Woolite safe on leather?

I

imported_mrecktid

New member
I've been using Woolite (not the 6:1 but they have an aerosol upholstery version that's supposedly safe for leather, vinyl, and fabric). And I thought I was getting good results, I used it on my tan leather interior, and I thought I was getting a lot of dirt off of my leather, the leather looked lighter and newer. But I just read this article by the guys from Lexol. And they said that I'm probably taking off the "tanning" agents. Is woolite pH safe?



http://www.properautocare.com/leclcoex.html



I'm not sure if they were just boosting up their product for pH safety or what, any help would be awesome!
 
Lexus specifically recommends using a water and wool safe detergent mixture to clean their leather. I think that should answer your question! :)
 
I'm not an expert in this regard, but it seems to me that those upholstery leathers that are sealed/coated (where water doesn't soak in) you're only cleaning the surface anyway. I'm not swayed...:nixweiss
 
Mr. Chemist said:
Actually Lexus recommends their Leather Cleaner and their Leather Conditioner.
Click to expand...



Not according to their owner's manual. One of my customers pointed it out to me and insisted when I clean her leather, I do it just like the owner's manual said. I saw the passage about using a wool safe detergent and water with my own eyes. I assured her that was how I have cleaned leather for several years and showed her the bottle of Woolite in with my detailing supplies.



In addition, I first learned of the Woolite/water trick through a leather care tag on the headrest of a 1993 Cadillac De Ville. They specifically recommended using Woolite and water. On the newer Caddy's, the tag simply says to use a mild detergent and water.
 
"Leather Interior



The selected leather is used in your Lexus. Due to

characteristics of leather products, some parts of leather may

be rough, uneven or scratched originally.



To keep good appearance, we recommend you to clean it

periodically twice a year.



Remove dirt on the leather in the following ways:



1. Wipe it off lightly using a soft cloth (e.g. gauze) dampened

with 5% solution of neutral detergent for wool.



2. Wring water from a clean cloth and thoroughly wipe off all

traces of detergent with it.



3. Wipe off the surface of the leather with a dry soft cloth. Allow

the leather to dry in a ventilated shaded area. Excess of wet

may cause the hardening or shrinking of the leather.





NOTICE

 Dirt or sand adhered to the leather may damage the

treated surface and cause it to wear earlier. Remove

dirt or sand using a vacuum cleaner.



 If a stain should fail to come out with a neutral

detergent, apply a cleaner that does not contain an

organic solvent.



 Never use organic substances such as benzine,

alcohol or gasoline, or alkaline or acid solutions for

cleaning the leather as these could cause

discoloring.



 Use of a nylon brush or synthetic fiber cloth, etc. may

scratch the fine grained surface of the leather.



 Mildew may develop on soiled leather upholstery. Be

especially careful to avoid oil spots. Try to keep your

upholstery always clean.



 Long exposure to direct sunlight may cause the

leather surface to harden and shrink. Keep your

vehicle in a shaded area, especially in the summer.



 The interior of your vehicle is apt to heat up on hot

summer days, so avoid placing on the upholstery

items made of vinyl or plastic or containing wax as

these tend to stick to leather when warm.



 Improper cleaning of the leather upholstery could

result in discoloration or staining."





From Lexus Owner's Manual.
 
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