Leather care- how clean, treat and/or repair
10-16-2007, 10:59 AM
#351
[QUOTE=2002S2K,Oct 16 2007, 02:48 PM] 00Civic Si - you can probably scrub a little harder than you think, but you may want to try rubbing odorless mineral spirits (oms) on the white to get it off.
11-23-2007, 08:24 AM
#352
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: San Diego
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Hey sean was wondering if there were any recommended leather guys in north san diego ca. Or maybe even temecula, a town close to san diego thats booming and seems to have everything.
03-09-2008, 12:50 PM
#356
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TOGWT judging by that response and your nick name I assume you are the same TOGWT from autopia ... if so hello 
and are you driving an S2k now ? BTW my nick over on autopia was/is AXE ...
On the subject of cleaning leather I agree with you, the product I have a preference for is LExOL conditioner and cleaner, I also love their Vinylx product for rubber and trim.
and are you driving an S2k now ? BTW my nick over on autopia was/is AXE ... On the subject of cleaning leather I agree with you, the product I have a preference for is LExOL conditioner and cleaner, I also love their Vinylx product for rubber and trim.
02-02-2011, 12:27 PM
#357
Registered User
My driver's side seat bolster is showing a lot of wear. I understand I can use rub in to help fix the areas that have the finish worn off (e.g. near the seams), but is there anything that I can go about the deep creases?
02-02-2011, 01:57 PM
#358
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I have had this problem on my driver's seat. About every other year I use a leather die, like used for shoes, for the worn area to touch it up. Two days after it dries I put on Griot's Leather Conditioner and it reduces the deep creases.
I don't think anything will cure them, they are in the leather.
P.S. I AM a member but a CO in the SMOG area deleted all my information.
I don't think anything will cure them, they are in the leather.
P.S. I AM a member but a CO in the SMOG area deleted all my information.
02-02-2011, 06:06 PM
#359
Originally Posted by TOGWT,Mar 9 2008, 04:21 AM
Honest opinion or merely advertising? Commercialism brings with it concerns of honesty and true representation. In other words, it�s difficult to know what is true when someone is motivated by income, i.e. directly targeted at product sales, more so than an unbiased opinion
Automotive leather care is a subject surrounded with misinformation and myth, products such as leather (Saddle) soaps, oil-based Conditioners, Neats-foot oil, and Hide Food still prevail as top sellers, albeit most are made for equestrian tack, Leatherequi is also a very popular product that is used in a market that is dominated by pigmented leather with an acrylic polythene protective covering; which are very different leathers with completely differing care requirements. The exact reason why this is the case is unclear. It�s possible that there is an association with old world quality (i.e. leather upholstery and burl wood interiors) with these types of products, despite the fact that the automotive industry has been using polyurethane covered pigmented leather for many years
Before using a leather care product a detailer needs to know the material they are working on, and wither the product chosen is compatible with the material and will not damage it. Diagnosis is the key, not guess work. Before deciding on what products to use you need to ascertain what type of leather finish you have and wither the pigmented leather has a polyurethane covering, or is (un-coated) finished natural leather, as the cleaning / maintenance varies as to type; although they all require a water-based product to maintain hydration (a suede type leather like Nubuck is the exception).
Compare automobile upholstery [finished pigmented leather] to a vehicles paint surface with a clear coat;
1. A base material (metal) with a colour coat of water-based polymer paint
[Leather hide pigmented with a water-based polymer resin]
2. A water-based polymer clear coat to provide protection
[Water-based polyethylene clear coating to provide protection]
3. Paint doesn�t need oils to feed it (whatever Zymol says) nor does leather; neither is a living thing.
[Leather was removed from a dead animal, it�s then fat-liquored to preserve its oils and then sealed, and it doesn�t need oils or creams to feed or condition it, even if they could permeate the various coverings]
Conditioning � leather doesn�t require conditioning per se, it just requires moisture replacement (hydration) the best way to do this is with a water-based leather care product.
Protection - is an essential element in leather care; inhibiting abrasive dirt / grit, brought in from the outside via the A/C system and stains from being absorbed. Its primary purpose is to act as a barrier between the leather surface and any soils that may settle on it, making maintenance cleaning easier, and also providing protection from ultra violet radiation (UVR) especially a Roadster�s upholstery
Always keep an open mind; but I would also strongly suggest that you verify any information that I or anyone else shares with you.
Automotive leather care is a subject surrounded with misinformation and myth, products such as leather (Saddle) soaps, oil-based Conditioners, Neats-foot oil, and Hide Food still prevail as top sellers, albeit most are made for equestrian tack, Leatherequi is also a very popular product that is used in a market that is dominated by pigmented leather with an acrylic polythene protective covering; which are very different leathers with completely differing care requirements. The exact reason why this is the case is unclear. It�s possible that there is an association with old world quality (i.e. leather upholstery and burl wood interiors) with these types of products, despite the fact that the automotive industry has been using polyurethane covered pigmented leather for many years
Before using a leather care product a detailer needs to know the material they are working on, and wither the product chosen is compatible with the material and will not damage it. Diagnosis is the key, not guess work. Before deciding on what products to use you need to ascertain what type of leather finish you have and wither the pigmented leather has a polyurethane covering, or is (un-coated) finished natural leather, as the cleaning / maintenance varies as to type; although they all require a water-based product to maintain hydration (a suede type leather like Nubuck is the exception).
Compare automobile upholstery [finished pigmented leather] to a vehicles paint surface with a clear coat;
1. A base material (metal) with a colour coat of water-based polymer paint
[Leather hide pigmented with a water-based polymer resin]
2. A water-based polymer clear coat to provide protection
[Water-based polyethylene clear coating to provide protection]
3. Paint doesn�t need oils to feed it (whatever Zymol says) nor does leather; neither is a living thing.
[Leather was removed from a dead animal, it�s then fat-liquored to preserve its oils and then sealed, and it doesn�t need oils or creams to feed or condition it, even if they could permeate the various coverings]
Conditioning � leather doesn�t require conditioning per se, it just requires moisture replacement (hydration) the best way to do this is with a water-based leather care product.
Protection - is an essential element in leather care; inhibiting abrasive dirt / grit, brought in from the outside via the A/C system and stains from being absorbed. Its primary purpose is to act as a barrier between the leather surface and any soils that may settle on it, making maintenance cleaning easier, and also providing protection from ultra violet radiation (UVR) especially a Roadster�s upholstery
Always keep an open mind; but I would also strongly suggest that you verify any information that I or anyone else shares with you.
It is for these reasons that I personally would not recommend that anyone routinely use a leather cleaner. Anything that cleans has to contain petrolium distillates and/or water based surfactants. They may be very good at removing dirt and grime but at the same time are also removing essential oils and probably a few microns of the special coating that are now applied to modern leathers.
IMO, use a little extra elbow grease and avoid leather cleaners. Use a conditioner to clean your leather and use it more often to keep it clean.
02-03-2011, 09:03 AM
#360
Registered User
Just picked up some Leather Masters cleaner and conditioner. Can't wait to put it to use. I've been using Lexol stuff, and I just haven't been impressed with the conditioner. A tad too oily.