Leather cleaner / preserver

To

Many degreasers will do a good job cleaning dirt like that. Use a toothbrush to get dirt out of the grain lines. I've also used Goop and it works really well. I cleaned up a set of leather/vinyl seats from a Lincoln Town car and they looked brand new. Just be sure to test whatever you're planning to use in a hidden area to make sure it won't damage or discolor the leather. . .

Chamberlains leather milk and cleaner...works well on my flight jackets too.

tkoden said:

I finally have a vehicle with leather seats and would like to keep them treated so they don't crack. What does everyone use to protect their seats?

Thanks,

Kirk

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Meguiars leather balm before and after. No residue left behind

Great info here folks - thanks. This is the first ventilated leather seats for us and are their issues using these products on the perforated areas? Obviously take care not to slobber any product on, but can this be an issue?

Just poking around for info and found this.

The most important thing I've learned is that most leather in the interior of our cars is FINISHED LEATHER. It has a protective coating on it that conditioners can't really penetrate. So, applying an expensive conditioner can be a waste of time, energy, and money. Also, many times there are matching vinyl parts and it can be tricky to tell one from the other. You don't want to waste leather conditioner on vinyl.

According to the pros I've talked to, the best way to treat finished leather is to keep it hydrated by wiping with a damp cloth once a week. I like to use Leatherique Prestine Clean for this as it hydrates and gently cleans. It works great on both finished leather and also vinyl so you don't have to keep track of what's what. The last time I used Leatherique conditioner it just built up on the surface, never really soaked in, and remained tacky. After that I decided not to use it again.

If you know for sure you have ANALINE leather (like a King Ranch interior) then you need to apply leather conditioner.

I've found the best cleaner by far if Scrubbing Bubbles Bathroom Cleaner with a scrub brush. Then wipe with a damp cloth. This is recommended by TheSeatShop, which makes replacement leather covers. I'd just use it for perhaps yearly cleaning, because it's strong stuff, but it surely gets the dirt off.

Star-art's post above is on the money. The leather's basically painted, and any conditioner or goo will just sit on the surface and often make it shiny and greasy. Keep it clean and that's it.

tkoden said:

I finally have a vehicle with leather seats and would like to keep them treated so they don't crack. What does everyone use to protect their seats?

Thanks,

Kirk

Click to expand...

Meguiars ultimate leather cleaner + Meguiars ultimate leather balm

Gtechniq products are awesome and this one is no different. This stuff provides a barrier between you and the leather (read: no more dye rub off from new jeans). Careful with overspray though. It’s very difficult to remove once it’s dry.

https://usa.gtechniq.com/products/auto/l1-leather-guard-ab


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Thanks for the insights. Some are suggesting that many of these conditioners are useless on these faux leather seats. Because they have a "clear coat" of sorts on the leather veneer, mild alkaline cleaning is the best approach to long term maintenance. The thought here being that the clear coat prevents this conditioner products from ever getting to the leather covering - so they're really just shining the coating??

One video suggested a 5:1 mix of Woolite and Deionized water; something along the lines of the Scrubbing Bubbles noted above. Sounds like two completely different approaches between the King Ranch and other trims leather seats.