Hi!
Can you guys tell me what You useing (or best) on Your leather seat to clean and condition & protect the leather?
Thanks!

 

I use meguiars gold class wipes. they have a nice aloe kind of smell thats not strong and goes away after a day. it leaves the seats with a nice shine for a few days and keeps it looking good

 

thanks!

 

i use lexol cleaner and conditioner.

 

Before you start applying all sorts of products to your leather it is best to understand your leather.

One of the biggest mistakes people make is applying oil-based conditioners to automotive leather because it makes the situation worse. I'll keep it simple. You are likely looking at two types of leathers: 1. Pigmented and 2. Protected/covered

Pigmented
Once the leather is tanned it is then treated with PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) which is a protective coat about 1 millionth of an inch thick and is a water-based coating that seals the leather. It is water-permeable which allows water to go through and allowing the leather to breathe and hydrate. It is important to keep this leather hydrated as per maintenance otherwise once it's dry it is susceptible to other stains and dirt that will remain in the leather.

Protected/Covered
This is produced from the lower split (by-cast) of the leather hide, it is coated by first melting a type of glue on the surface, then rolling on a film of coloured polyurethane. This type of leather is also known as coated or covered.

Majority of automotive leather is protected. Applying oil-based conditioners is a waste of money and is actually worse for your leather. Remember you are cleaning the plastic surface on top of the leather and not the leather it self. Spraying oil based "cleaners" only does the exact opposite. It leaves an oily film behind and that makes it more attractive to dust and dirt and makes your leather slippery and greasy.

To clean your leather first check if it is unprotected. You can do this by scratching the surface and if it changes to a darker shade (like suede) then it is unprotected. Also you can sprinkle some water on it and if that beads then it is protected and if it goes through it is pigmented.

Cleaning
For cleaning and rejuvenating the leather here's a brand that can help you out. I am currently testing two brands on my client's cars and seeing which one I like. These are also not your typical OTC products so they will be a tad bit expensive but are specifically meant to rejuvenate and maintain leather.

Leather Masters Trio - Click here (Strong Cleaner, Vital Conditioner, and Protection Cream)

Other Brand - Currently in testing phase.

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*There are also other types of leather like Nubuck and Alcanatara but cleaning for those is not relevant on this thread.
*Credit goes to Jon Miller for writing informative articles on Leather that have helped me gain a lot of knowledge and insight in automotive detailing to further assist my clients.

 

Lexol conditioner is oil based....does it not make your leather greasy and slippery?

 

Not if you apply the cleaner & conditioner properly. I just used it on my 11yr old Lago leather seats which were dry with mild cracking and a few wear marks. The cleaner is applied with a clean, damp cloth...it will lift out dirt(visible on the cloth) and moisturize the surface simultaneously. The conditioner is applied almost like a wax and buffs out to a supple, matt-finish. My seats came out great...they're softer, the cracks are completely gone, and most of the wear marks look much better.

Whatever leather product you choose...always test it out on a hidden surface to make sure it's compatible with your leather.

UberTeile

 

I use Swissvax Leather Care kit, all you need in a fancy bag, and it make the leather in my 2006 A6 look and feel GREAT. (black partleather sportsseats).