Leather Care
Today, 09:30 AM
#16
Instructor
I used Lexol cleaner + conditioner on my seats and have a question for the experts. Pre-treatment, seats were shiny and slick. Post-treatment, seats look happily hydrated but seem to have lost some gloss and are no longer “slippery”-feel like they are damp which they clearly are not. Is there some kind of topcoat I should use to restore sheen and more importantly, reduce friction?
Today, 09:51 AM
#17
I have done nothing other than wipe off leather in cars or SUVs for decades and it works great. Wet microfiber towels are great for this as others have indicated.
Could my seats etc. look better if I used all the fancy schmanchy cleaners, conditioners, top coats, etc., maybe but I have never kept any one of 54 vehicles in my life much more than a couple years.
A sports car is not a Chanel purse but if you are keeping a car for 10 years then maybe wiping down the leather with special sauce would be a good idea.
Could my seats etc. look better if I used all the fancy schmanchy cleaners, conditioners, top coats, etc., maybe but I have never kept any one of 54 vehicles in my life much more than a couple years.
A sports car is not a Chanel purse but if you are keeping a car for 10 years then maybe wiping down the leather with special sauce would be a good idea.
Last edited by Hunky; Today at 09:58 AM.
Today, 10:52 AM
#18
Bzzzttttt,....thank you for playing, Staffie Guy! I know you're a Regular here and I respect that - but there is no plastic coating on leather - any leather.
The topcoat is pigmented using a speciality paint that remains flexible. All leather has to be cleaned and conditioned regularly to keep the longevity of the hide and for it to not crack out. You can't over condition it or overclean it, just as you can't overwash your own skin and over-apply hand lotion. The more frequently its done, the better your hides will look over time.
A damp cloth will not clean anything, just like a damp cloth won't clean you in the shower. You have to get some soap in the mix. I make my own cleaner after selling leather. upholstery for 40 years - and its cheap. Take a spritzer bottle of any size and fill it with 90% water, add in about 4 oz of white vinegar and one pump of the hand soap you have in the bathroom (unscented is best). Now you have the best leather cleaner around and it cost you about 20 cents to make a bottle.
I clean parts of mine with every car wash, the steering wheel, shift ****, driver's door and driver's seat. I do the rest of the interior (which is really not really used much ) 4x a year.
The topcoat is pigmented using a speciality paint that remains flexible. All leather has to be cleaned and conditioned regularly to keep the longevity of the hide and for it to not crack out. You can't over condition it or overclean it, just as you can't overwash your own skin and over-apply hand lotion. The more frequently its done, the better your hides will look over time.
A damp cloth will not clean anything, just like a damp cloth won't clean you in the shower. You have to get some soap in the mix. I make my own cleaner after selling leather. upholstery for 40 years - and its cheap. Take a spritzer bottle of any size and fill it with 90% water, add in about 4 oz of white vinegar and one pump of the hand soap you have in the bathroom (unscented is best). Now you have the best leather cleaner around and it cost you about 20 cents to make a bottle.
I clean parts of mine with every car wash, the steering wheel, shift ****, driver's door and driver's seat. I do the rest of the interior (which is really not really used much ) 4x a year.
Today, 11:37 AM
#19
Do I get a "participation award" at least. Seriously, I got my information from spending time on the Corvette forum as a Corvette owner, as this top coating was often discussed, and the consensus was what I was parroting. However I defer to someone who has worked with leather for years and thank you for the technical clarification.
Here is one of many stating that most if not all automotive leathers have some type of "coating" urethane or otherwise.
https://www.best-auto-detailing-tips...nditioner.html
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Staffie Guy (Today)
Today, 11:59 AM
#20
Instructor
I highly recommend
because it’s easily absorbed by the leather and leaves a protective, low-sheen finish that significantly reduces dye transfer onto lighter leathers. Any dye transfer onto a protected surface is easily wiped off with a damp microfiber (re-apply the protectant after removing any transfer because it acts as a sacrificial layer). I have been using it for 8+ years on a luxor beige interior with great success, making dye transfer a non-issue.
Today, 12:24 PM
#22
I used Lexol cleaner + conditioner on my seats and have a question for the experts. Pre-treatment, seats were shiny and slick. Post-treatment, seats look happily hydrated but seem to have lost some gloss and are no longer “slippery”-feel like they are damp which they clearly are not. Is there some kind of topcoat I should use to restore sheen and more importantly, reduce friction?
Today, 12:25 PM
#23
This is what i’ve been using for years
https://www.spinneybeck.com/shop/pro...oner-protector
it is specifically made for finished leather
https://www.spinneybeck.com/shop/pro...oner-protector
it is specifically made for finished leather
Last edited by J Irwan; Today at 05:42 PM.
Today, 12:36 PM
#24
Rennlist Member
Do I get a "participation award" at least. Seriously, I got my information from spending time on the Corvette forum as a Corvette owner, as this top coating was often discussed, and the consensus was what I was parroting. However I defer to someone who has worked with leather for years and thank you for the technical clarification.
Today, 12:50 PM
#25
Instructor
“Iused Lexol on my wife's car in preparation to sell it. it caused the leather on the passensger seat to get stiff and crack. luckily it was only a honda. still sold the car at a good price but i was pretty annoyed by that. “
Yikes!!! Sure hope I don’t face that or i can take remedial action now to correct. Hoping to hear from Dr Collie w/ his recommendation (s) going forward.
Yikes!!! Sure hope I don’t face that or i can take remedial action now to correct. Hoping to hear from Dr Collie w/ his recommendation (s) going forward.
Last edited by 1BTD; Today at 12:52 PM.
Today, 05:29 PM
#26
Race Car
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Fairfax County, Virginia
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This is why I promised myself I would stop contributing to "leather" threads. They just go off the rails and make me feel like it's Groundhog Day (the movie).
Anyways....
Lexol is garbage. Step up your game and don't buy your interior leather products from Wal Mart. Spent a little more money.
Leather in automotive world - and indeed all finished leather - is pigmented, that means painted. So, you look at topcoats such as color and gloss the same way you look at painting something, because that is what it is. If your leather is nice and slick it's most likely because its dirty. Clean off the dirt and it becomes more tacky because you washed off the grime and slug. Again. lets go back to the showers.....if you don't wash your hair for a week what does it feel like? Slick and oily, right? Get in the shower, shampoo and conditioner and it changes your hair texture to softer and more luxurious, and the slick is gone - right?
You can alter the gloss on a finished leather by applying a glossy topcoat, but I don't recommend it really. It doesn't look natural. But if you want, buy some topcoat and have at it, you won't hurt anything. This is the company I got all my leather repair products from for the past 20 years (also my Conditioners for my cars)
https://www.damagedleathersolutions....ther-top-coats
There is no plastic on the leather. That's an Urban Myth. Why would you put plastic over something that already has a protective paint topcoat? It would be redundant and that polyvinyl chloride plastic is going to haze/yellow with UV over time and crack.
Leather is an uncomplicated product, don't make it out to be complex. Clean it, Condition it, and it will last the life of the car. But you need both the clean AND the condition to maintain longevity of the hides. You can't just wipe it down and expect proper leather car because you are not replacing the moisturizing agents in the hide. And never condition over dirt - always clean it first. That's all there is to it.
Anyways....
Lexol is garbage. Step up your game and don't buy your interior leather products from Wal Mart. Spent a little more money.
Leather in automotive world - and indeed all finished leather - is pigmented, that means painted. So, you look at topcoats such as color and gloss the same way you look at painting something, because that is what it is. If your leather is nice and slick it's most likely because its dirty. Clean off the dirt and it becomes more tacky because you washed off the grime and slug. Again. lets go back to the showers.....if you don't wash your hair for a week what does it feel like? Slick and oily, right? Get in the shower, shampoo and conditioner and it changes your hair texture to softer and more luxurious, and the slick is gone - right?
You can alter the gloss on a finished leather by applying a glossy topcoat, but I don't recommend it really. It doesn't look natural. But if you want, buy some topcoat and have at it, you won't hurt anything. This is the company I got all my leather repair products from for the past 20 years (also my Conditioners for my cars)
https://www.damagedleathersolutions....ther-top-coats
There is no plastic on the leather. That's an Urban Myth. Why would you put plastic over something that already has a protective paint topcoat? It would be redundant and that polyvinyl chloride plastic is going to haze/yellow with UV over time and crack.
Leather is an uncomplicated product, don't make it out to be complex. Clean it, Condition it, and it will last the life of the car. But you need both the clean AND the condition to maintain longevity of the hides. You can't just wipe it down and expect proper leather car because you are not replacing the moisturizing agents in the hide. And never condition over dirt - always clean it first. That's all there is to it.
Last edited by drcollie; Today at 05:31 PM.
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TimTennis (Today)
Today, 06:23 PM
#27
Instructor
This is why I promised myself I would stop contributing to "leather" threads. They just go off the rails and make me feel like it's Groundhog Day (the movie).
Anyways....
Lexol is garbage. Step up your game and don't buy your interior leather products from Wal Mart. Spent a little more money.
Leather in automotive world - and indeed all finished leather - is pigmented, that means painted. So, you look at topcoats such as color and gloss the same way you look at painting something, because that is what it is. If your leather is nice and slick it's most likely because its dirty. Clean off the dirt and it becomes more tacky because you washed off the grime and slug. Again. lets go back to the showers.....if you don't wash your hair for a week what does it feel like? Slick and oily, right? Get in the shower, shampoo and conditioner and it changes your hair texture to softer and more luxurious, and the slick is gone - right?
You can alter the gloss on a finished leather by applying a glossy topcoat, but I don't recommend it really. It doesn't look natural. But if you want, buy some topcoat and have at it, you won't hurt anything. This is the company I got all my leather repair products from for the past 20 years (also my Conditioners for my cars)
https://www.damagedleathersolutions....ther-top-coats
There is no plastic on the leather. That's an Urban Myth. Why would you put plastic over something that already has a protective paint topcoat? It would be redundant and that polyvinyl chloride plastic is going to haze/yellow with UV over time and crack.
Leather is an uncomplicated product, don't make it out to be complex. Clean it, Condition it, and it will last the life of the car. But you need both the clean AND the condition to maintain longevity of the hides. You can't just wipe it down and expect proper leather car because you are not replacing the moisturizing agents in the hide. And never condition over dirt - always clean it first. That's all there is to it.
Anyways....
Lexol is garbage. Step up your game and don't buy your interior leather products from Wal Mart. Spent a little more money.
Leather in automotive world - and indeed all finished leather - is pigmented, that means painted. So, you look at topcoats such as color and gloss the same way you look at painting something, because that is what it is. If your leather is nice and slick it's most likely because its dirty. Clean off the dirt and it becomes more tacky because you washed off the grime and slug. Again. lets go back to the showers.....if you don't wash your hair for a week what does it feel like? Slick and oily, right? Get in the shower, shampoo and conditioner and it changes your hair texture to softer and more luxurious, and the slick is gone - right?
You can alter the gloss on a finished leather by applying a glossy topcoat, but I don't recommend it really. It doesn't look natural. But if you want, buy some topcoat and have at it, you won't hurt anything. This is the company I got all my leather repair products from for the past 20 years (also my Conditioners for my cars)
https://www.damagedleathersolutions....ther-top-coats
There is no plastic on the leather. That's an Urban Myth. Why would you put plastic over something that already has a protective paint topcoat? It would be redundant and that polyvinyl chloride plastic is going to haze/yellow with UV over time and crack.
Leather is an uncomplicated product, don't make it out to be complex. Clean it, Condition it, and it will last the life of the car. But you need both the clean AND the condition to maintain longevity of the hides. You can't just wipe it down and expect proper leather car because you are not replacing the moisturizing agents in the hide. And never condition over dirt - always clean it first. That's all there is to it.
Thanks for the information on Lexol, I obviously had no clue. At the risk of imposing on your expertise, could you recommend a cleaner and conditioner that would be good to use? If they are on the site you reference, could you tell me which ones to get? Seems there are several different products and I can't discern which ones are cleaner and conditioner. Thanks for any assistance and apologies if this request is an unwelcome imposition.
Today, 06:48 PM
#29
Race Car
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Fairfax County, Virginia
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This is what I use, Pam Villagomez is a leader in the leather repair and care industry, all the leather tanneries use her products and advice on repairs. This is good product, but not the only one on the market to be sure. I have known her for a number of years and she can fix what others cannot.
https://www.damagedleathersolutions....ener-protecter
https://www.damagedleathersolutions....ener-protecter
Today, 07:11 PM
#30
This is what I use, Pam Villagomez is a leader in the leather repair and care industry, all the leather tanneries use her products and advice on repairs. This is good product, but not the only one on the market to be sure. I have known her for a number of years and she can fix what others cannot.
https://www.damagedleathersolutions....ener-protecter
https://www.damagedleathersolutions....ener-protecter
Always helpful, never… more like it is now.