Best method for maintaining leather seats?

[HamrWebDesign]

Hello,

I'm sure this has been discussed at great length and I did look through some of the posts pertaining to this topic but have a couple questions still.

I just purchased a 2004 VW Passat w/ Anthracite Leather. This is my first new car with leather. The seats appeared to be pretty dry when I took delivery so I took it home and decided to do a little detailing of my own.

I purchased some Meguiars Gold Class Protectant Wipes and used them to wipe down the seats on the vehicle. A couple things I noticed from having done this:

1) The leather seems a bit tougher/harder then before I applied the conditioner.

2) The leather is definately a shade darker then before I applied the conditioner.

3) The leather seems to have a slight sheen it did not have before I applied the conditioner.

What I did was wipe down the seating surfaces with the wipes. I then allowed it to sit for a couple minutes and then I wiped it off with a microfiber towel to eliminate the residue it left on the seating surfaces.

My questions are:

1) What can I use to soften the leather back up a bit. I really don't like wrinkles in the leather and would like to minimize this as much as possible. Unfortunately the leather is already starting to show signs that it has been sat on after only 600 miles. Perhaps this is inevitable but I am hoping there is a way to minimize this as much as possible.

2) If at all possible I'd like to get back the lighter shade it was prior to using the Meguiars product. I assume it's too late for that?

3) Is there a way to maintain healthy leather while leaving it dull as apposed to it taking on a more shiny property?

In short what is the best method for maintaining the leather in my new car without leaving any type of residue or shine?

Thanks in advance!

[ALAN81]

The best way to take care of leather seats is to clean and condition them I would say every two weeks.LIGHTLY!!!!!!!!There are a few companies that make GREAT leather products My favorite is GRIOTS GARAGE but that is me.In auto stores they have leather wipes that you can wipe down your seats with be carefulll the product that you use is not to harsh on the leather.

[Bass]

6 to 1 woollite for cleaning is what i've read and i'm using lexoil cleaner and conditior (sp)

[Macgirl]

I like einszett Lederpflege, cleans well and doesn't leave too much shine and no oily residue. I follow it with 303 Aerospace Protectant. Looks and feels healthy but not plastic-like. If you go with the Woolite you will still need to apply a conditioner to keep it soft, something like Lexol Conditioner would work. To take good care of your leather I would stay away from the "wipes" unless you need something in your car to clean up messes while away from home. Wipe it down with a damp cloth often to prevent build-up that can be "abrasive" to the hide and cause aging.

[BoxsterCharlie]

By the way, on the issue of wear, a lot of this is related to use. I read a really obsessive long thread once about "how to sit down."

The bottom line was that if you look at a 10-year old car, most of the wear is on the driver's left bolsters. So, it is not the age of the leather, but the way that it is natural to sit on the bolster and then slide into position. I would never be so rude as to instruct a passenger about this, but as the guy who puts 95% of the wear in the driver's seat at least I can do my part! I try to plop down in the middle and stay clear of the bolsters.

By the way, I use both Lexol products (cleaner and conditioner) with pretty good luck. Sometimes the build-up of the conditioner will lead to streaking--and I'll use 303 to cut it and reduce the luster, firmly rubbing with a MF. That works great.

I have a theory that leather care is like shampoo; you need to switch brands/techniques to avoid build-up. I was going to order some of that awesome smelling Griots stuff, but once again their $hipping is way too high!

[HamrWebDesign]

Thanks guys! I appreciate your feedback!