leather conditioning - Leatherique.

[firecharged]

I have 2000 Acura 3.2 TL with blond leather. Which leather conditioner will soften leather best? My front passenger seat is very hard leather, I tried multiple premium products - is becomes soft, for a week or so, but the harden again. Any recommendations? What about leatherique?:cool:

[Deanski]

Todays leathers are coated. Trying to use a "conditioner" is not going to help unless you have gone through it. Some just make the leather feel slimy. Some can be absorbed to extent.



I have an Ecru interior and what works is good old Woolite mixed 6:1 (6 parts Distilled Water, 1 part Woolite) in a spray bottle. Spray the leather, use a horsehair brush to loosen dirt. Wipe off excess, use a damp clean towel and wipe off the rest.



Once dry, I add Zaino Z-10 leather care as it`s the closest thing to new leather smell I`ve found.



Leatherique works well on older leather, but the "oil" first used to clean leather works well too. It`s just cheaper to use Woolite, which works better and less mess.



I did one car (2001 MB) that the customer ALWAYS used Leatherique. He was complaining that the seats had one spot that felt odd. So, I had one of my vendors remove the leather covers and we found that the Leatherique oils have worked it`s way to the foam and started it to deteriorate. We guess from the heat added the effect. Never thought I`d find that. The oils got through via the seams as he was anal about treating seems fearing they would weaken and break.



Now this was a first I`ve ever heard or came accross this. I just told the customer he can still use it, just keep it away from seams.



Go and try the Woolite. You will be suprised how well it works.



Regards,

Deanski

[PAW]

That`s the first I`ve heard of a problem with Leatherique.

[shaf]

I bet he used Leatherique too often unnecessarily. That was a 2001 - how bad could it have been?

[Deanski]

Bad enough! Yes, he was using it quite often.



Now this is the first I`ve seen as well. I would have expected it in much older vehicles.



The foam was weak in the spots that had the product.



Let`s just assume he was bathing the seats in it!



Regards,

Deanski

[imported_aqua]

Just for clarification, If most leather seats are coated... are you saying .... leather cleaners&conditioners are useless???:nixweiss





Do you use zaino only as leather scent?



Please, clarify

[Deanski]

Most newer cars have leather that has a coating on them. You still have to clean the leather, and so far, the easiest and best way has been the Woolite mix.



As for conditioning, it does give some benefits in that the leather feels more "relaxed".



Yes, I use Z-10 for keeping the seats as new as possible and for the leather sent, which is damn close to that new leather smell.



There are many articles on leather treatments here on Autopia. Do a search and you`ll see.



Regards,

Deanski

[ensteele]

I just got a product that is called "Hide Food". I have not tried it yet, but got it for dried out leather, and it is supposed to do a great job on that. I will see. :)

[Deanski]

Hide Food is used for English leather seats in Jags, RR etc. Very nice for treating leather.



If it`s really dry, the Leatherique is a better choice to get the leather back to normal, then maintain with Hide Food.



Regards,

Deanski

[Espada]

"Hide Food" aka "Hyde Food" is great for long-term maintenance. I kept up an old Rolls Royce for twenty years with regular use of Hyde Food. The leather is still soft.



Leatherique works well too but the best way to apply it is to rub it into the seats by hand, cover with black plastic garbage bags and leave it in the sun to "bake in". It does work well but it`s so much trouble that it`s easier to maintain with Hyde Food, in my opinion.

[epbrown01]

I agree that Hyde Food is better, but I preferred Leatherique for my `66 Silver Shadow. Troublesome, but I only treated the leather a couple of times/year.



Emanuel