leather conditioner? which?

J

jose206

New member
I'm looking to order a bottle of conditioner, what would you guys recommend? Please help, this is my first bottle.
 
How old is the car? What condtion is the leather in?



Zanio Z10 is Top notch stuff and at a good price

Autoglym's Leather conditoner is also good stuff



If the leather is old and hard:



Leather Masters or Leatherique Rejuvenator



Used all and like them all.
 
I really love Pinnacle's leather Conditioner and Leather Cleaner.

I've also used RaceGlaze Leather CnC and it worked great.



Zaino's has a nice smell that will last a cpl of days too.
 
Since this is your first bottle, I have to ask, what are you using to clean the leather? Cleaning is just as, if not more important than the conditioner.
 
yakky said:
Since this is your first bottle, I have to ask, what are you using to clean the leather? Cleaning is just as, if not more important than the conditioner.
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I was thinking the same thing.



I would say whatever conditioner you decide, you may want to consider using that some brands cleaner, ie:



If you decide on Leather Masters Vital, get LM Strong Cleaner also.



If you decide on Zaino Z10, pick up Z9 also.



If you decide on Leatherique Rejuvenator, pick up Prestine Clean also.
 
jose206- I'm currently using (and very pleased with) both Sonus and Leather Masters. I'd buy both the cleaner and the conditioner. Very user-friendly and neutral-smelling (assuming that's what you'd want).



Carticular said:
I love Z10 on my Audi, great smelling stuff!
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Doesn't that make it smell more like Z10 and less like new-Audi? IIRC Z10 has the leather-store scent...
 
yakky said:
Since this is your first bottle, I have to ask, what are you using to clean the leather? Cleaning is just as, if not more important than the conditioner.
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yep, I tried many different conditioners and wasn't impressed until I started using the cleaners that go with the conditioners then the leather looked much much better when done.
 
zmanz said:
yep, I tried many different conditioners and wasn't impressed until I started using the cleaners that go with the conditioners then the leather looked much much better when done.
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The number one killer of leather is YOU. You are covered in dirt and oils that damage the leather. If you look at any car, the steering wheel looks the worst, followed by the drivers seat. If you don't clean up after yourself, your leather will age very fast. Smearing crap over dirty leather will just accelerate the process by attracting more dirt.



You don't even have to match the cleaners, though its not a bad idea. Woolite is a decent cleaner IF you:



-use it 20:1

-use it sparingly (don't soak your seats)

-wipe the seats down with a damp cloth afterwards



For protectants, I really like 1Z leather care. It makes my leather look just like it came from the factory and there is no shine or fake leather smell. Megs D180 is also very nice but it has a bit more sheen to it, if you like the satin look.
 
yakky said:
Since this is your first bottle, I have to ask, what are you using to clean the leather? Cleaning is just as, if not more important than the conditioner.
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===





#1: Strong Prep Cleaner with a horsehair brush.

474.jpg




#2: Extract suspended soiling with a washable paper rag.

481.jpg




#3: With a satisfactory result like this before “conditioning� it

489.jpg








Yes I agree, a thorough cleaning has to come first!



As auto leathers are already protected with the toughest topcoat among pigmented leathers.



The main concerns for conditioning or protection after a thorough cleaning are at least:



1. To shield the leather against the detrimental effects of sticky soiling including the nasty ballpoint ink.



2. And to ensure that the tenacious dye-transfer stains common on pastel colors are easier and faster to remove.



3. A protection to increase the leather resistance to wet and dry rubs, thus reduce scuff and abrasion.



4. To reduce friction squeaks when leather rubs against leather during movement



5. To Enhances the leather with a luxurious soft buttery-feel.



6. To impart an unforgettable classic leather scent that charms both man and woman through the centuries.





So good if you can just find all these benefits from the same bottle at a reasonable price from a kit.





Roger Koh

Leather Doctor®
 
Hey Roger, good advice. Here is some for you. Try out the "macro" button on your camera. Its the one with the little flower on it. It tells your camera to focus on the closest item in view. I think you will get much better closeups that way. In the pictures above it looks like your camera is trying to be too "intelligent" and focus on the wrong thing. See how it is focused on the shifter instead of the wheel?
 
yakky said:
Hey Roger, good advice. Here is some for you. Try out the "macro" button on your camera. Its the one with the little flower on it. It tells your camera to focus on the closest item in view. I think you will get much better closeups that way. In the pictures above it looks like your camera is trying to be too "intelligent" and focus on the wrong thing. See how it is focused on the shifter instead of the wheel?
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lol i was thinking the same thing, although informative those are some blurry shots! :chuckle:
 
i like leathermaster vital and protecting cream so far. very oem looking. satin, smooth and dry to the touch. ive tried nearly all of them too. i really like how leatherique works also but using it often is debatable. i think it made some high wear areas too soft so it started to wrinkle like a plush layZboy.



i like zaino conditioner but the fake leather smell only works well in cheap cars imho lol. premium luxury cars are better off smelling like how they are supposed to smell, unless its now filthy n stink. oh and i seem to use half a bottle with each application! i hate zainos small bottles. id be more inclined to buy if some of their products came in bigger bottles or gallon sizes.
 
Im planning on using megs super degreaser on really dirty leather, of course i'm not going to let it dry on there. This is what another detailer recommended along with an all purpose cleaner for the lighter cleaning. Thanks for all your input, I'm probably going to go with leather masters since that seems to have an excellent reputation as a conditioner.
 
jose206 said:
Im planning on using megs super degreaser on really dirty leather, of course i'm not going to let it dry on there. This is what another detailer recommended along with an all purpose cleaner for the lighter cleaning. Thanks for all your input, I'm probably going to go with leather masters since that seems to have an excellent reputation as a conditioner.
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I would stay away from a degreaser on leather. It will clean the oils from the leather right out.





John
 
jose206 said:
Im planning on using megs super degreaser on really dirty leather, of course i'm not going to let it dry on there. This is what another detailer recommended along with an all purpose cleaner for the lighter cleaning.
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That is amazingly bad advice. Meg's APC is only a last resort for very soiled leather, and at a very diluted ratio. I wouldn't put the degreaser anywhere close to leather, it will break down all the oils in the leather and turn it into cardboard.
 
yakky said:
That is amazingly bad advice. Meg's APC is only a last resort for very soiled leather, and at a very diluted ratio. I wouldn't put the degreaser anywhere close to leather, it will break down all the oils in the leather and turn it into cardboard.
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Another one. :hairpull



Are you guys cleaning raw leather hides?
 
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