Cleaning the leather
#17
Originally Posted by turbo83lude
after using the lexol cleaner and conditioner, does it leave your seats feeling greasy or shinny? i'm kind of trying to stay away from both...
Remeber, buff afterwards or there will be residue.
#18
Originally Posted by mgmarsh39
Nope, just use a warm damp cloth, spray a little (really just a little) on the rag, then rub it in. after about 5 minutes, buff the seat with a dry cloth.
Remeber, buff afterwards or there will be residue.
Remeber, buff afterwards or there will be residue.
thanks, now i'm just trying to decide between lexol and zaino z-10
#19
#20
SINCE BUYING MY "G" I HAVE BEEN USING P I N N A C L E INTERIOR KIT #PIN-410 INCLUDES MICROFIBRE CLOTHH, 3 TERRYCLOTH APPLICATORS , 1SOFT CREVIS BRUSH , 1 FIRM BRUSH FOR CARPET ,VYNAL AND RUBBER PROTECTANT , LEATHER AND VINYL CLEANER ,AND LEATHER CONITIONER.. I USE THE LEATHER CONDITIONER FIRST IT TAKE MOST LIGHT DIRT OUT. I USE IT ON THE PLASTIC AND VINYL ALSO. OTHER THAN THAT USE THE CLEANER THEN CONDITIONER.. GREAT SMELL NO SHINE JUST CLEAN,THE WAY IT CAME. I HAVE OATMEAL INT. AND ITS A BITCH TO KEEP CLEAN. THIS STUFF IS MADE OR REBOTTLED IN SOUTH FLORIDA.
#22
#23
i use zaino cleaner with a detail brush to get in the actual creases of the leather. with the light willow interior, there is a lot of dark stuff that can get in the cracks. once it's cleaned i'll follow with the zaino leather conditioner. make sure you let the cleaner dry first, then condition. the smell is great imo.
#24
Maybe I'm partial from my equine upbringing, but... SADDLE SOAP. Use a liquid glycerine, like Leather New, not the old stuff that's more for softening than cleaning. Any detailer worth his salt will say "Never use it! Buy this instead!" and point you to something like lexol or zaino, but I guarentee that once you're out of earshot, they'll go buy a case of it. It's not a 'treatment' for conditioning to be used often, but it's a good once-a-quarter cleaner to get the tough grime out and let the fresh look shine through.
My car got out of my body shop (after ~2 months) the other day, and my ivory interior was downright disgusting. I almost wanted to scrap the car, to be honest. I threw some saddle soap on, got it to a good lather, and wiped the grime right off. After about two hours with a sponge, a terry cloth, and some glycerine saddle soap, the damn thing looks brand spanking new.
Simply spray it on, get it to a lather with a good sponge (takes 1-5 strokes), let it sit for a few seconds, then buff it right off with a good cotton towel. I've cleaned ungodly amounts of horse tack with it, and if it takes of mud, grass stains, and horse sh*t, I bet it'll take anything we can throw at it. Don't worry about those who say "but the alkalis damage the leather!!" -- find me a soap that doesn't contain 'em.
G
My car got out of my body shop (after ~2 months) the other day, and my ivory interior was downright disgusting. I almost wanted to scrap the car, to be honest. I threw some saddle soap on, got it to a good lather, and wiped the grime right off. After about two hours with a sponge, a terry cloth, and some glycerine saddle soap, the damn thing looks brand spanking new.
Simply spray it on, get it to a lather with a good sponge (takes 1-5 strokes), let it sit for a few seconds, then buff it right off with a good cotton towel. I've cleaned ungodly amounts of horse tack with it, and if it takes of mud, grass stains, and horse sh*t, I bet it'll take anything we can throw at it. Don't worry about those who say "but the alkalis damage the leather!!" -- find me a soap that doesn't contain 'em.
G
Last edited by GeoBau; 09-22-2006 at 01:00 AM.
#25
#26
#27
Got this from proper auto care - In the late 1800's the final tanning of leather required the talents of a "currier". This craftsman took the tanned but brittle hide and worked oils into it until the desired flexibility was obtained. This process was called fatliquoring. The fatliquor of choice was an emulsion of oil in soap. This "saddle soap" was not used as a cleaner. It was a softening conditioner.
In fact, saddle soap is a very poor cleaner. It must first dissolve its own oils, limiting its capacity to dissolve dirt and oils in the leather. Saddle soap is also inherently alkaline but alkalinity is damaging to leather. Another problem arises during application. Most saddle soaps instruct the user to work the lather into the leather. Since loosened dirt is suspended in the lather, it is pushed back into the leather's pores.
Saddle soaps have long been replaced in tanneries by modern emulsions which penetrate, soften and condition with greater ease and stability. the popular myth of saddle soap as a cleaner however persists as modern folklore.
In fact, saddle soap is a very poor cleaner. It must first dissolve its own oils, limiting its capacity to dissolve dirt and oils in the leather. Saddle soap is also inherently alkaline but alkalinity is damaging to leather. Another problem arises during application. Most saddle soaps instruct the user to work the lather into the leather. Since loosened dirt is suspended in the lather, it is pushed back into the leather's pores.
Saddle soaps have long been replaced in tanneries by modern emulsions which penetrate, soften and condition with greater ease and stability. the popular myth of saddle soap as a cleaner however persists as modern folklore.
#30
Yeah, I checked with my friend. He says that most of the old saddle soaps were for softening the leather. It's easier to find one of the cleaning ones now.
I just use Lexol Cleaner when it needs it, and Lexol Conditioner any time I get the chance. I tried the Zaino products, and they smell great if that's important to you.
I just use Lexol Cleaner when it needs it, and Lexol Conditioner any time I get the chance. I tried the Zaino products, and they smell great if that's important to you.