Leatherique for seats/door trim.. but what about steering wheel?

**imported_BluHeaven** · 06-20-2003, 04:09 PM

I picked up some leatherique finally for my seats and I`m betting I can use it no problem on the leather door inserts as well...

but what about things like the steering wheel, shift boot and leather knob??? Do you use the leatherique on it too or do you use something simpler? Obviously for saftey reasons it can`t be anything greasy to where you can`t keep a grip on the wheel!

TIA

**BradE** · 06-20-2003, 04:30 PM

Yes it can be used on steering wheels. Please be aware however, that after cleaning it might feel tacky for a day or so. Since your Audi is brand new, I doubt the Oil will be necessary for the steering wheel. The Pristine Clean should be the only product you need right now.

Also, cover the carpet and floormats directly under the steering wheel, incase of any drips from the oil or cleaner.

**chris0626** · 06-20-2003, 11:25 PM

SRL, I bow to your great reservoir of knowledge. But I also need to share this sad story. I had used Leatherique rejuvenator and Prestine Clean on my `75 Jaguar leather seats. The results were wonderful! Then noticed that the steering wheel on my Benz was quite yukky/sticky. So I went at it with Leatherique Rejuvenator Oil & Prestine Clean. Did the exact same process, following the directions to the letter. The results are quite dismaying. The wheel has completely lost its sheen, and still feels tacky (two weeks after the treatment). I have a hunch that maybe the steering wheel cover was not actually leather -- or that maybe it was a coated leather -- for while it was nice and glossy and smooth before, now it`s tacky and dull. Not sure whether I totally messed up in the application process, or maybe I used it on something that`s not actually leather. But I`d suggest a bit more caution.

Anybody else had relevant experiences along this line?? I`m stumped.

**imported_BluHeaven** · 06-20-2003, 11:36 PM

So can you not use leatherique on coated leather?

How do I tell if my leather is coated?? Its an 03 Audi TT..

none of the leather in the car is shiney...its all very matte and soft like butta

**Fr0zen** · 06-21-2003, 12:04 AM

Im sure Audi Leather Isnt Coated you can usally tell when you car gets to be a couple months old and your leather becomes really shinny from sitting down your cloths kind of wear down the leather to a really slick shinny surface instead of the matte finish you get from the factory then you know its coated.

**BradE** · 06-21-2003, 11:39 AM

Lynn,

That is certinaly interesting. How many applications of the Cleaner did you use? Often times, it can take multiple applications of the cleaner to totally remove the residue and gunk from the oil. Especially on older leather that had been neglected.

I`d try a few more passes with the cleaner and see if that takes care of the problem. :up

**chris0626** · 06-21-2003, 10:30 PM

SRL, because it kept bringing up gunk, I applied the Cleaner repeatedly -- about 5 applications over the course of 2 (or maybe 3) days, if memory serves. I`m stumped too!

Every other time I`ve used Leatherique, in the cars and in the house, it`s worked like a charm. So I am not bashing the product --I`m just trying to figure out what the heck I did wrong.

**BradE** · 06-21-2003, 10:39 PM

Hmmm, the only thing that comes to mind is possible leather damage. It could be the leather was damaged many years ago. The oils from your hands, and just general crud, glossed it over. When it was cleaned, the damaged reappeared. Other than that, I`m not sure. It sounds like you didn`t do anything wrong, which leads me to believe that it`s material related.

Funny thing is, I know exactally what you are talking about. I had a 1992 Jag Xj6 Sovereign and the steering wheel leather did the EXACT same thing when I cleaned it. Mine was somewhat uneven, it had patches of dullness and felt somewhat rough. The only thing I found that helped was taking a cheaper leather conditioner like Lexol and reapply it after the cleaning. Let it soak then buff off. It didn`t cure the problem totally, but it made it look presentable. :up

**NorthernPlus** · 07-15-2003, 06:31 PM

We may be talking about a combination of things here, type material, body oils and degree of and amount of accumulation of same deep in the leather.

I happened to do the entire interior including dying the leather using the leatherique products. I was totally satisfied. In doing another car with just the cleaner and the rejuvenator, I had to wipe the residue off the leather with a cloth and warm water as suggested in the instructions or on another post at a different site. (This was last year.) So if it is leather in general, I would wipe off any excesses with cloth and water after the soaking period with the rejuvenator oil to remove the oils and dirt that have now leeched out of the leather.

Now I did wipe the rejuvenator on a part of another car that was a rough textured molded part not normally touched by the hand on a regular basis (no body oils). I couldn`t remove the sticky feel from it no matter how many times I wiped it with cloth and warm water. It appeared to have partially dried on the material.

Now it may be with leather covered steering wheels with the high amount of oil and dirt accumulation that one is only softening and leeching out a portion of this accumulation no mater how hard one tries. So there is the aspect of the amount of dirt and oils still being there but now partially "softened", but not "detached" from the leather so to speak and now mixed with rejuvenator also. There is the possibility that the rejuvenator has partially dried on the leather also.

Some of this is a guess, but I have been using it for two years and have gone through more than 1/2 gallon of it on 4 cars with wonderful results.

If you send an email to George at Leatherique, he should have suggested reasons I am sure. We have to remember we are working with a natural substance here. Tanniing and leather finish variations may be preventing the rejuvenator oil from penetrating into the leather on some steering wheel leather.

The result being that it partially dries on the surface of the wheel leather.

**NorthernPlus** · 07-15-2003, 10:20 PM

I was trying to bring back two military slings with the rejuvenator oil that I had applied a lot of the rejuvenator oil to several days ago. Tonight after my previous post, I did some more "applying". I had a difficult time getting the rejuvenator oil off my hands even after several washings. Sticky feel, sticky feel.

I also suggest that Lynn posting here also may try some serious buffing with a towel. I think the shine may return. I can`t imagine the Leatherique oil dulling any previous leather finish.

Also when I dyed my leather, I had to wipe it with laquer thinner to cut off the top clear coat so that the rejuvenator oil will penitrate the leather. I amnot suggesting this for partial areas of leather in you car. You will not have a uniform sheen for certain.

I was trying to bring back two military slings with the rejuvenator oil that I had applied a lot of the rejuvenator several days ago. Tonight after my previous post, I did some more "applying". I had a difficult time getting the rejuvenator off my hands even after several washings. Sticky feel, sticky feel.

I also suggest that Lynn posting here also may try some serious buffing with a towel. I think the shine may return. I can`t imagine the Leatherique oil dulling any previous leather finish.

Also when I dyed my leather, I had to wipe it with laquer thinner to cut off the top clear coat so that the rejuvenator oil will penitrate the leather.

**chris0626** · 07-16-2003, 12:48 AM

Those are interesting ideas, NorthernPlus. Stupid me, I never thought to call Leatherique. As mentioned in my post, I have been very impressed by their product in other uses; this one just did not work. Now more than a month after the fact, the soft/spongy steering wheel does not feel good to me. You`re right: Time to call Leatherique and see what can be done. :up

**jr weeks** · 07-16-2003, 01:03 PM

In my (detailing) experience, most modern leather steering wheel covers are clear vinyl coated due to the amount of salt/perspiration they see from our hands. They just hold up better. Uncoated leather on a steering wheel will see dye fade & color removal in short order, which I have also seen. This is another reason not to use anything harsh or solvent like on your seats or steering wheel.

I don`t know however, why the Leatherique would have an adverse reaction on it IF it was originally coated, unless there are solvents of some kind that might remove the clear layering ( but why not on seats right?). But that`s not likely since Leatherique knows the drill and is top-notch stuff. Good luck, hopefully they will give you the answer you need.

**JimmyS5600** · 07-16-2003, 01:20 PM

BluHeaven I used Leatherique on the strg. wheel on my Vette,worked like a charm. As others mentioned it was somewhat tacky for a very short time.

Does anyone know if anything can be used as a topper for Leatherique after useing their prescriped process?

It cleans so well I wondered if any topper can protect?

Jimmy