be.
Choosing the correct chemical for a surface makes every job easier. Unfortunately, not everyone is an expert at chemicals and surface types so we rely on car care product manufacturers to tell us that Product X is effective on Surface Y and not Surface Z.
With this in mind, my hope is to help you become more familiar with the properties of leather and leather care products so you can make a more informed decision that will yield in lasting enjoyment of your leather interior. In addition, I will show you how einszett can assist you in making the right choice for your leather care needs.
Today’s Leather
Somehow, massaging leather conditioning oils and hide food into leather feels like you are going back to basics – to a time when everything was less technical.
Leather feels good and you want to take care of it the best way you can. This may seem overdramatic, but let’s face it, it’s true! Many choose a leather care product based on a label stating words such as soft, supple, rich, warm, natural, etc. They also choose based on fragrance.
If we looked beyond the words and looked at the leather, then we’d see there is something to be discovered. Many years ago, applying conditioning oils or hide food on leather would have been the only way to maintain its richness and life. However, that was many years ago and leather has changed and so has the proper way of caring for it.
Let’s look at the different types of leather offered in the automotive industry today.
Types of Leather
Aniline Leather
This type of leather is the finest quality available, sourced from the best part of the hide. It has a rich and very soft texture, has practically no surface defects (scars), and is even in color. These features make it the most expensive leather, which is why it is primarily reserved for high-end luxury vehicles. The leather is aniline dyed in a vat process and has no color coating applied to the surface, which is why it’s referred to as “unfinished leather.” Since the leather does not have any coating, it breathes better, staying cool in the summer and warm in the summer. It does absorb liquids easily so to test whether you have full aniline leather, place a drop of water on the surface of the leather – it should absorb into the hide and darken the surface.
Semi-Aniline
Semi-aniline leather is dyed and has a coating applied to the surface of the leather. The dyeing process, followed by the thin coating, allows for soft and supple feeling leather while offering the protective benefits of a surface finish. Semi-aniline, or “finished leather,” is the second most common leather installed in vehicles today. Because of the finish coat, the leather does not breathe and can become very hot in the summer and cold in the winter. Unlike aniline leather, the surface finish does not allow liquids to be absorbed into the surface. To determine if you have semi-aniline leather, place a drop of water on the surface of the leather – it should remain on the surface and not absorb into the hide.
Pigmented
Pigmented leather is the most common leather application found in today’s vehicles. The leather will have surface defects such as scars but a thick coating of colored pigmentation covers this. The coating may be embossed with a grain pattern for visual effect. Like semi-aniline leather, pigmented leather cannot absorb liquids because of the protective properties of the finish. Also like semi-aniline, pigmented leather is referred to as finished leather because of the surface finish. It is used in vehicles of all price ranges, especially utility vehicles and convertibles that require more durability against the elements. The water drop test should yield the same results as semi-aniline; the water should not absorb into the hide.
Suede
Suede is not commonly found in vehicles. However, a synthetic imitation known as Alcantara® is commonly found in sport luxury vehicles on the steering wheel, armrests and seat inserts both for visual purposes and grip (on the seats and steering wheel). Suede is unfinished like full aniline leather and is highly absorbent. Because Alcantara® is synthetic; it does not require the same maintenance as suede. Please refer to the website for Alcantara ® for more information on proper maintenance (www.alcantara.com).
Maintaining the Finish
Aniline Leather Maintenance
Only in rare cases will you find full aniline, or unfinished leather, which is characterized by its extremely soft and rich texture. Because aniline leather does not have a finish on the surface, it is exposed to the elements and you can feel the natural grain of the leather.
Although aniline is the least commonly used type of leather in automotive leather applications, many products available on the market are formulated specifically to address aniline leather needs and are the most sought after products.
Products such as leather soaps, conditioners with neatsfoot oil, and hide food still prevail as top sellers in a market that is dominated by semi-aniline and pigmented leather. The exact reason why this is the case is unclear. It’s possible that there is an association with quality made with these types of products, despite the fact that the automotive industry has been using pigmented and semi-aniline leather for many years. These leathers have been more popular due to lower maintenance, better value, and lower cost, making leather attainable for a wide customer base.
Since aniline leather has no coating, it can become dry and requires more maintenance care. Leather care products formulated for aniline specifically address this issue by offering natural oils that replenish lost leather oils due to heat, normal aging, and wear and tear. On occasion, the aniline leather must also be cleaned with a gentle, pH-balanced soap to remove grime, body oils and sweat salt.
Avoid using products formulated for finished leathers that contain chemicals that address the needs of the protective finish on pigmented and semi-aniline leather because they can harm the more delicate, non-coated leather hide.
Semi-Aniline and Pigmented Leather Maintenance
Since the leather hide is coated in a synthetic finish, when treating the leather, you are actually only treating the finish coating, which feels smooth, yet unnatural to the touch compared to aniline. You will need to use a product that is chemically formulated to treat the synthetic coating and not the hide itself.
Products specifically formulated to treat the finished coating are commonly referred to as “one-steps.” They are formulated with special cleaners that are specific to treating the finish coating, which is similar to the clear coat on the exterior paintwork. They also remove oxidation and add agents that maintain the flexibility of the finish so that the leather remains supple, not dry and brittle.
One-steps both clean and condition in one, hence their name. Since one-step products are usually associated with convenience rather than quality, these types of leather care products are usually considered lower in quality than products that come as a separate cleaner and conditioner. Unfortunately, this is a false assumption based on the premise that like aniline leather, you need a separate cleaner and conditioner.
einszett Leather Care 'Lederpflege' is specifically formulated for treating both semi-aniline and pigmented leather. einszett worked with local European automotive manufacturers and their leather suppliers to produce a product that effectively cleans the surface, removes oxidation, and maintains the suppleness of the finish without it looking unnaturally glossy or greasy. In addition, einszett Leather Care does not leave a powdery residue around the stitching, does not clog the pores of perforated leather, does not contain harsh chemicals that can strip the pigmented dye, and has a pleasant fragrance. The overall objective is to maintain the appearance of the leather as it was from the factory.
Similar to einszett Leather Care are products offered under the Audi, BMW, Porsche, and Volkswagen name for the finished leather available in their vehicles.
If you are a professional looking for a product that will only clean the surface, we suggest einszett Blitz all-purpose low alkaline cleaner. Blitz will clean the surface but not treat the finish so it is important to occasionally treat the finish with Leather Care.
While cleaning the finish with a soap-based product on a regular basis is ideal for maintaining the cleanliness of the surface, it still does not address the oxidation or the malleability needs of the finish. This is why the chemicals in einszett Leather Care Lederpflege, or similar products, are important to use at least twice a year. While it will remain clean, only using soap will yield a surface that will eventually become dry and brittle. Imagine only washing your car’s paintwork and never polishing it; over the years, the clear coat will eventually lose its luster, become brittle and crack. The same effect can occur on the leather finish.
It is also important to mention why products that address aniline leather leave a greasy residue. Simple, they do not absorb into the leather – they remain at the surface on top of the finish coating. This is why the only surfaces the product has an effect on is your legs and pants. It is completely ineffective in treating semi-aniline or pigmented leather surfaces.
Also, keep in mind that many leather goods, both automotive and non-automotive related, are either semi-aniline or pigmented leather. This includes jackets, luggage, handbags, belts, shoes and wallets. Remember, to find out if the leather you own has a finish or not, simply place a drop of water on the surface. If it is absorbed and darkens the leather, it is aniline and does not have a finish. If it rolls off, it has a finish.
Conclusion
The key to efficient and successful vehicle surface maintenance is to first determine what surface you are treating and second, applying this knowledge to find and use the correct treatment product.
I hope this article answers both of these questions for you when it comes to understanding how to best care for your leather. Keep in mind that it is more important to use the right product on the right leather type than using the leather care product based on consumer popularity or how good the product smells when applying. Ultimately, how good your leather feels and how long it lasts is most important.
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