Deep Cleaning Tan Leather

[MPBGT]

I just inherited a 2004 Expedition that has severly neglected tan leather seats. They not only have the blue jean dye issue on the drivers seat, but it appears they have had no real care since the car was new. the leather "seating" surfaces in the back are somewhat dried out and dirty. The drivers seat which I'm pretty sure is all leather on the surfaces was almost black due to having a seat cover on it. I started on the drivers seat and have gotten out a majority of the dirt, but what is the best way to get out that stubborn dirt. I have tried Lexol and Woolite with a toothbrush/microfiber like it says on many of the other threads.
A quick google search on other formus shows people using everything from steelwool, magic erasers, and soft scrub. All of which seem pretty aggressive for the top coat. If it comes down to it I will try them to get it clean, but I wanted to get some other suggestions first.

Any Feedback is appreciated.

[Nick McKees37]

I just inherited a 2004 Expedition that has severly neglected tan leather seats. They not only have the blue jean dye issue on the drivers seat, but it appears they have had no real care since the car was new. the leather "seating" surfaces in the back are somewhat dried out and dirty. The drivers seat which I'm pretty sure is all leather on the surfaces was almost black due to having a seat cover on it. I started on the drivers seat and have gotten out a majority of the dirt, but what is the best way to get out that stubborn dirt. I have tried Lexol and Woolite with a toothbrush/microfiber like it says on many of the other threads.
A quick google search on other formus shows people using everything from steelwool, magic erasers, and soft scrub. All of which seem pretty aggressive for the top coat. If it comes down to it I will try them to get it clean, but I wanted to get some other suggestions first.

Any Feedback is appreciated.

Check out the Leatherique line of leather care products. This simple two-step system consists of a cleaner and an oil that will deep clean and rejuvenate the look and feel of your vehicle's neglected leather seats.

Leatherique Leather Care (http://www.autogeek.net/leleca.html)

[GS2011]

Check out the Leatherique line of leather care products. This simple two-step system consists of a cleaner and an oil that will deep clean and rejuvenate the look and feel of your vehicle's neglected leather seats.

Leatherique Leather Care (http://www.autogeek.net/leleca.html)

:iagree: This is great stuff. Besides my vehicles, I have used it on pieces in my militaria collection that are from the WWII era and before. Has done an excellent job cleaning , restoring, and preserving the leather on all of them.

[MPBGT]

Thanks, I ordered the leatherique kit and see how it works out.

[Meticulous-Detail]

Thanks, I ordered the leatherique kit and see how it works out.

Post before and after pics and a small review when your done.

[joche26]

Good choice!!!

[KenR]

I've had some good success with Chemical Guys Leather Cleaner followed by their Pure Leather Conditioner on on both light and darker tan interiors.

[RhetoricMixes]

Ive been cleaning leather with Wolfgang Leather Cleaner for a while now but am about to switch to Optimum Power Clean to replace it due to its lower cost and reviews. If it doesnt work out id like to see how the leatherique works out on your leather since my vehicles both have tan leather as well.

[MPBGT]

Well I finally was able to use the Leatherique kit; overall it worked great for bringing back the softness and flexability of the leather. As far as cleaning it did bring out some of the deep down dirt, but it was by no means a miracle cure for my severely neglected seats.
I had previously cleaned leather to the best of my ability with a toothbrush and a bunch of different cleaners. I first used lexol leather cleaner, which I found to be insufficient for how dirty these seats were. I then decided to try the Woolite mixture, that seemed to work better, Finally I tried 303 Vinyl and Fabric cleaner, the 303 cleaner seemed to work the best with a tooth brush.
About a week later I started the leatherique process, I had the car in a heated garage and used plastic wrap on the Seats after the application of the rejuvenator oil. I waited 24 hours and scrubbed with the pristine clean and a tooth brush again. I then repeated the process.
The leatherique got most of the dirt out of the leather cracks and crevices, however the better part was the leather was extremely dry and stiff. After using the leatherique it is nice and soft and looks much healthier. (I took before pics, but still need to take after pics. I'll post them when I take them)
I would recommend it; it would probably work great on seats that were not as neglected. I'll probably do another round when summer rolls around so it can get nice and hot in the car.

[goodasnew]

problem with leather is that most cleaners that are strong enough to really clean, are too strong and will discolor the leather if you leave it on for more than a few seconds. for me, I use a stiff brush, a bucket of very hot water with cleaner in the water and just dip the brush in and scrub 6 inch square sections at a time. then wipe off with a chamois or dry towel. finish with some leather conditioner and youre good. scrubbing too much can remove parts of the leather surface and actually make it look worse than before many times. gotta be careful with leather for sure.

[statusdetailing]

As a last resort I will use APC+ at 4:1 and a generic type of scotch brite pad. The dwell time is the key, but there's a trick to it. If you just spray the leather with APC+ and let it sit, you will get some bad spot and runs that are difficult to remove.

Spray the surface evenly and quickly use the pad to spread the product evenly with no runs or drips. Let it dwell for a minute or two and then lightly start scrubbing. Be patient and don't use heavy pressure. It will work. You may remove a very minimal amount of dye, but we are talking as a last resort here. I'm talking about leather that is impossible to clean with normal methods. Wipe the surface clean with a microfiber and you will be surprised to find that even the worst leather will come clean. Let the seats dry and then apply a conditioner.

Please, nobody start hounding me about how this isn't good for leather. Of course it isn't...but that's what it takes to clean leather that is severely neglcted.

If that doesn't work...well, there's always super degreaser. You will have to work quickly in order to not remove too much dye, but it will clean anything. This would be for seats that are so trashed it just doesn't matter what happens to them. . .probably a POS dealer car.