cdodkin

Posted this on the Concours Forum - Found a much better product than Lexol or Zaino.

With most of the US swealtering in the current heat wave, it's often difficult to detail the P Car due to the blazing sun or overwhelming heat

However, here's one detailing task that actually benefits from the heat and the sunshine...

This is the perfect weather to condition your leather interior

I use Connolly Hide Care, which is a thick cream product, made in the UK by the original leather suppliers to Rolls Royce, Ferrari, Jaguar, Bentley etc.



You apply the cream to your leather, using a foam applicator or your fingers, in the same way you'd use a heavy moisturizer on your skin.

What do you mean you don't use moisturizer!

If the cream has seperated in the jar (it will in hot weather) just make sure the lid is on tight, and shake the jar until the sloshing noise stops - you'll have freshly whipped creamy hide care!

So, it goes on as a think cream, you spread it all over your leather, then lock up your car, in full sun, and leave to heat-up for an hour or so.

Yep - the red hot temps really help here - the cream melts into your seats and really penetrates.

You may find some areas that just soak it up straight away, and could do with a second and third application straight away.

Come back and buff off the leather with a soft cloth or MF for a great natural finish, softer leather, and long term protection & good looks.

Repeat monthly for optimum care.

Chris.

tvandegarde

Has anyone found a problem with a haze developing on the inside of the windows after treating their leather? I used Lexol a few years ago and spent the next six months cleaning the inside of the windshield and windows weekly to get rid of this film. I'm not positive it came from the Lexol but I haven't used anything on the leather since.

cdodkin

Many of the 'synthetic' leather care products produce this film inside the car.

Haven't found the same problem with the Connolly, it seems to soak right in and not film the windows based on my experience.

Leaves a factory original matt sheen on the leather too - no extra shine.

And it doesn't smell like animal pee! It smells like leather when it's done

Chris.

99firehawk

zaino is the ony way to go imho

Deanski

Yes this will happen often when it is applied and the interior gets warm. Leatherique can have the same issue, but it's limited for the time you work with it.

As for Hide Food, they must have changed the formula. It used to have a very high kerosene odor. In any event, most leathers today are treated with a coating similar to your clear-coat in the finish. Only true English leathers from one firm that Rolls and others use (can't remember the name once again) qualify for Hide Food.

Most leather "conditioners" sit on the leather surface and to not get absorbed unless the leather is worn in areas where the coating has been removed. It's best to clean and treat lightly. SOme conditioners will work in through the stitching.

Conditioners do make it feel softer, and smell nice. That's about it. No harm in using them. Consider it like waxing your car. Wax sits on the surface and does not get absorbed as some think. That's laquer paints that benifit from heavy glazes with oil to keep the paint from drying out. Todays paint cannot absorb anything unless acid rain or bird dropping etc get on, then the finish can be damaged.

1Z does a very nice job on Porsche leather. No off gassing like other products to film up windows, vinyl, dash gauges etc.

Enjoy your clean leather!

Deanski

cdodkin

Have to say that the Porsche leather seats absorb the Hyde Food, it melts into the leather nicely with heat - as I said. You're completely wrong when you say it's not for your P-Car.

They do a cleaner as well, but I have to say that even the Hyde Food itself does a great job.

Connolly know what they are doing with Leather - they've been at it since before Zaino and Lexol were even thought of!

You get great looking finish, very subtle leather, looks like new.

That's why they recommend it for Ferrari, RR, Bentley, Jaguar, etc etc, and why many Porsche dealerships sell it. I got mine from my local delership in CA.

The cream's carrier is more of a white spirit smell fresh from the jar, but this evapourates on application leaving the natural leather smell enhanced in the car.

Best product with the best track record with leather interiors.

The others are just upstarts!

Chris.

Deanski

Again, Hide Food was designd and still is the "leather conditioner" for Rolls and other English leathers that do not get a tanning process used in todays autos to prevent leather from drying and cracking. Ever look at an older Rolls or Austin Healey leather interior? Leather in these cars crack and have very unique lines.

Todays leathers are tanned and coated. Here's a test... Find an area not exposed or treated, then add a drop of water. If it sits on the leather, it's coated. Second test: In the same area, take your fingernail and scratch the leather. Did the scratched area have any white apperance? If yes to both, it's coated. Untreated leather will first: absorb the drop of water and may leave a water stain if it's not distilled and second, scratches do not show or have any white materials or highlights.

Therefore, a good cleaning and mild conditioner for todays autos are the best way to go. Leave the Hide Food for English, or other untreated leathers.

You may say that these other leather conditioner companies are "upstarts", you have to take into account that todays leathers are a far cry from original English leather. So that being said, most have developed leather conditioners for todays leathers for autos.

If you left a Rolls or other car with untreated seats in the hot sun, they begin to crack and develop very distinct lines. You do not see this effect at all with todays leathers unless neglected, but can be restored to like new with the correct products.

Here's a quote from one mfg:Stay with today's leather conditioners and leave the Hide Food for untreated leather.

Regards,
Deanski

humbug

I'm still a little foggy on this leather cleaning thing. So to clarify, if my leather does not appear soiled do I need to use a leather cleaner prior to conditioner? If not, how often must I actually "clean" the leather? I usually just use a leather conditioner like Wolfgang from Autogeek which also has UV protection and wipe down afterwards to remove excess.

robbonds

how about turtle was leather cleaner and conditioner?

ive been using it - any good? i have no experience in this area

Deanski

Clean with Woolite: 6 parts distilled water, 1 part Woolite. Use USA 100% white cotton towels to see the dirt being lifted off.

Since most leathers are coated, conditioners will only stay on top of some of the leather. Depending on how much use the seats get, the coating does wear down.

A good conditioner for Porsche is from 1Z or Einszett and their product called "Lederpflege".

Lexol is not a great leather conditioner for vehicles. Better for houshold leathers. It leaves a film not only on the leather, but off-gasses will film up the cars interior windows if sitting in the sun too long and not all of it wiped off well. It gets on everything!

And there's always Porsche leather kit!

You can use the Woolite anytime you feel the seats may be getting dirty.

Regards,
Deanski

SilverSteel

Animal pee! That was a good one because I haven't been able to figure out what most of these conditioners smell like. I think you hit it. You got my attention. I've got some Connolly on order today.

6 for $99. I hope this stuff is good or I'll be using it on all the leather furniture in the house.

500

I've used lots of expensive leather cleaners and conditioners over the years but believe it or not this product is excellent, it cleans mildly but well and conditions with almost no residue and leaves a very matte finish. On another note folks I've read about people saturating their leather with conditioner and letting it soak...not good people the leather should not get saturated with product and the underside should never become wet!. 90% of the time a damp clean terry type cloth is all that's needed to wipe down the seats etc as the leather is treated with clear protective layer and conditioning/deeper cleaning should be done on an as needed basis.

beowulf

Rusnak Pasadena sold me MOC Leather conditioner which seems to work well on the natural leather seats. Anyone else have experience with this product?

2004 40th anniv.

cdodkin

So I agree that Hyde Food was developed initially for Connolly 'English' leather - coated leather did not exist at that time!

However, it is still a great treatment for modern leathers, which are still porous, and still need moisturizing.

I use it on a 99 Boxster, an 03 996 and an 02 LR Discovery, all with excellent results.

It soaked into the 996 seat leather from new - no worn leather here.

It makes the leather seats more pliable, makes wrinkles lessen or dissapear, and keeps the leather in like new condition.

The moisturizers soak into the leather and certainly help to maintain it's look and feel, with no cracking and splitting.

So as a long term user of this product, I'm again going to disagree with you, based on my actual hands-on experience with many modern leather interiors.

Chris.

jpcourt

I really like the Ziano Brothers cleaner and Zaino Z-10 "Leather in a bottle" it works well for me.