1. Cleaning 2. Conditioning 3. Ultra Violet Radiation protection

1.Cleaning- use a soft horse hair brush (Groit's Leather & Interior Brush) to remove any dust or grit from the seams and vacuum the seating areas dust, apply a cleaning solution (Water /Woolite® or Dreft® 6:1 ratio or stronger) on to an applicator pad and apply to one area at a time (i.e. a seat back). To remove stubborn dirt or grime gently agitate the surface with a boar's hair cleaning brush (this will not harm the leather) then use a clean, damp Microfiber towel to rinse.

2.To bring back a matte finish and safely remove prior use products, Autoglym - Interior Cleaner, allow approx 24 hours for the panels to dry. It may be necessary to repeat the cleaning process to get it back to a matte finish. Then apply a leather conditioner (Zymol Treat)

Maintenance cleaning- use a cleaning solution (Water /Woolite® or Dreft® 10:1 ratio) on to an applicator pad and apply to one area at a time

Stubborn stains- dependent upon the leathers condition or how dirty it is consider using a leather-cleaning product. (Leatherique's Prestine Clean, Zaino Leather in a bottle, Groit's Leather Cleaner or Autoglym Leather Cleaner)

Alternative product- (use with caution by trying it on an inconspicuous area first)
a) Mr Clean Magic Eraser Cleaning Pads
b) Steam cleaning- Cleaning interior doors, leather and vinyl upholstery clean exceptionally well with steam
http://www.vaporcleanproducts.com/st..._detailing.htm

All Purpose Cleaner (APC) - Leather should be cleaned with a product in the pH 5 to 5.5 range. That's actually a mildly acidic solution. Most multi-purpose cleaners and spot removers have a pH of 12 to 13. If you spray a multi-purpose, high pH cleaner on leather and buff with a dry cloth, the cloth will often turn brown. Most people will believe its dirt coming out of the hide; it's not dirt, its tanning agents. You’re actually de-tanning the hide

Notes:
a) With all cleaning products, always test a small, indiscrete area first to ensure it won't discolour or stain the surface, and ensure that the pH of the product is suitable for the material.
b) The harsh use of chemicals actually keeps dirt trapped in the fibres of the leather. If you abuse or neglect your leather, it won't survive. Keeping leather clean is important, but conditioning is the key to preserving its useful life, flexibility, appearance and longevity.
c) Do not use- Saddle soap (it's made to clean an entirely different type of leather), abrasive cleaners, furniture leather polish (they contain a wax), products that contain harsh solvent s or alcohol, as they will cause the stitching to fray and eventually break, petroleum distillate, bleach or ammonia based products, you should not use vinyl products on leather (nor vice versa as the emulsion will not penetrate).
d) Silicone or Lanolin-based conditioning products as they have trouble reaching the leathers deep fibres, also avoid using leather-conditioning creams on covered leathers as they cannot penetrate the surface finish and the residue will remain leaving a greasy surface on the leather. The silicone oil will dissolve out the leather's natural oils and tend to make the leather sticky. Use a product that contains natural penetrating oils that will nourish the fibres and restore the leather to its natural suppleness.
e) Alcohol- Alcohol can severely damage the finish of the leather; even a drop like you have will leave a permanent mark. Most finishes are water based and so any alcohol can begin to cut through them, even if you go over it and you see no colour come off, you probably just stripped off the clear protective top coat and are now sitting on the colour coat, which can get tacky very quickly and will eventually wear through as it does not have the durability found in the topcoat.
f) Vinyl dressing on leather as it will clog the pores of the leather and not allow any essential oils to permeate to the fibre, which will cause the leather to dry out and crack. The difference between leather and vinyl; leather will have an uneven or imperfect pattern to it while vinyl will have a much more even, almost repeating pattern. The depth of the lines within the grain on vinyl is also consistent, while the same lines on leather will vary; it is also usually smooth and soft to the touch.
g) Rule of Thumb - you can use leather products on vinyl, you can not use vinyl products on leather.

2. Initial conditioning - for the initial conditioning of uncoated leather, and/or if you are cleaning for the first time use a Leather Rejuvenator. (http://www.Leatherique.com) [Use Zaino Z-10 Leather in a bottle on coated leather] paying particular attention to area that are exposed to the most UV radiation, i.e. backs of headrests, seat shoulders, and then apply to the rest of the seating surfaces starting at he top and working your way down.

Allow the product to be absorbed into the hides for several hours on a sunny day, or overnight. Warmth makes the leather fibres pores open allowing the proteins and collagens to be absorbed readily. Park the car in direct sunlight, cover seats with black plastic trash bags, and roll up the windows to create a steam room to allow the Rejuvenator to fully penetrate into the hides.

2a. Conditioning- leather is hygroscopic (naturally absorbs and retains water like a sponge), meaning it’s also susceptible to losing the moisture necessary to keep it pliant and soft. A good conditioner is a spring of life for your leather as it contains all the nutrients, UVR protection and moisture it needs to stay beautiful.

Recommend preventative maintenance routine three to four times a year; once prior to the winter season to prevent cold temperatures cracking the leather, and once before the heat of the summer to prevent deterioration and shrinkage by heat, which result in continued cracking of leather In addition to regular cleaning, leather requires replacement of natural oils; Collagen-based products like Leatherique restore the lost moisture and maintain its natural flexibility. The smell of leather comes from oils evaporating out of the hide.

Conditioners are for leather which is porous, vinyl is not, do not use a vinyl product as a conditioner on leather as vinyl requires much stronger cleaning agents than leather and above all try to avoid raw silicone oil based products, as the silicone oil will dissolve the leather's natural oils and tend to make the leather sticky, silicone oils also have a very high electrostatic (static) attraction to dust and dirt particle.

1.Conditioning products should be applied to a warm surface to help the oils penetrate the coating (warm with the suns heat or a hairdryer) allow sufficient time (preferably overnight) for the oils to permeate the coating and reach the leather underneath.
2.It is possible to over-condition leather once the hide has absorbed the product it will saturate the foam and the hides stitching and may cause it to fray /disintegrate or over-clean your leather as this may lead to premature cracking and discoloration. Most leathers are treated at the tannery with a protective coating to help protect against staining. Excessive cleaning and conditioning can remove some of the protective properties. Carry a small spray bottle of water and a clean micro fibre cloth so if you ever spill something onto your leather, spray the affected area and wipe it as soon as possible, you should then treat the affected area with leather conditioner.
3.Conditioning oils will penetrate the fibres more efficiently if they are warmed first; place the plastic container in a microwave before using. For best results warm the leather also before application (vehicle heating system, hairdryer, or the suns heat Allow sufficient permeation time (4-6 hours) or overnight if possible, especially with coated or spray-on dye leathers.)

Scheduled Maintenance: Once every 30-60 days, Arizona, Florida and Texas, especially in summer, for northern climates between 90-120 days, use a leather conditioner to restore these natural oils and keep the leather soft and supple. (Criot's Leather Care, Autoglym Leather Care Cream, Zanio Z10 Leather in a Bottle or Zymol Treat leather cleaners are all good maintenance products)

3. Ultraviolet Radiation (UVR) Protection - you should consider additional sunscreen protection (especially if you own a convertible) leather conditioners typically do not offer any UV screening. The best solution is to alternate between a leather conditioner and a, ultra violet radiation (UVR) protection (303™ Aerospace Protectant). One month use a conditioner to keep the leather healthy and supple. On alternate months mist and wipe the leather with a UVR protection. After application allow 60 minutes for product to cure, then using a 100% cotton cloth to lightly buff surface (Zaino Z-10 contains UVR protection)

4. Leather Protection Cream - a water- based protector for all leather types except Nubuck. It's not a typical conditioner. It uniquely provides protection against oil, water, and alcohol based stains, as well as providing resistance to the effects of daily soiling. It places an invisible, breathable barrier between you and the surface of the leather. Unlike leather "conditioners", this cream will NOT make your leather shiny, sticky, or leave any type of film on the surface. It leaves your leather exactly like it was when new.
http://www.topoftheline.com/leather--conditioner.html

Application Instructions:
•Shake the bottle well before using.
•Pour onto a soft, lint-free cloth and wipe evenly on the surface, paying special attention to the high use areas.
•Allow to dry 1/2 hour.
•Apply a second layer to new, unprotected/non-coated leather.

5. Leather Upholstery Renovation (Using Leatherique Products, uncoated leather):
Keeping leather clean is important, but conditioning is the key to preserving the life-flexibility – appearance- and longevity of leather upholstery.

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