How do you condition your leather?
Thread Starter
hoss
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 251
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From: Tampa,Florida
How do you condition your leather?
I have never had a car with leather in it and I am unsure of how to go about treating the seats.I have heard a few brands people use and i just put some on a microfiber cloth and rubbed some in and it soaked it right up.Is that what is supposed to happen?How often should i do this?
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,589
Likes: 1
From: NorCal
Instead of explaining a process, check out this tutorial on the Better Car Care site. I've excerpted the leather detail portion.
DETAILING LEATHER UPHOLSTERY
There are two cleaning-related factors that can cause your leather to prematurely wear. The first is dirt and the second is oil from your skin. The oil from your skin is actually the most damaging to your leather. This is particularly true if you wear shorts or a tank top, and have recently applied lotion or a sunscreen to your skin. Take this into consideration when determining your cleaning schedule.
Unlike fabric or vinyl upholstery, leather should be cleaned one section at a time. This means that once you have applied your cleaner or conditioner to one area, you should fully wipe down that area then proceed to the next, and so on. Work on an area no larger than 2-3 square feet at a time.
There are many different leather cleaners and conditioners available. Be sure to select a leather cleaner and conditioner appropriate for your leather upholstery. Modern leather upholstery is protected with a thin vinyl coating, whereas classic leather interiors are not. Do not use a product designed for uncoated leather on a coated leather finish, as it may quickly ruin the protective coating.
If you have a dark colored leather interior, I recommend cleaning twice a year. Light colored leather will need cleaning more often, even as much as every three months, depending on how easily the dirt is revealed. In between cleaning your leather, use a clean, damp towel to wipe down the surface completely. This removes the dust and light dirt so it won’t have a chance to work into your leather.
For classic and coated leather finishes in new or like-new condition, I recommend Sonus Leather Conditioner, is a modern formula that properly protects both coated and non-coated leather. Sonus leather Conditioner leaves a natural, non-slip, matte finish. Coated leather upholstery can be pre-cleaned with Sonus Leather Cleaner. For leather that is dry, worn or slightly ages, try Autoglym Leather Care Cream and Autoglym Leather Cleaner.
Follow these steps to clean your leather:
1. Apply the leather cleaner of your choice one section at a time and work the solution into a nice lather with a sponge. If your leather is heavily soiled, use an upholstery (interior detailing) brush.
2. When finished scrubbing, be sure to remove all soap from the surface with a damp towel.
3. Rinse and wipe several times, then dry the leather with a fresh, dry terrycloth towel.
By the way, water will not hurt your leather. Most leather is actually made (tanned) in water.
After the your car’s leather has dried, apply the leather conditioner of your choice. Choose a leather protectant that gives you the look you want (flat to shiny).
Just like cleaning, apply leather conditioner one section at a time using a foam wax applicator. Work the conditioner in thoroughly. Allow the conditioner to soak in for a minute or two, then buff off the excess with a dry terry cloth towel or microfiber towel. It’s important to buff off the excess. If you allow the excess to stay, your seats will be slippery. After a few minutes of soak time, your leather has taken in all the moisture it can. The remainder will simply evaporate, leaving that nasty film on the inside of your windows.
There are two cleaning-related factors that can cause your leather to prematurely wear. The first is dirt and the second is oil from your skin. The oil from your skin is actually the most damaging to your leather. This is particularly true if you wear shorts or a tank top, and have recently applied lotion or a sunscreen to your skin. Take this into consideration when determining your cleaning schedule.
Unlike fabric or vinyl upholstery, leather should be cleaned one section at a time. This means that once you have applied your cleaner or conditioner to one area, you should fully wipe down that area then proceed to the next, and so on. Work on an area no larger than 2-3 square feet at a time.
There are many different leather cleaners and conditioners available. Be sure to select a leather cleaner and conditioner appropriate for your leather upholstery. Modern leather upholstery is protected with a thin vinyl coating, whereas classic leather interiors are not. Do not use a product designed for uncoated leather on a coated leather finish, as it may quickly ruin the protective coating.
If you have a dark colored leather interior, I recommend cleaning twice a year. Light colored leather will need cleaning more often, even as much as every three months, depending on how easily the dirt is revealed. In between cleaning your leather, use a clean, damp towel to wipe down the surface completely. This removes the dust and light dirt so it won’t have a chance to work into your leather.
For classic and coated leather finishes in new or like-new condition, I recommend Sonus Leather Conditioner, is a modern formula that properly protects both coated and non-coated leather. Sonus leather Conditioner leaves a natural, non-slip, matte finish. Coated leather upholstery can be pre-cleaned with Sonus Leather Cleaner. For leather that is dry, worn or slightly ages, try Autoglym Leather Care Cream and Autoglym Leather Cleaner.
Follow these steps to clean your leather:
1. Apply the leather cleaner of your choice one section at a time and work the solution into a nice lather with a sponge. If your leather is heavily soiled, use an upholstery (interior detailing) brush.
2. When finished scrubbing, be sure to remove all soap from the surface with a damp towel.
3. Rinse and wipe several times, then dry the leather with a fresh, dry terrycloth towel.
By the way, water will not hurt your leather. Most leather is actually made (tanned) in water.
After the your car’s leather has dried, apply the leather conditioner of your choice. Choose a leather protectant that gives you the look you want (flat to shiny).
Just like cleaning, apply leather conditioner one section at a time using a foam wax applicator. Work the conditioner in thoroughly. Allow the conditioner to soak in for a minute or two, then buff off the excess with a dry terry cloth towel or microfiber towel. It’s important to buff off the excess. If you allow the excess to stay, your seats will be slippery. After a few minutes of soak time, your leather has taken in all the moisture it can. The remainder will simply evaporate, leaving that nasty film on the inside of your windows.
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 27,921
Likes: 1,080
From: where the weather suits my clothes
Simple
1 - Clean seats with a damp microfiber towel
2 - Apply 303 Protectant (or your favorite) to the seats with an old cotton sock
3 - Let the car sit in the sun with the windows up and sunroof shade open for about an hour
4 - Wipe down seats to remove any excess with an old cotton t-shirt
1 - Clean seats with a damp microfiber towel
2 - Apply 303 Protectant (or your favorite) to the seats with an old cotton sock
3 - Let the car sit in the sun with the windows up and sunroof shade open for about an hour
4 - Wipe down seats to remove any excess with an old cotton t-shirt
Cogito Ergo Idiot
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 170
Likes: 0
From: Daly City, CA
Good stuff above. I can only add...
1. Use a product that works for you. For example, Lexol makes some of the finest leather care products on the market, but I can't stand the smell.
2. Apply lightly. You'll need much less cleaner and conditioner than you might think.
I do the leather before I vacuum. I use a terry applicator for the cleaner (just a wee bit more abrasion) and a microfiber (foam is fine) for the conditioner. I remove each with microfiber towels to avoid lint. Keep in mind these tend to be less absorbant than terry towels...hence the advice to use less product.
1. Use a product that works for you. For example, Lexol makes some of the finest leather care products on the market, but I can't stand the smell.
2. Apply lightly. You'll need much less cleaner and conditioner than you might think.
I do the leather before I vacuum. I use a terry applicator for the cleaner (just a wee bit more abrasion) and a microfiber (foam is fine) for the conditioner. I remove each with microfiber towels to avoid lint. Keep in mind these tend to be less absorbant than terry towels...hence the advice to use less product.
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