radarryan
11-09-2013, 02:10 AM
There have been many different theories about the best way to clean finished leather. For many years, I was in the boat that specific leather cleaners needed to be used, regardless of if the leather is aniline, semi-aniline, or coated. Little by little, I came around that only the top portion, the coating, is being cleaner and that traditional aniline leather products were probably not doing a whole lot of good. They were still working, but their added cost and limited benefit made them soon obsolete.
1Z Einszett Plastic Vinyl Deep Cleaner Plastik Reiniger
This product has been a mainstay for many professional detailers for treated (coated) leather throughout the threads on the subject. There are, however, a few that feel that 1Z Deep Plastic is too harsh for leather. Due to that reason, I have never used it. The time has come, however, that I needed to really clean my leather from my 2000 Range Rover. I also thought this would be a good test when I clean and apply CarPro CQuartz Fabric & Leather onto my Mom’s BMW seats.
So, what is 1Z Deep Plastic? Here you go, straight from the source (1Z-USA):
“A concentrated deep cleaning detergent that removes stubborn grime, grease, scuff marks, stains, soot and polish residue without harsh or abrasive cleaners.
Use on the dashboard, steering wheel, shift knob, arm rests, finished leather and pedals. Leaves a clean, no-shine finish.”
Here is the link, where you can find the Autogeek description and purchasing information: 1Z Einszett Plastic Vinyl Deep Cleaner Plastik Reiniger (http://www.autogeek.net/1z-einzett-plastic-cleaner.html)
THE TEST
All the seats were first cleaned with Optimum Power Clean, diluted 1:10 and 1:3. The 1:10 dilution was used for high traffic areas while 1:3 was used in stubborn spots. All leather was agitated with a leather brush, with feathered nylon bristles. This was about a week ago. I started thinking, could this be any cleaner?
Now, the first test… Will the 1Z remove more dirt that the Optimum Power Clean could not?
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3803/10752323305_0ec2f58c11_b.jpg
Due to this being the first time I had used this product on a new surface, I wanted to do a test in an inconspicuous spot. I chose the side of the passenger seat to see if the 1Z Deep Plastic could remove more grime that the Optimum Power Clean left behind.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7354/10752321565_1b344b811c_h.jpg
With the tape line removed, even resized, you can clearly see that the left side of the picture (the side where the 1Z was applied, is clearly cleaner. Keep in mind, this was with no agitation. Just spray on – let dwell for about ten seconds – wipe off with a interior microfiber towel.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7310/10752420224_7319373273_h.jpg
Here is the side of the seat, now completely clean thanks to 1Z Deep Plastic Cleaner:
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3722/10752398366_e652df3b25_h.jpg
Now that the testing was done, it was time to move on to the rest of the seats. For the rest of the cleaning, now that I know the 1Z Deep Plastic was going to be safe, I brought out the Mother’s detailing brush for any agitation that would be needed.
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2811/10752395846_480382b94f_h.jpg
Here is the back of the passenger seat, all clean!
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7350/10752616913_5eb737a40a_h.jpg
And here is passenger seat…
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5538/10752615373_c9d8a0e978_h.jpg
Clean rear passenger seat. Spray on – agitate – wipe off. That was the process used.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7295/10752309925_3787e9571f_h.jpg
Right passenger seat being covered with product. An ample amount was used. Not too much, but enough to feel like the job was being done. As many of you know 1Z makes a fantastic spray bottle. The spray is even, and fairly wide.
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5480/10752388446_532404113d_h.jpg
THE DAMAGE
I came across a section on the back of the rear passenger seat, where there was quite a bit of dirt scuffed into the leather. I thought this would be a perfect test to see if 1Z Deep Plastic could take it out without the Optimum Power Clean pre-treatment (I did not treat the back of the rear seats with the OPC due to time constraints back a couple weeks ago.)
The victim:
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5499/10752386766_a8aaf236a4_h.jpg
The physician, applying its medicine:
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7390/10752303995_8c027fbdee_h.jpg
The prognosis:
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3828/10752606073_11729a0151_h.jpg
Well, I don’t know about you but I’d say the prognosis is GREAT. For the purpose of the test, I did not agitate the cleaner, but rather let it dwell for about twenty seconds before wiping off with an interior microfiber towel. Despite the lack of agitation, the 1Z took the dirt right out and restored the leather to its natural look.
THE WILDCARD
Now, time to play devil’s advocate. Some may say, “You didn’t use the Optimum Power Clean at a high enough dilution for it to be effective against the kind of dirt that you encountered.”
Ah, yes. I thought someone may say that…
Behold, the ultimate test:
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5473/10752300215_04b7d58bd5_h.jpg
1Z Deep Plastic Cleaner (undiluted) vs. Optimum Power Clean (undiluted)
Now, is Optimum Power Clean safe undiluted on treated leather? Optimum says yes, though they say it can be diluted 1:3 or higher depending on the level of soil. I have read most professional detailers that do not use OPC undiluted on finished leather. This leather, as you can tell, needs some serious repair, which I plan on making (I will tell you my course of action at the bottom and please comment if you have a company in mind or plan of action that you feel would be superior to mine.)
1Z on top – Optimum on the bottom:
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5477/10752602133_c3a63b98df_h.jpg
The cleaned seat:
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5493/10752599933_bfe626b1f7_h.jpg
The 1Z side:
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7311/10752374946_6448cd254a_h.jpg
The Optimum side:
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7445/10752373066_51aaebdc46_h.jpg
Honestly, I could not tell much of a difference so I opted to carry the test over to the seat back.
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2824/10752390674_21cf27a205_h.jpg
1Z Deep Plastic applied and being agitated:
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2840/10752287565_fe4a9e42f2_h.jpg
1Z wiped clean:
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2840/10752287565_fe4a9e42f2_h.jpg
Optimum Power Clean applied and agitated:
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3743/10752283205_78bbc6b51e_h.jpg
THE SEAT BACK RESULTS
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7311/10752280565_29fbc92c67_h.jpg
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7371/10752360896_a91cf13a7d_h.jpg
To me, there is a clear tapeline, which means that both products improved the leather. That being said, if you look at the seat back results, there is only one clear winner:
AND THE WINNER IS…
1Z Einszett Plastic Vinyl Deep Cleaner Plastik Reiniger (http://www.autogeek.net/1z-einzett-plastic-cleaner.html)
The 1Z did a better job than the Optimum Power Clean (undiluted) at removing whatever grime was in the leather over years of use. The lower side is cleaner, so 1Z wins. Optimum Power Clean does, however, give you the option to dilute to your need, which makes it the more versatile all-purpose cleaner, but that being said with a product like 1Z Deep Plastic Cleaner, what more could you need!
MY LEATHER PLANS:
What I am trying to do is repair my leather without using a professional. I am thinking about using Leather World Technologies (http://www.leatherworldtech.com), who happen to make Leather Masters – the outstanding car leather care products. I have seen kits advertised online and on TV for these exact problems that I am having (as you can see in the pictures, plus a tear). If anyone has done this before, including using fillers and dyes, please comment or PM with any advice.
PROTECTING THE LEATHER:
My plan was to protect the leather with CarPro CQuartz Fabric and Leather, but the sprayer I got was busted, which caused the product to be wasted all over my gloves with every spray. I ended up removing the sprayer and just blobbing an applicator and applying that way, but it was very wasteful and completely frustrating. I used about half the bottle when most people use about two sprays per leather seat. A complete waste of money... No pictures were taken because my gloves were all covered in the coating, and the leather really didn’t change in appearance. I doubt the camera could pick anything up if my eyes couldn’t. There was a slight sheen but as it dried over the course of a few minutes it disappeared. When I do my mom’s black leather I will document it since it will show up better.
I welcome any questions, comments, criticism, and/or advice. Happy detailing! :autopia:
1Z Einszett Plastic Vinyl Deep Cleaner Plastik Reiniger
This product has been a mainstay for many professional detailers for treated (coated) leather throughout the threads on the subject. There are, however, a few that feel that 1Z Deep Plastic is too harsh for leather. Due to that reason, I have never used it. The time has come, however, that I needed to really clean my leather from my 2000 Range Rover. I also thought this would be a good test when I clean and apply CarPro CQuartz Fabric & Leather onto my Mom’s BMW seats.
So, what is 1Z Deep Plastic? Here you go, straight from the source (1Z-USA):
“A concentrated deep cleaning detergent that removes stubborn grime, grease, scuff marks, stains, soot and polish residue without harsh or abrasive cleaners.
Use on the dashboard, steering wheel, shift knob, arm rests, finished leather and pedals. Leaves a clean, no-shine finish.”
Here is the link, where you can find the Autogeek description and purchasing information: 1Z Einszett Plastic Vinyl Deep Cleaner Plastik Reiniger (http://www.autogeek.net/1z-einzett-plastic-cleaner.html)
THE TEST
All the seats were first cleaned with Optimum Power Clean, diluted 1:10 and 1:3. The 1:10 dilution was used for high traffic areas while 1:3 was used in stubborn spots. All leather was agitated with a leather brush, with feathered nylon bristles. This was about a week ago. I started thinking, could this be any cleaner?
Now, the first test… Will the 1Z remove more dirt that the Optimum Power Clean could not?
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3803/10752323305_0ec2f58c11_b.jpg
Due to this being the first time I had used this product on a new surface, I wanted to do a test in an inconspicuous spot. I chose the side of the passenger seat to see if the 1Z Deep Plastic could remove more grime that the Optimum Power Clean left behind.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7354/10752321565_1b344b811c_h.jpg
With the tape line removed, even resized, you can clearly see that the left side of the picture (the side where the 1Z was applied, is clearly cleaner. Keep in mind, this was with no agitation. Just spray on – let dwell for about ten seconds – wipe off with a interior microfiber towel.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7310/10752420224_7319373273_h.jpg
Here is the side of the seat, now completely clean thanks to 1Z Deep Plastic Cleaner:
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3722/10752398366_e652df3b25_h.jpg
Now that the testing was done, it was time to move on to the rest of the seats. For the rest of the cleaning, now that I know the 1Z Deep Plastic was going to be safe, I brought out the Mother’s detailing brush for any agitation that would be needed.
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2811/10752395846_480382b94f_h.jpg
Here is the back of the passenger seat, all clean!
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7350/10752616913_5eb737a40a_h.jpg
And here is passenger seat…
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5538/10752615373_c9d8a0e978_h.jpg
Clean rear passenger seat. Spray on – agitate – wipe off. That was the process used.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7295/10752309925_3787e9571f_h.jpg
Right passenger seat being covered with product. An ample amount was used. Not too much, but enough to feel like the job was being done. As many of you know 1Z makes a fantastic spray bottle. The spray is even, and fairly wide.
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5480/10752388446_532404113d_h.jpg
THE DAMAGE
I came across a section on the back of the rear passenger seat, where there was quite a bit of dirt scuffed into the leather. I thought this would be a perfect test to see if 1Z Deep Plastic could take it out without the Optimum Power Clean pre-treatment (I did not treat the back of the rear seats with the OPC due to time constraints back a couple weeks ago.)
The victim:
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5499/10752386766_a8aaf236a4_h.jpg
The physician, applying its medicine:
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7390/10752303995_8c027fbdee_h.jpg
The prognosis:
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3828/10752606073_11729a0151_h.jpg
Well, I don’t know about you but I’d say the prognosis is GREAT. For the purpose of the test, I did not agitate the cleaner, but rather let it dwell for about twenty seconds before wiping off with an interior microfiber towel. Despite the lack of agitation, the 1Z took the dirt right out and restored the leather to its natural look.
THE WILDCARD
Now, time to play devil’s advocate. Some may say, “You didn’t use the Optimum Power Clean at a high enough dilution for it to be effective against the kind of dirt that you encountered.”
Ah, yes. I thought someone may say that…
Behold, the ultimate test:
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5473/10752300215_04b7d58bd5_h.jpg
1Z Deep Plastic Cleaner (undiluted) vs. Optimum Power Clean (undiluted)
Now, is Optimum Power Clean safe undiluted on treated leather? Optimum says yes, though they say it can be diluted 1:3 or higher depending on the level of soil. I have read most professional detailers that do not use OPC undiluted on finished leather. This leather, as you can tell, needs some serious repair, which I plan on making (I will tell you my course of action at the bottom and please comment if you have a company in mind or plan of action that you feel would be superior to mine.)
1Z on top – Optimum on the bottom:
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5477/10752602133_c3a63b98df_h.jpg
The cleaned seat:
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5493/10752599933_bfe626b1f7_h.jpg
The 1Z side:
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7311/10752374946_6448cd254a_h.jpg
The Optimum side:
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7445/10752373066_51aaebdc46_h.jpg
Honestly, I could not tell much of a difference so I opted to carry the test over to the seat back.
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2824/10752390674_21cf27a205_h.jpg
1Z Deep Plastic applied and being agitated:
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2840/10752287565_fe4a9e42f2_h.jpg
1Z wiped clean:
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2840/10752287565_fe4a9e42f2_h.jpg
Optimum Power Clean applied and agitated:
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3743/10752283205_78bbc6b51e_h.jpg
THE SEAT BACK RESULTS
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7311/10752280565_29fbc92c67_h.jpg
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7371/10752360896_a91cf13a7d_h.jpg
To me, there is a clear tapeline, which means that both products improved the leather. That being said, if you look at the seat back results, there is only one clear winner:
AND THE WINNER IS…
1Z Einszett Plastic Vinyl Deep Cleaner Plastik Reiniger (http://www.autogeek.net/1z-einzett-plastic-cleaner.html)
The 1Z did a better job than the Optimum Power Clean (undiluted) at removing whatever grime was in the leather over years of use. The lower side is cleaner, so 1Z wins. Optimum Power Clean does, however, give you the option to dilute to your need, which makes it the more versatile all-purpose cleaner, but that being said with a product like 1Z Deep Plastic Cleaner, what more could you need!
MY LEATHER PLANS:
What I am trying to do is repair my leather without using a professional. I am thinking about using Leather World Technologies (http://www.leatherworldtech.com), who happen to make Leather Masters – the outstanding car leather care products. I have seen kits advertised online and on TV for these exact problems that I am having (as you can see in the pictures, plus a tear). If anyone has done this before, including using fillers and dyes, please comment or PM with any advice.
PROTECTING THE LEATHER:
My plan was to protect the leather with CarPro CQuartz Fabric and Leather, but the sprayer I got was busted, which caused the product to be wasted all over my gloves with every spray. I ended up removing the sprayer and just blobbing an applicator and applying that way, but it was very wasteful and completely frustrating. I used about half the bottle when most people use about two sprays per leather seat. A complete waste of money... No pictures were taken because my gloves were all covered in the coating, and the leather really didn’t change in appearance. I doubt the camera could pick anything up if my eyes couldn’t. There was a slight sheen but as it dried over the course of a few minutes it disappeared. When I do my mom’s black leather I will document it since it will show up better.
I welcome any questions, comments, criticism, and/or advice. Happy detailing! :autopia: