Leather Scrubbing!?

Hey guys, I just watched the Pinnacle cleaning DVD's and noticed something. The leather scrub brush that he uses and that is sold on Autogeek is soooo stiff I have one, I cant imagine that is good for the leather! I was wondering two things:



1. What do you use to agitate leather and vinyl, that needs a good cleaning? I use a bug sponge, it is soft, and foams the cleaner



2. What cleaner do you use? I use PB APC 10:1, or Zaino Z9 (a little exspensive) or Zymol Leather cleaner.



Just curious, lets see whats being used in the field!





Andrew
 
I have a stiff brush, too. The sticker on it labels it as a hand & nail brush, but I bought it at autogeek. I don't think it will adversely affect the condition of the leather but I think being so stiff makes it harder to work the cleaner. I found that a medium toothbrush was perfect but took entirely too long, due to the size of the head, and made my hand tire out.
 
I use a MF towel either just damp with water or with Hi-Temp's Leather Cleaner and conditioner. I have a horse hair brush, but I think the MF does a better job. I would stay away from APC because they usually are high ph.
 
APC without butyl cellusolve (autoint's) + a magic eraser + steamer with a MF wrapped triangle attachment. Best results that I have seen--they look factory.
 
#1: APC diluted is ok, but a far safer product is liquid dishwashing (dawn, etc) diluted 10:1 with water for safety. Too strong on the APC and you can pull the leather dye right out of the seat.



#2: Boar's hair brush. That's the only brush I ever use on leather. Will not scratch or abrade the seating.



#3: Terry towel to remove your soapy solution from scrubbing. I typically scrub 1/3 of each seat area (starting from the top) and also use compressed air to remove water from seams and dry the scrubbed area.



On some BMW's, I will apply Pinnacle Leather Conditioner to add oils back into the leather and give the car a nice smell.



Totoland Mach
 
Right on guys, I was reading about Justins technique with the Black Wheel Schmitt, it looks to be a good tactic.



Totoland Mach: Is the Boars hair brush abrasive enough to really clean, or is it more like a cleaner spreader?
 
AZ Ferrari Man said:
Right on guys, I was reading about Justins technique with the Black Wheel Schmitt, it looks to be a good tactic.



Totoland Mach: Is the Boars hair brush abrasive enough to really clean, or is it more like a cleaner spreader?



AZ Ferrari Man: The brush has plenty of scrubbing ability and does so without causing damage to the leather surface.



Toto
 
what is justins method?



and what brushes is everyone using? I have the megs interior brush, I dont like the ergonomics of it, but it does a pretty good job on those parts where a MF cant clean enough
 
I use a product called leathermasters soft cleaner.



You spread it on a foam pad and massage it into a foam. then spread it onto the surface. give it a little bit of time to sit up. Then massage it out with a towel.. It does an excelent job of removing old conditioner, human oils and soils, light stains with out comprimizing the texture, feel, or protective layers.
 
I have and use all of the following products depending on the need:



Meguiar's APC (10:1 or a bit stronger) - works well on cleaning "every day" leather stains. Needs a bit of elbow greese to remove tougher ones, but still gets the job done. If a client doesn't get a leather treatment, I just go with this.



Z9/Z10 - Good stuff, I LOVE the smell and feel of my leather afterwards. I only use it on my own car, and on high priced details.



CG Leather Cleaner / SmartLeather - The CG Leather Cleaner leaves my leather feeling tight and matte, and I like that. I use it for regular leather treatments. The Smartleather leaves a shiny gloss, which I find has a better effect on customers. I have yet to try it on my leather and plan on doing so this weekend.



As for the tool, I use a microfiber mitt to clean. One side for the cleaner, the other for the conditioner. Never tried any a brush on the interior.
 
Back
Top