Leather cleaner/conditioner & convertible top cleaner?

[Exquisite]

I am going to need to pick up some new leather cleaner and conditioner soon and I am looking for some recommendations. Right now I use Meguiars 2 step program and I am not all that impressed. I am open for suggstions!

Also, does anyone use the convertible top cleaner and conditioning? Do you think it is worth adding to my lineup? Thanks

[togwt]

Covered Leather (Urethane, Vinyl or MB-Tex):
Since late ‘80s early ‘90s 85% of vehicle manufacturers have used covered leather for their interior upholstery. It’s made from natural hides, but uniquely treated with a light pigmented urethane resin coating or a vinyl covering to make it more viable for automotive seating. It retains the softness of natural top-grain leather but resists fading in direct sunlight, leathers worst enemy

Spills wipe off with a moistened cloth, the urethane resin or the vinyl covering require oils to stop it from drying out (just like a paint system`s clear coat) the leather also requires replacement of natural oils. Clean, condition and apply a UVR protection as in items 1, 2 & 3 on page 2.

Identifying characteristics- uniform colour and grain patterns; will not scratch easily; water drops will not change colour.
Recommended products-
• Urethane Coated Leather- use Groit`s Leather Care or Zanio’s Z-10 Leather in a bottle
• Vinyl or MB-Tex Covered leather- use Groit`s Leather Rejuvenator or Leatherique Prestine Clean

Rode & Schwalenbert Gmbn. (Germany) the world leading manufacturer of automobile convertible tops exclusively recommends Harrtz RaggTop Cleaners and Protectant. Developed specifically for cleaning, re-proofing and preserving convertible tops, these cleaning kits consist of two products

1. Cleaner to remove soiling, stains and atmospheric pollution for both natural and synthetic materials. The best cleaners are formulated from low-pH (low alkalinity) and gentle enough for repeated use over years. They will rely on proteins and enzymes for their safe, but effective, cleaning power.

2.Fabric protector to re-proof and preserve fabric tops from the effects of water absorption, surface soiling and staining, and provide a sunscreen from UV radiation and subsequent fading. The fabric protector recommended by Glen Raven Mills (Sunbrella) and the Haartz Corporation is 303 High Tech Fabric Guard restores lost water repellence and stain repellence to factory new levels. It stops leaks, resists soiling, impedes mildew formation and helps protect against the sun`s harmful UV rays.

~Hope this helps~
JonM

[MS22]

I have not tried any convertable top cleaner/protectant other than 303 brand and I am happy with it for the limited number of convertables that I have worked on.
As far as leather cleaner/conditioner I really like the Leatherique line for neglected leather. For newer leather I use Woolite:water to clean and dress with either 4* which I just recieved or Connolly Hide Food; The 4* is really nice so far and probably your best bet.

[Exquisite]

togwt: Thanks for all the info! I have known about leather seats being mostly vinyl (with the exception of the insert) and also coated with a urethane coating for some time. I used to do interiors for a while and I learned quite a bit. Anyhow, I will check out your recommendations.

Also, has anyone had any luck with Lexol? And how about Connolly hide food?

[MS22]

Hide Food was a great product and my "go to" for newer leathers for a while, however it seems to have been replaced with Hide Care. I plan on ordering the Hide Care when I run out of Hide Food stock, about half a jar. As far as performance the application and removal was a breeze and results were spectacular, even coating, nice feel, dull shine, and no "fragrance" smell. I can not comment on the newer Hide Care however.

[CharlesW]

Since you posted in the Professional forum, my routine might not work for you.
Anyway, Woolite & water, 6:1 seems to work good for cleaning. It also makes the cleaning solution pretty economical, a plus for a pro.
The rest of my routine may not be as practical because of the time involved.

Weekly
1. I wipe the entire seat with the Woolite/water solution which includes the leather and the vinyl areas. I really don`t know on the Pontiac what is leather and what is vinyl.
2. I wipe the same entire area with a cloth dampened with just water and wipe it dry to remove any soap residue from the Woolite mixture.
3. I then apply 303 to the entire seat and buff it off thoroughly.

Once a month
I do steps 1 and 2, but for the 3rd step, I apply 4 Star Leather Conditioner to all of the front side of the seat. Some of that area is leather, some is vinyl. I put it on all of it.

Seems to be working for me. The seats in the GTP still look new, including the side bolsters. The car is about 57 months old with 43,000 miles on it. It is driven everyday, just not a long distance.

Charles

[togwt]

FWIW- Connolly Hide Food/Care is formulated for uncoated leathers (i.e. Connolly Hides, identifying characteristics- Connolly Tanners affixes a small distinguishing label on the back of their imported hides and very few US dealers are able to carry these hides)
and it will have difficulty penetrating a urethane coating.

IMO most of the product will sit on top of the hide before being wiped off, there are other conditioners that (I can harly believe I`m about to say this about a 100+ year old English product)that do a far more effective job of conditioning covered leather.
JonM

[TDMAN]

I have used Lexol and have found it okay. Some one else has recommended, actually "swears by" a product called Leather Master. I have it, but haven`t had a chance to use it yet. I bought it at www.topoftheline.com. It has some stuff on that site that you can read about it.

[Hawaiianelement]

I agree with CharlesW on this . The woolite mix was one I learned here and haven`t used anything else . Use cleaners for cleaning and use conditioners for conditioning. I especially like 4 Star Leather Conditioner . I`ve tried lexol , Meguires and even armor all awhile back. No flaming pls. lol...

[kimwallace]

I am a fan of 4 star leather cleaner and conditioner.
I apply the cleaner as directed, then wipe with a damp cloth and dry.
apply the conditioner as directed.
These products work far better than the Meguiars two step or one step products.

[Exquisite]

Thanks for all the replies. I do currently use a 6:1 woolite mixture on door panels etc... but never on the seats. I will definately give it a try.