Care for leather seats?
02-24-2010, 01:55 PM
#41
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armoral....never! the only thing i use is the product called smartleater that i get at my local toyota dealership... this stuff works great, i hate when my seats are greasy and this stuff doesn't do that...and it smells like leather.... i think the dealer charges like $2 more of what others sell it... but it works.
03-04-2010, 11:11 PM
#42
Do you have to clean the dash with anything prior to using the 303, or it does both the cleaning and the protecting?
Leather wise... I just used Lexol Cleaner/Conditioner, and wow!!! better than new. I love this product and would definitely recommend it to anyone. Took me a couple hours to do the whole interior but I went and cleaned the leather twice, and than applied two coats of the conditioner, 1 hour apart.
The outcome was amazing. I have black interior. There is no gloss or shine, looks very natural, and doesn't really have a smell to it. Although I wish it had a nice clean/fresh scent.
Leather wise... I just used Lexol Cleaner/Conditioner, and wow!!! better than new. I love this product and would definitely recommend it to anyone. Took me a couple hours to do the whole interior but I went and cleaned the leather twice, and than applied two coats of the conditioner, 1 hour apart.
The outcome was amazing. I have black interior. There is no gloss or shine, looks very natural, and doesn't really have a smell to it. Although I wish it had a nice clean/fresh scent.
03-04-2010, 11:16 PM
#43
Suzuka Master
03-05-2010, 11:43 PM
#45
03-06-2010, 09:05 AM
#47
Suzuka Master
one tip i learned when doing the leather park the car in sunlight for a while to heat up the leather. i feel the leather takes to the conditioner better that way.
03-15-2010, 12:44 AM
#50
Senior Moderator
Chalk up another one for Zaino and 303
I will add my 
and recommendation for these:
I use a weak Woolite solution (about a tablespoon in a one quart spray bottle) and a terry cloth wash cloth or microfiber to clean the leather and the plastic parts of the interior.
When clean and dry, I apply 303 to a rag and then to the dash. You don't want to get 303 on the windows as it is a bitch to get off. It leaves a film. That film is what protects from UV damage.
Then, I treat, condition, and moisturize the leather with Zaino's Leather in a Bottle. It makes your car smell like you are walking into a saddle shop (in a good way).
Look: Leather is dead skin. It requires care. Most of us are used to care-free vinyl that is thick and sturdy. You can't really compare the two. Leather is great because it conforms to your butt and wicks away moisture. It stretches and then goes back. It is comfortable. But leather wrinkles. Vinyl doesn't. If you don't like that, stick with vinyl.
Our Acura leather is actually premium glove-soft leather, perforated for better breathing and comfort. This sort of leather is an expensive OPTION in a Mercedes-Benz or BMW. However, it is less durable than the bumpy, thick pig-skin type leather in some cars. It's a trade off. Think of a comparison between a dress glove and a catcher's mit.
Our leather is also the thirstiest I have come across (no pun intended). In Florida heat, it requires frequent conditioning. I have taken good care of my camel leather interior and it still looks new. Wrinkles? Stop in at any luxury car showroom and have a look at some $100,000 cars. You will find wrinkles in brand new seats. That's just the nature of leather. Mine, after 6 years, are barely visible on the driver's seat.
I am not sure but I think that ALL leather used in vehicles/aircraft is dyed, painted, and/or coated. How else could they get different colors?
I am also another guy who avoids Armorall. A long time ago, I used it on tires. It looked good but attacked the rubber and left a brown coating that was hard to get off. I've had bad experience with Armorall on instrument panels back in the day. Perhaps they have changed their formula or perhaps new dashes have better materials.
They say that a cat who burns his ass on a hot stove will never sit on a hot stove again. But, he won't sit on a cold one either. I'll pass on the Armorall.
and recommendation for these:I use a weak Woolite solution (about a tablespoon in a one quart spray bottle) and a terry cloth wash cloth or microfiber to clean the leather and the plastic parts of the interior.
When clean and dry, I apply 303 to a rag and then to the dash. You don't want to get 303 on the windows as it is a bitch to get off. It leaves a film. That film is what protects from UV damage.
Then, I treat, condition, and moisturize the leather with Zaino's Leather in a Bottle. It makes your car smell like you are walking into a saddle shop (in a good way).
Look: Leather is dead skin. It requires care. Most of us are used to care-free vinyl that is thick and sturdy. You can't really compare the two. Leather is great because it conforms to your butt and wicks away moisture. It stretches and then goes back. It is comfortable. But leather wrinkles. Vinyl doesn't. If you don't like that, stick with vinyl.
Our Acura leather is actually premium glove-soft leather, perforated for better breathing and comfort. This sort of leather is an expensive OPTION in a Mercedes-Benz or BMW. However, it is less durable than the bumpy, thick pig-skin type leather in some cars. It's a trade off. Think of a comparison between a dress glove and a catcher's mit.
Our leather is also the thirstiest I have come across (no pun intended). In Florida heat, it requires frequent conditioning. I have taken good care of my camel leather interior and it still looks new. Wrinkles? Stop in at any luxury car showroom and have a look at some $100,000 cars. You will find wrinkles in brand new seats. That's just the nature of leather. Mine, after 6 years, are barely visible on the driver's seat.
I am not sure but I think that ALL leather used in vehicles/aircraft is dyed, painted, and/or coated. How else could they get different colors?
I am also another guy who avoids Armorall. A long time ago, I used it on tires. It looked good but attacked the rubber and left a brown coating that was hard to get off. I've had bad experience with Armorall on instrument panels back in the day. Perhaps they have changed their formula or perhaps new dashes have better materials.
They say that a cat who burns his ass on a hot stove will never sit on a hot stove again. But, he won't sit on a cold one either. I'll pass on the Armorall.
Last edited by Xpditor; 03-15-2010 at 12:53 AM.
03-15-2010, 10:18 AM
#51
Suzuka Master
It wasnt the Armorall making it brown it was trating a dirty tire that did it.
Tire makers use a common type of UV stabilizer called a competitive absorber. Competitive absorbers capture and absorb the UV light instead of the tire's rubber. Carbon black, a very cheap ingredient, is used as a competitive absorber . As your tire flexes it releases the carbon black and it migrates to the surface. When you put a dressing over it it will brown.
To prevent the browning back in the day you needed to clean the tires then dress them.
And yes Armorall changed their formula years ago and now its not a lot different from the rest of the water born dressings outside of resin content.
Regarding the leather .. our cars have a coated leather .. look up Aniline Leather and you will see your needing to treat the top coating.
03-15-2010, 11:21 AM
#52
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I assume most of these products can be had at our local auto shop?
03-15-2010, 11:25 AM
#53
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I can also recommend the Zaino leather care. Plus, their leather cleaner is excellent too. I use it about once per season, before I apply the leather care.
03-15-2010, 11:27 AM
#55
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We actually have a Performance Store in Kansas City that now carries Zaino products over the counter! Plus, their (Zaino's) shipping warehouse is in the Kansas City area!
03-15-2010, 02:12 PM
#57
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03-16-2010, 10:34 AM
#58
Instructor
Does the Zaino conditioner take away some of the fine wrinkles on the leather. I have some on the side bump of the drivers seat that I want to take care of. Or do I need a product like leatherique?
Thanks
Thanks
03-16-2010, 11:45 AM
#59
Suzuka Master
03-16-2010, 11:46 AM
#60
Suzuka Master
03-16-2010, 11:05 PM
#61
Senior Moderator
The Zaino conditioner prevents wrinkles (to some degree), and it may make them a little less visible.... but once the wrinkles are there, it is a part of the character of the leather. I don't know of anything that will remove the wrinkles other than reprocessing the leather. I don't think that's an economic feasibility.
03-22-2010, 12:12 AM
#62
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03-22-2010, 03:02 AM
#64
Senior Moderator
Is there more than one kind of Woolite? Woolite is just a mild soap rather than a harsh detergent. It is harmless to plastic, rubber, leather. It provides a mild liquid for cleaning a variety of materials.
Detergents, like laundry or dish washing detergents, can cause deterioration of plastic and rubber over time. They are good at de-greasing but harsh. I only will use Dawn on my car when I want to remove all the wax/sealant prior to clay barring and re-sealing. No more than once a year.
That's my Others will no doubt opine.
Detergents, like laundry or dish washing detergents, can cause deterioration of plastic and rubber over time. They are good at de-greasing but harsh. I only will use Dawn on my car when I want to remove all the wax/sealant prior to clay barring and re-sealing. No more than once a year.
That's my
Others will no doubt opine.
03-22-2010, 08:32 AM
#65
Suzuka Master
Answer to both your posts .. the regular Woolite is the one . I'm not sure if the specialty ones are even different but you never know .
As for cleaning .. yes its safe .. I have used it for years. For the dash .. mist a m/f towel and wipe it down .. for the rest mist the panel / seat and wipe down.
03-22-2010, 11:33 AM
#66
MORE FEEDBACK ON THE ZAINO: I actually feel like it almot made the leather too soft. My driver seat has smaller thinnner but more creases then before. Then in the creases it is starting to get a little blue...since I wear dark jeans often. None of the jeans have been new since I did the Zaino. I may try another product next, I love the softness of the Type-S leather but it does seem a little too soft for daily wear. I'm a realtor so I am in and out of my car constantly.
03-26-2010, 09:42 PM
#71
Zaino you have to order from the Zaino web site there are hardly any worthwhile products OTC for anything! If your leather is really hard you need some leatherique nothing better then that stuff http://www.leatherique.com/
03-28-2010, 11:07 PM
#73
Burning Brakes
03-28-2010, 11:12 PM
#74
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16 oz should be enough, I did the seats, door panels, steering wheel and center console and I still had maybe 3 - 4 ounces left over.
03-28-2010, 11:16 PM
#75
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03-30-2010, 02:22 AM
#77
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I have an 04 TL base and ebony inter. and i have two kids and the seat is diry. so i used over the counter product just to keep it safe, but its doesn't seem to help still look dirty and black. in my case i need a major clean up on my leather seats. so ZIANO cleaner and conditioner is the best way i should go with? or lexol clean and condition?
Last edited by RTLNOOBIE; 03-30-2010 at 02:27 AM.
03-30-2010, 09:23 AM
#78
i purchased the leatherique system oil/conditioner and will soon try this out on my camel interior. i wanted to set my expectations prior to doing this - my car doesnt have a lot of miles on it but there are some wrinkles in the leather and you can see the creases as well in the driver seat. it seems like it could eventually start cracking etc. would the leatherique system prevent cracking and even restore areas that were? im assuming it will keep the leather soft and moist so it wont crack and the creases should become less noticeable.
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