Cleaning Leather-- Dangerous?

[imported_rookie]

I have been cleaning leather, but have been warned if you do not do it properly, there can be some serious problems.



I usually just spray some leather cleaner on a brush, brush it in everywhere, then get a MF towel, and buff it out. Then I put on the conditioner after the leather is clean. I just rub that in with a applicator.



I am pretty sure this works ok for me. But was wondering if there are other ways to do this. I want to stick with a leather cleaner followed by a conditioner, I think this works better then a cleaner/conditioner.



What is everyone elses procedure with Leather?

[togwt]

~ One man’s opinion / observations ~



Providing the brush you use has soft bristles (a horse hair brush is better) as opposed to nylon etc that will scratch the surface there is nothing magical about application.



The really important thing about leather care is the product used being suitable for the surface as not all leathers are the same. Most leather used in automobiles is coated with urethane so it requires a product that will permeate the coating to condition the leather underneath.



Cleaning- use a soft horse hair brush (Groit`s Leather & Interior Brush) and/or a vacuum to remove any dust, apply a cleaning solution (Water /Woolite® or Dreft® 6:1 ratio or stronger) on to an applicator pad and apply to one area at a time (i.e. a seat back). To remove stubborn dirt or grime gently agitate the surface with a boar`s hair cleaning brush (this will not harm the leather) then use a clean, damp Microfiber towel to rinse.

Maintenance cleaning- use a cleaning solution (Water /Woolite® or Dreft® 10:1 ratio) on to an applicator pad and apply to one area at a time



Stubborn stains- dependent upon the leathers condition or how dirty it is consider using a leather-cleaning product. (Leatherique`s Prestine Clean, Groit`s Leather Cleaner or Autoglym Leather Cleaner)



Notes:

1. With all cleaning products, always test a small, indiscrete area first to ensure it won`t discolour or stain the surface, and ensure that the pH of the product is suitable for the material.

2. The harsh use of chemicals actually keeps dirt trapped in the fibres of the leather. If you abuse or neglect your leather, it won`t survive

3. Do not use- Saddle soap (it`s made to clean an entirely different type of leather), abrasive cleaners, furniture leather polish (they contain a wax), products that contain harsh solvent s or alcohol, as they will cause the stitching to fray and eventually break, petroleum distillate, bleach or ammonia based products.



Keeping leather clean is important, but conditioning is the key to preserving its useful life, flexibility, appearance and longevity.



Some recommended products

Urethane Coated Leather- use Zanio Leather in a Bottle Z10, Groit`s Leather Care or lz einszett® Leather Care "Lederpflege"



PS: Knowing the type of leather would help to be more specific

with care recommendations, although 5:1 water/Woolite will clean just about all leathers



~Hope this helps~



Knowledge unshared is experience wasted

justadumbarchitect / so I question everything/ Jon

[groebuck]

it was 6:1 ? :) (woolite)



my 2 cents - I vaccum the leather to get any "bits" off the wipe down with the above woolite mixture (i just started using this GSRstilez got me onto this)..



it`s awesome and I know Scottwax uses so it must be good :lol



I do this weekly then follow up with some poorboy`s Natural look - monthly (my whole interior is black so it seems to dry up quick) I use Platinum Leather cleaner and conditioner (separate prodcuts) the cleaner is a ph balanced clear gel that works awesome and the condition is second to none I have tried (the only thing I have used that has a real leather smell - after using it my car smells like the first day I opened the door :)).

[l33]

you could get away with 8:1 or even 10:1 should be fine for light cleaning. I found 6:1 to be a little to much woolite. It really works great, the leather is very soft afterwards.

[groebuck]

like a baby wipe to you when done ? :)



I use the NL afterwards so Iget that smell but if I wait to apply it smell a lil like a baby wipe to me :lol

[imported_rookie]

Much thanks.



My question is where is the danger? I heard spotting can occur if the cleaner is sprayed directly on and not on a brush/applicator?

[shaf]

Be careful with the stitching. That`s one reason why you shouldn`t over-condition them, and why I avoid using brushes. I use foam sponges or MF towels to do most of my cleaning.

[imported_rookie]

How do you avoid getting all the little holes filled? I am worried about messing up there.