how to clean leather

[hemi ram55]

hey all, i got a job coming up with an suv that has leather seats. only problem, seats are unbelievably dirty. dont know how im going to scrub this down. ive tried experimenting with some other stuff, seems like soap and water seems to work well. but i did try on my own vehicle using the steam cleaner with a towel wrapped around the head for some good scrubbing. i was talking with one of my buddies and they say not to use the steam cleaner cause it can pull the color off the leather. steamer only gets 175 at the base of the steam. whats your guys thoughts? steamer bad to use and how do you really get that leather clean? thanks all

[LegacyGT]

I think you are going to find a lot of people using OPC and various brushes (also my method)

[hemi ram55]

these abbreviations are killing me lol. whats opc? still new to the site

[dad07]

Optimum Power Clean.

[WRAPT C5Z06]

If the leather is dirty, use optimum power clean un-diluted(you can try 3:1 first) and a leather/vinyl scrub brush and wipe away dirt. After, wipe down the seats with a damp(water) towel and let dry, then apply a protectant.

[FUNX650]

Not trying to avoid answering your question, but if you are adventurous, go to the "SEARCH" option and type in 'leather care'---you will find some very good info concerning this matter on various threads. (PS. get comfy, this will take a while!) :dblthumb2:

[hemi ram55]

i did search that before i posted. didnt really find anything i was looking for. found some good articles but mostly i was looking for the answer to whether or not to use the steam cleaner on the leather or not



Not trying to avoid answering your question, but if you are adventurous, go to the "SEARCH" option and type in 'leather care'---you will find some very good info concerning this matter on various threads. (PS. get comfy, this will take a while!) :dblthumb2:

[sohail99]

^ I too feel that search sometimes doesn't bring up what we're looking for!(even though specific topics which match the search terms do exist!) :confused:

btw I have a lil' leather upholstery in my car, and I use zymol leather cleaner and conditioner on it! Works great!

But for really dirty seats you might need a powerful cleaner, lik OPC as simplified by Mark!

[SeaJay's]

I've used a steamer on leather with great results before. I try not to do it if the leather isn't bad. I'll take some Lexol leather cleaner and use that instead. Or some APC diluted down 10:1.

On really bad leather I take my steamer wrap a MF around the end of it and go to town. Just have to be careful not to heat up the area too much and keep moving. The steam really cuts into the dirt and grime and does a good job of cleaning. IMO (in my opinion). I'd try the APC (all purpose cleaner) option first. Or get some dedicated leather cleaner like Lexol, Leatherique, or 1Z leather cleaner.

[weavers]

apc 1:15 and various brushes. i like a tooth brush, a medium stiff bristle brush(2x4") or my DA carpet brush(green one). If its really stubborn it means a couple of hits/passes with apc+da then wipe clean with a terry cloth towel. or I can use a stronger solution of APC. be sure to vacuum first

[jamores23]

i used megs APC plus 4:1 . Note : do a section at a time and try not to let it run down when your doing the vertical part of the seat it could possible leave marks. put a towel under where your spraying and please do it out of the sun i have had a bad experience using it while the surface was hot. another thing is dont let the apc dry on the surface. after i use the apc and scrub with a nail block i believe its called a tampico brush (to agitate dirt) i wipe with warm water thoroughly and apply optimum protectant plus again using a nail block brush to work it in "on very soft leather i use boars hair brush ex: range rovers" i just spray the protectant on it once again dont let it drip spray and work one section at a time. hope this helps good luck! oh yeah, and whatever apc is left over it makes a great detox to drink :)

[judyb]

There is no need to have many different cleaners for leather but it is important to understand what is a cleaning problem and when it becomes a restoration one. Leather that is uncared for and allowed to get dirty will at some point need restoration as the dirt will damage the pigment coating.

Once you have an understanding of leather (no need to get too complex) you will be able to pass on good advice to your customers (if you are a professional detailer) about ongoing maintenance of their leather that is quick and simple to do - this will then make your job easier. For those that are on here for their own cars leather should be maintained on a regular basis and protected to keep the leather clean and in good condition.

Cleaning very dirty and ingrained leather is as much about understanding leather cleaning and the techniques to use as it is about the product that you use.
It is far safer to use a dedicated leather cleaner as long as it has been tested correctly as using other types of cleaner may appear to be effective but could be doing damage to the finish which over a longer period of time will simply break down the finish and cause further expensive problems.

If pale coloured leather has heavy soiling it needs a good leather cleaner which is designed for the purpose. A water based foam cleaner will work best and safely (not an aerosol foam that will contain solvents). If you use a foam cleaner you can give the product dwell time and because the foam is already an active cleaner it will draw the dirt out of the grain pattern into the foam and it can then be removed with paper towel or a terry towel. Foams also ensure that you do not get 'streaking' from runs on the leather from a liquid cleaner - these are often impossible to get rid of without recolouring if allowed to happen.
A lot of leather cleaners and wipes in particular simply move the dirt around on the surface which does not remove the soiling. To help the process a stiff bristled brush can be used to help the foam get into the grain pattern of the leather and release the dirt. You must not use the brush to scrub the dirt out but use it gently. Tampico and horsehair brushes are not suitable for this as the bristles become to soft when wet and will simply bend on the surface of the leather. You can repeat the process if necessary.

Pigment coatings and clear coat finishes which are used on most car ineteriors do break down over time if not correctly cared for. Once the coatings begin this deterioration it can appear that they are very dirty when in fact the 'dirt' is micro cracking of the pigment (this would not be visible to the naked eye but can be seen through a microscope - an important part of any detailing kit) - if this is present no amount of cleaning will rectify it and it will need restoration products to recolour/refinish the pigment coating.

Calling for stronger and stronger products to clean leather can be a risky strategy and can be detrimental in the long run.

Learn to understand leather in a simple way (using a microscope will tell you a lot about the surface you are working on).

Hope this helps
Judyb

[Flash Gordon]

There is no need to have many different cleaners for leather but it is important to understand what is a cleaning problem and when it becomes a restoration one. Leather that is uncared for and allowed to get dirty will at some point need restoration as the dirt will damage the pigment coating.

Once you have an understanding of leather (no need to get too complex) you will be able to pass on good advice to your customers (if you are a professional detailer) about ongoing maintenance of their leather that is quick and simple to do - this will then make your job easier. For those that are on here for their own cars leather should be maintained on a regular basis and protected to keep the leather clean and in good condition.

Cleaning very dirty and ingrained leather is as much about understanding leather cleaning and the techniques to use as it is about the product that you use.
It is far safer to use a dedicated leather cleaner as long as it has been tested correctly as using other types of cleaner may appear to be effective but could be doing damage to the finish which over a longer period of time will simply break down the finish and cause further expensive problems.

If pale coloured leather has heavy soiling it needs a good leather cleaner which is designed for the purpose. A water based foam cleaner will work best and safely (not an aerosol foam that will contain solvents). If you use a foam cleaner you can give the product dwell time and because the foam is already an active cleaner it will draw the dirt out of the grain pattern into the foam and it can then be removed with paper towel or a terry towel. Foams also ensure that you do not get 'streaking' from runs on the leather from a liquid cleaner - these are often impossible to get rid of without recolouring if allowed to happen.
A lot of leather cleaners and wipes in particular simply move the dirt around on the surface which does not remove the soiling. To help the process a stiff bristled brush can be used to help the foam get into the grain pattern of the leather and release the dirt. You must not use the brush to scrub the dirt out but use it gently. Tampico and horsehair brushes are not suitable for this as the bristles become to soft when wet and will simply bend on the surface of the leather. You can repeat the process if necessary.

Pigment coatings and clear coat finishes which are used on most car ineteriors do break down over time if not correctly cared for. Once the coatings begin this deterioration it can appear that they are very dirty when in fact the 'dirt' is micro cracking of the pigment (this would not be visible to the naked eye but can be seen through a microscope - an important part of any detailing kit) - if this is present no amount of cleaning will rectify it and it will need restoration products to recolour/refinish the pigment coating.

Calling for stronger and stronger products to clean leather can be a risky strategy and can be detrimental in the long run.

Learn to understand leather in a simple way (using a microscope will tell you a lot about the surface you are working on).

Hope this helps
Judyb



- tada sound (tada.wav)

[WRAPT C5Z06]

- tada sound (tada.wav) ("http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G47o44m4J2U&feature=related)
:iagree:

[zippster223]

I use APC+ 4:1 spray it on, brush with a soft brush and steam one section at a time with a steamer wrapped in a MF cloth. Wipe with a soft cotton towel. Never have any issues this way. You will need to follow up with a good leather conditioner.