Pinnacle BL Leather Products

[apthai]

I purchased a 2014 Acura TSX Wagon a few months ago and looking into protecting the leather. I'm looking at the Pinnacle BL Leather line and been doing as much research as I can. However, I ran into some conflicting info.

Nick's definitive leather care guide (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/how-articles/77167-definitive-guide-leather-care-including-dye-transfer-removal.html) shows him using Cleaner > Conditioner > Coating. However, in another post (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/product-reviews/72627-pinnacle-bl-hyde-soft-leather-cleaner-leather-vinyl-coating-review.html), Post #5, Nick says to use the Condition OR the Coating because the coating may have trouble bonding on top of the conditioner.

Does anyone know which one it's suppose to be? [Cleaner > Conditioner > Coating] OR [Cleaner > Conditioner or Coating]

I'm pretty sure the car is not real leather. Would the Pinnacle BL Leather product work well?

[Mizzoutiger]

Like Scott@IncrediblyDetailed mentions in your second link, if your car leather is (clear) coated (most today are), use cleaner then coating (no conditioner as it inhibits coating from proper bond/cure and hard to get conditioner into mftr pre-coated leather).

[Ebg18t]

There are a few option to look at. I use Ultima Interior a Trim Gaurd plus on leather & synthetic leather. Many cars now have leather for the seating area and then synthetic for the surrounding areas of the seat. To me this is a simple way to protect and maintain these seats. My 14 VW Touareg seats feel so soft from this treatment.

The BL interior sealant seems like direct competitor for the Ultima product I have been using. I indicates it works for leather & vinyl so you should be fine.

Cleaner -> Coating

[Nick McKees37]

Congrats on the new car! :dblthumb2:

If you want to "set it and forget it" then apply the Black Label Leather & Vinyl Coating. Ideally you will want to clean and coat the seats twice a year.

If you ENJOY cleaning the interior, then I would use the leather conditioner.

Here is what I like to do:

Seats:

Clean them with Black Label Hide-Soft Leather Cleaner (3-4 times a year)
Condition them with Black Label Hide-Soft Leather Conditioner (3-4 times a year)

The reason I prefer to regularly clean and condition the seats versus coating them is because I enjoy doing so, and the vehicle retains that "new car" feel and smell for years.

Everyone talks about "coated" leather, well the fact is a (good) chemist - like the ones that formulated Black Label leather care products - takes this into consideration when they formulate both the cleaner and the conditioner. Black Label Hide-Soft Leather Cleaner and Hide-Soft Leather Conditioner are in fact beneficial for "coated" leather.


Door panels and dashboard:

Clean them with Black Label Hide-Soft Leather Cleaner (it works great on vinyl, too) - twice a year
Coat them with Black Label Leather & Vinyl Coating (twice a year)

I don't exactly enjoy cleaning and dressing my dashboard, so I prefer to use a coating because I can "set it and forget it." Now if I had a 911 with a full leather dash, then that might be a different story. :)

[apthai]

Thanks everyone for their response.

Thank you Nick for the reply. It makes sense now. Now, I just need to wait for a good AG sale to order the PBL Leather Kit.:dblthumb2:

[apthai]

I ordered the PBL Hide-Soft Leather Cleaner & PBL Leather & Vinyl Coating. After I coat my leather seats and dash, how would I go about cleaning it week to week? I was thinking Meg's APC but not sure if that will slowly strip the coating. Will Meg's Quik Interior Detailer work? What is everyone using?

[expdetailing]

Meg's QID is great for regular maintenance. I use it religiously that way.
APC could work too, but you would have to keep it in the 10:1 ratio/range.

[WRAPT C5Z06]

I ordered the PBL Hide-Soft Leather Cleaner & PBL Leather & Vinyl Coating. After I coat my leather seats and dash, how would I go about cleaning it week to week? I was thinking Meg's APC but not sure if that will slowly strip the coating. Will Meg's Quik Interior Detailer work? What is everyone using?
Do not buy into leather coatings. Abrasion will remove the coating faster than Meg's APC. Clean and use a leather protectant. If you never sit in your seats, by all means, coat it. :)

[swanicyouth]

Never use APC on leather - regardless of what the bottle says. APCs are mostly high pH products that can DAMAGE leather that where part of the top coat (clear coat) has worn away. APCs are likely fine for brand new leather in perfect shape; but in the real world - cars are driven and leather is not in perfect shape.

Stick with pH neutral leather cleaners. Leather Masters Strong Cleaner is a good one that is pH 7. Why this product isn't available any longer - I have no idea. Now they sell a "foam" or something instead from AG.

I just ordered the Sonus one and plan to stick a pH strip in it to check - but the copy hints it's pH neutral.

[Nick McKees37]

I ordered the PBL Hide-Soft Leather Cleaner & PBL Leather & Vinyl Coating. After I coat my leather seats and dash, how would I go about cleaning it week to week? I was thinking Meg's APC but not sure if that will slowly strip the coating. Will Meg's Quik Interior Detailer work? What is everyone using?

No need to use aggressive cleaners once you coat the seats. A dampened (with water) microfiber towel is more than enough for routine cleaning.


Do not buy into leather coatings. Abrasion will remove the coating faster than Meg's APC. Clean and use a leather protectant. If you never sit in your seats, by all means, coat it. :)

No manufacturer claims their leather/vinyl coating will last forever. Abrasion will eventually remove anything, from interior coatings to paint coatings.

A leather coating forms a much more substantial barrier of protection than a leather conditioner, making them a better option to protect against abrasion and dye transfer from clothing. This is especially important on white/tan leather.

:dblthumb2: