Cleaning leather

Whether you're just washing the car, into detailing in a big way or enhancing your 406, collect and share hints and tips here.

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cliffk
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Cleaning leather

Post by cliffk »

I have the cream leather interior what's the best method of cleaning and best products please.
GingerMagic
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Re: Cleaning leather

Post by GingerMagic »

Hi.
I used Gliptone on my tan leather - it had great reviews but struggled to get the worst of it off..
I simply used Flash cleaner first ( although it isn't suitable it did a good job ) and used the Gliptone products to maintain the leather after...
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trufflehunt
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Re: Cleaning leather

Post by trufflehunt »

On the black leather in my HDI Executive, I used Autoglym Leather Cleaner.

Followed by Autoglym Leather Care Balm.

I was never clear in my mind if the care balm did any good, as I think the leather
in the 406's is covered by some kind of gloss artificial coating that leather treatment
has no effect on.
Last edited by trufflehunt on Sun Jul 08, 2018 1:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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cliffk
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Re: Cleaning leather

Post by cliffk »

Hi yes I think the leather is costed with something (as well as dirt in my case)
I have just bought the car and whilst the leather generally is not too bad it has a dirty drivers seat.
Also looking for tips on removing the smoke smell from previous owners and cleaning headliner if possible
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steve_earwig
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Re: Cleaning leather

Post by steve_earwig »

There are loads of products out there that profess to care for the leather, not so much cleaning off the grime tho. Maybe worth a read? http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/accessorie ... aners-2018

As for smoke, you can clean the headlining in situ (don't try taking it out, you'll soon regret it) but the smoke stink will be in everything, seats, carpets, sound deadening/insulation, door cards, dash, heater matrix.... So if you're not planning on stripping the entire interior of your car there's not much you can do about it (besides trying to mask it with something even worse) other than accept the fact your car will stink but it will fade eventually.
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Welly
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Re: Cleaning leather

Post by Welly »

Most leather seats in cars are coated with a sealant so any "conditioners" will just sit on the surface and transfer to your clothing. A simple test is to allow a drop of water onto the leather surface; if it soaks straight in then that's uncoated old school leather but if it just sits on the surface then you have coated leather and conditioners will not soak in as a treatment.

For cleaning I'd recommend a leather cleaning brush, it looks like a nail brush but has finer bristles, use the brush with a leather 'cleaner' fluid to agitate the surface and get into the grain pattern, keep wiping the excess with a microfibre towel etc.

For a final treatment you can use a water based all purpose dressing just to give an 'as new' finish, I've began using Auto Finesse products this year with very good results.
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peo
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Re: Cleaning leather

Post by peo »

Normally I use the Leatherique products, the rejuvenator is to make the leather more softy and to extract all dirty from the leather. After you use prestine clean, is a cleaner and conditioner normally used after the application of the rejuvenator.
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hullcitytilidie
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Re: Cleaning leather

Post by hullcitytilidie »

cliffk wrote: Sat Jul 07, 2018 10:38 am I have the cream leather interior what's the best method of cleaning and best products please.
Pop round to your local equestrian centre and get a tin of leather saddle soap - you can buy it on evilbay as well. Regards, Geoff.
2003 2.2 HDi 136 Exec estate.
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