New car`s leather interior....

[imported_DeepSouth]

Hello to all Autopians! Long time lurker, first post.



My new car has leather interior that looks great but feels... I don`t know... a little dry. Wanting it to be more supple and soft. Tried Blue Magic conditioner which has a dedicated but small following, and it`s easily sources locally, but it didn`t do anything that I can tell.



Any suggestions appreciated. Thanks.

[judyb]

Most leather in cars these days is `coated` leather. This is essentially a `painted` leather with a clear coat finish over the top. The leather may or may not be dyed through with aniline dyes prior to the finish coating.



Essentially it is this top coating that needs looking after. Cleaning is vitally important as the top coat will wear away if allowed to become dirty. Dirt on the surface will aslo become ground into the finish by constant abrassion.



`Conditioners`, balms, feeds etc (traditionally oil and wax based) cannot penetrate this finish so are not worth applying - they can also leave behind residues on the finish which will only attract more dirt if allowed to remain.



A protector will make the finish easier to clean and also inhibit dye transfer etc on pale coloured leathers.



Leather however finished has to remain breathable and it will allow the movement of moisture back and forth (transpiration) so the use of water based cleaners and protectors will keep the leather correctly hydrated which is essentail to keeping it in good condition.



The routine for correct care should be

Protect from new

Maintain with a regular clean or maintenance product

Deep clean with a foam cleaner once or twice a year



This will prolong the life of the finish on the leather

Hope this helps

[salty]

Well put Judy.

[maarten22]

What products can I use best?? And can you see if the leather is coated??

[Mark77]

+1 Does a product like 303 work on these coatings? I use it on the vinyl in my boat, and it works great there.

[salty]

What products can I use best?? And can you see if the leather is coated??



99% of leather is coated, exceptions Ford King Ranch and very top end cars like Bentley.



Something like 303 works well, but is easily removed by friction, ie driver seat. Back seats that aren`t used very often last longer.