Please explain leather cleaner and conditioner

[TOGWT]

Re: Please explain leather cleaner and conditioner

Any leather conditioner is likely to make urethane feel softer as they all tend to soften up the polymer (urethane) coating; the problem is that due to their molecular size they cannot permeate the urethane. The only thing that can permeate this finish is water vapour

[AmanO]

Re: Please explain leather cleaner and conditioner

Necro/Hijack:

I have leather that is dirty enough that those types of products do not work.
Even googone was a failure.

Funny, though, that rain drops will clean it. I am assuming it is because the rain around me is acidic.

I have tried window cleaner also. (I know that is blasphemous, too)

Sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
ooooooooooooooooooooooooo.............

What do I use?

EDIT: Mine is in a 99 Camry and I assume it is vinyl coated leather.
This also poses another question most of us should be asking. What is the point of having leather if it is coated in vinyl? Is it softer and longer lasting than full vinyl?

[mis3]

Re: Please explain leather cleaner and conditioner

Sometimes I used Meguiars Vinyl & Rubber Cleaner/Conditioner to treat my leather seats.

Not sure if this is the right thing to do.

[AmanO]

Re: Please explain leather cleaner and conditioner

OK. Ill check that out. Thanks. What about their APC?

[OldSchoolDude]

Re: Please explain leather cleaner and conditioner

The coating put on automotive leather is fairly porous and will indeed take in conditioners through those pores. A lot of work goes into those coatings to make them look, feel and act like leather and they absolutely do benefit from routine treatment to prevent them from drying out and cracking.

"Routine treatment" is the key words.
I cleaned leather seats on a Ford , was so bad nothing worked in cleaning them being it was such in awful condition.
I had to use steam to get the crud off of them, I then treated them to condition them back to like new.
I steamed a few, if your not use to cleaning leather with steam I wouldn't recommend it.
I only steam when nothing else works.

[AmanO]

Re: Please explain leather cleaner and conditioner

How often is "routine"?
Once a month? Once a week?

Did you try APC or something like that?
What is the risk of steam cleaning the leather?

[Larry A]

Re: Please explain leather cleaner and conditioner

At one time I used Lexol leather conditioner on a vinyl chair in the bosses office , and it made it look brand new, and his office smelled like his car.