Leather..Lets keep it Clean!

What does everyone use for cleaning their leather and protecting it? i saw a few different types, so im just wanderin what you all use..

Meguiar's Gold Class rich leather spray. It's just smells better than anything else I've tried.

that was the stuff i was lookin at and thought to be most popular.

I remember the day I bought that stuff... took about 20 business cards with me and applied the various cleaner products in-store. The salespersons surely thought I was crazy.

why would u do that? lol i dont get it

I'm simple. Armoral wipes both cleanser wips and then protectant. Don't forget inside the pockets in back of your seat. If you don't get to it somehow it get's sticky.

quote: "why would u do that? lol i dont get it"

I was smell-testing every one of them! You know, like the way they spray cards at the cologne counter?

oooooo ok..i thought it may had to have something to do with the way it performs
good thinkin

i use gold class, but i got the liquid kind. it leaves the seats very supple and not shinny unless you polish it. i dont really notice the smell, maybe b/c its not spray.
i look for how well it conditions the leather and how much protection it gives since im in the hot FL sun year round.
i also like conditioners more than cleaners b/c once the leather has been cleaned it should be good as long as you keep it protected and conditioned. a good cleaner is blue magic, they have a seperate cleaner spray and conditioner spray that both work well and do a better job at cleaning than the all in one stuff. just make sure you condition it after useing the cleaner b/c it take away some of the protection that was on the leather. (btw it cleans plastic/vinyl well too)
i am not a fan of any armorall product or turtle wax product FTM. just personal taste/experience.
oh, and we use lexol at work, but its too slippery for my taste. you dont want your date sliding all over the seat when you stop...or maybe you do

Meguiar's Gold Class liquid works well for me.

I tried Leather Love in an attempt to get the fine creases out of the passenger side seat (too late for the driver's side). It didn't do anything, but perhaps that's because the leather is painted? How is the rejuvenator supposed to pass through the paint without removing it? I don't get how any of these products can work through paint.

I had been using ArmorAll leather care. I don't recommend it - it's not bad but not really helpful either except maybe for the glycerine in it.

I have used the Blue Magic cleaner and conditioner separate. They are fine. I almost wonder if they are repackaged Lexol.

I like Lexol the best, hands down, in terms of how it conditions the leather. The only downside is it will make the leather a little darker.

Aerospace 303 makes a leather cleaner-conditioner that works OK too. Their vinyl/rubber/plastic protectant is the shiznit, hands down. The product for leather is 'meh.' No downsides but not as good as Lexol IMBO (in my biased opinion).

Jack the R wrote:

I tried Leather Love in an attempt to get the fine creases out of the passenger side seat (too late for the driver's side).  It didn't do anything, but perhaps that's because the leather is painted?  How is the rejuvenator supposed to pass through the paint without removing it?  I don't get how any of these products can work through paint.

What you probably want is the "Leatherique" line of care and reconditioning products.  They do indeed have a product that will correctly and permanently fix the fine creases/cracks, however you do have to follow the directions scrupulously. See http://leatherique.com/motor_car_project_pictures/bmw_leather.html for an example.

The insight here: Most leather is finished with a surface coat of some sort. Leatherique products are used to restore and dye that surface coat. during the surface restoration, cracks and gouges are smoothed and filled, then the filled leather is dyed. Done right, the results are superb.

Albertj

Have you used leatherique?  What kind of material is it?  Last year I fixed a rip in the back seat with some rubber-cement like stuff.  It was supposed to be sandable but all that did was make "boogers."  It wasn't able to fix the fine cracks in the driver's seat.

Jack the R wrote:

Have you used leatherique?  What kind of material is it?  Last year I fixed a rip in the back seat with some rubber-cement like stuff.  It was supposed to be sandable but all that did was make "boogers."  It wasn't able to fix the fine cracks in the driver's seat.

I have not used it; I have a friend (another Riv owner) who's used it on restorations and got outstanding results.  That said, it's *really* important to follow the directions -- if you don't clean the leather properly, for instance, it makes a mess by delaminating from the leather.    If you don't let it cure properly, it makes a mess.  If you don't mix it thoroughly, it does not cure to a consistent color.  It is not a one-part solution. There is a cleaning component (Prestine Clean), a repair compound, a resurfacing compound, and dyes.

If you use it properly, it even works on high touch surfaces like steering wheels.

As for what material is it, you just need to get the MSDS from them.

Albert