Leather Cleaning, Lexus-specific

[lndshark]

Hi All. I just recently acquired a 2004 Lexus GX470 as a vehicle to use for back-country exploration and road trips. It's got ivory factory leather seats and I'm looking for advice on how to clean and care for it. I'm well-versed in detailing and am a bit of a weekend warrior. While I have great confidence in cleaning cloth and vinyl upholstery as well as carpet, I have yet to really attack a vehicle with leather interior.

The upholstery isn't awful, just 13 years worth of the typical grime. Like most older Lexus leather, it is cracked on the side bolsters and some of the main seating surfaces are obviously discolored from never being wiped.

I was thinking about using a diluted solution of Meg's APC and warm water with a good supply of MF towels and mild brushes, followed by a thorough wipe-down of towels dampened with clear water.

From what I can tell, the seats haven't been re-dyed (1-owner vehicle). I'd like to get them cleaned up and protected with something. I'm all ears!

Thanks in advance!

Jim

[Eldorado2k]

Is it real leather or leather trim?

[lndshark]

Ah, good point. I believe the side bolsters are vinyl but the actual seating surfaces are indeed leather.

[The Guz]

Maybe these two items from the Jay Leno line up would suit your needs.

https://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/new-car-care-products/109179-jay-leno-garage-leather-cleaner-conditioner-review-mike-phillips.html

I cleaned the leather in this lexus (https://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/show-n-shine/107642-2010-lexus-es350-rupes-uhs-meguiar-s-ultimate-fast-finish.html) with Meguiar's D181 and protected them with McKee's 37 All In One Leather Lotion

There are many good items sold through Autogeek which can do the job.

[conman1395]

If it's coated leather (which it is) then clean it like vinyl. Using Megs D101 at 1:10 is perfectly fine.

The only time stuff gets weird or specific is when you have uncoated, "saddle" leather like you used to see in the King Ranch Fords.

If you prefer to use a leather cleaner/conditioner (which some say is pointless no better than APC) then I'd suggest Mother's leather cleaner or Duragloss leather cleaner. Both are cheap and clean well. I'll let you do the research and decide if you think it's any better than an APC.

As for protection, I've found very few products that work as well as HD Protect. That stuff is great in leather and pretty much everything else in the interior.

[lndshark]

Maybe these two items from the Jay Leno line up would suit your needs.

https://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/new-car-care-products/109179-jay-leno-garage-leather-cleaner-conditioner-review-mike-phillips.html

I cleaned the leather in this lexus (https://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/show-n-shine/107642-2010-lexus-es350-rupes-uhs-meguiar-s-ultimate-fast-finish.html) with Meguiar's D181 and protected them with McKee's 37 All In One Leather Lotion

There are many good items sold through Autogeek which can do the job.

Hi Mike. Thank you for the link to that Lexus...I remember when you first posted it. My seats are in better shape than those but I will give the D181 a try and follow-up with the Jay Leno product above. I'll post some before/after shots once it is complete.

[lndshark]

If it's coated leather (which it is) then clean it like vinyl. Using Megs D101 at 1:10 is perfectly fine.

The only time stuff gets weird or specific is when you have uncoated, "saddle" leather like you used to see in the King Ranch Fords.

If you prefer to use a leather cleaner/conditioner (which some say is pointless no better than APC) then I'd suggest Mother's leather cleaner or Duragloss leather cleaner. Both are cheap and clean well. I'll let you do the research and decide if you think it's any better than an APC.

As for protection, I've found very few products that work as well as HD Protect. That stuff is great in leather and pretty much everything else in the interior.

Thank you for the tips. I'll try a combination of the Mother's you suggested and the products that Mike listed above. I'm a big fan of HD-Speed so I'll be adding HD-Protect into my shopping cart as well!

[wantboost]

Leather master cleaner was ok ..I took a chance with a apc that's what I had the most luck with

[wantboost]

also how about ricardos apc what should dilution be to clean leather?