Cleaning leather

**SandmanWs7** · 06-29-2010, 09:21 AM

I bought my brothers 1999 Chrysler 300M. He was very carless of this car. Needless to say he NEVER cleaned the inside or out. Well since I bought it I have been cleaning it on my free times. I bought some leather cleaner at Autozone but after looking at this I now know that I need something a lot stronger. Any recommendations? In the picture you will see a light spot. That is the true color of the seats.

**RyanJM** · 06-30-2010, 02:37 AM

Think it's Zymol or something. It's a 2 part one cleaner and one conditioner and works good compared to mothers single step. Or find a buddy like mine who fixed the minor wear spot and redyed my driver seat and blended the gray dye. Looked like new.

**third_shift|studios** · 06-30-2010, 04:58 PM

The 2-part cleaner you're thinking of is "Leatherique." Expensive, but very worth while. Zymol is a wax.

**Y2KPewterSS** · 06-30-2010, 06:37 PM

http://www.zainostore.com/Merchant2/...oduct_Count=12

and

http://www.zainostore.com/Merchant2/...oduct_Count=13

**RyanJM** · 07-01-2010, 01:47 AM

I never use OTC wax ansd the leather conditioner and cleaner I have had for so long I forgot the name. The TA gets conditioned where the DD trailblazer gets both.

**RyanJM** · 07-01-2010, 01:48 AM

Maybe it was Luxol they sell it at pep boys

**Z06-Goose** · 07-01-2010, 04:11 PM

Try Lexol leather cleaner.
Use a boar hair brush to agitate the product. Use a generous amount and let it sit after you've scrubbed the dirt out.
Then wipe it all off with a damped towel. Preferrably damped in hot water. As hot as your hand can handle. Get a little tub with hot water so you can rinse the towel as you go.
After you have removed all of it, go again with the hot towel, this time rung well as to aid in the drying so you can evenly run it across the surface.
Let it dry completely and then apply the conditioner.
The hot water trick is to make the material more supple and easier to clean...

Note: this would work with just about any leather "shampoo or cleaner" DO NOT try with cleaner and conditioner type products.

**third_shift|studios** · 07-03-2010, 08:45 PM

I'm surprised you like Lexol. I've performed the method you explained and nothing happened. I switched to using DP total interior cleaner + hot water + boars hair or stiff bristled brush and that seems to work great on lighter colored seats:

**RyanJM** · 07-05-2010, 02:46 AM

Originally Posted by Z06-Goose

Try Lexol leather cleaner.
Use a boar hair brush to agitate the product. Use a generous amount and let it sit after you've scrubbed the dirt out.
Then wipe it all off with a damped towel. Preferrably damped in hot water. As hot as your hand can handle. Get a little tub with hot water so you can rinse the towel as you go.
After you have removed all of it, go again with the hot towel, this time rung well as to aid in the drying so you can evenly run it across the surface.
Let it dry completely and then apply the conditioner.
The hot water trick is to make the material more supple and easier to clean...

Note: this would work with just about any leather "shampoo or cleaner" DO NOT try with cleaner and conditioner type products.

You got what I was thinking of Lexol. Works great for OTC cleaner.

**SandmanWs7** · 07-06-2010, 04:22 PM

All clean. Used something else. ill get pics.

**99'CajunFirehawk157** · 07-08-2010, 08:20 AM

Surprised Goose or TSS didn't mention this:

Use regular old Woolite from your laundry room, here are 5 pages from Autopia.org post on this subject where pro detailers have been using it for years on leather, like everything, YMMV

http://www.autopia.org/forum/car-det...r-woolite.html

**02convertibleT/A** · 07-12-2010, 05:52 AM

Originally Posted by third_shift|studios

I'm surprised you like Lexol. I've performed the method you explained and nothing happened. I switched to using DP total interior cleaner + hot water + boars hair or stiff bristled brush and that seems to work great on lighter colored seats:

agree 100%.

i used DP Interior Cleaner on my sisters Acadia with cream colored leather, then used a leather conditioner when im done. came out with AMAZING results. All i used was a foam applicator with the cleaner, and that was enough to get off all the dirt and light stains. acadia only has 8K on it and shes careful with eating and getting in the car dirty. But it worked flawlessly. i believe i used armor-all gel seat conditioner after all that. ive had nothing but good results with it on leather.

**Dodger Duke** · 07-16-2010, 09:13 AM

Originally Posted by RyanJM

Think it's Zymol or something. It's a 2 part one cleaner and one conditioner and works good compared to mothers single step. Or find a buddy like mine who fixed the minor wear spot and redyed my driver seat and blended the gray dye. Looked like new.

What kind of product did your friend use to dye your seat? I've got a similar spot that needs attention.

**02WS6dream** · 07-18-2010, 12:26 AM

Originally Posted by 99'CajunFirehawk157

Surprised Goose or TSS didn't mention this:

Use regular old Woolite from your laundry room, here are 5 pages from Autopia.org post on this subject where pro detailers have been using it for years on leather, like everything, YMMV

http://www.autopia.org/forum/car-det...r-woolite.html

This link =

The webpage cannot be found
HTTP 404
Most likely causes:
•There might be a typing error in the address.
•If you clicked on a link, it may be out of date.

What you can try:
Retype the address.

Go back to the previous page.

Go to and look for the information you want.

**RyanJM** · 07-20-2010, 01:21 AM

Originally Posted by Dodger Duke

What kind of product did your friend use to dye your seat? I've got a similar spot that needs attention.

We actually used to dye seats at car lots and fix wear spots on leather while I handle the ext. detail and paintwork. It's a special dye you get and mix the colors till you get what you want and add an adhesion promoter to it. Any decent interior shop should have the same dye we used and be able to do it. They make it in a spray can at any PPG or Dupont store but even using the interior color code it may not be perfect. This dyeis applied like paint with a normal gun and then dried with a heat gun and sets up to drive in 10min or less. Just call some local interior shops. There is also a company called M.A.R.S. that did the same stuff as us. Look them up on google they usually have a local vender in every area with lots of car lots. You can probably make an appt. to stop by only took 15 min max to putty the wear mark, grain it, and then dye it. Just had to wait a week befoore clean and conditioning. Still looks good after almost 3 yrs. Starting to show a little wear again but without that fix it'd have a hole by now.

**Dodger Duke** · 07-20-2010, 04:23 AM

Originally Posted by RyanJM

We actually used to dye seats at car lots and fix wear spots on leather while I handle the ext. detail and paintwork. It's a special dye you get and mix the colors till you get what you want and add an adhesion promoter to it. Any decent interior shop should have the same dye we used and be able to do it. They make it in a spray can at any PPG or Dupont store but even using the interior color code it may not be perfect. This dyeis applied like paint with a normal gun and then dried with a heat gun and sets up to drive in 10min or less. Just call some local interior shops. There is also a company called M.A.R.S. that did the same stuff as us. Look them up on google they usually have a local vender in every area with lots of car lots. You can probably make an appt. to stop by only took 15 min max to putty the wear mark, grain it, and then dye it. Just had to wait a week befoore clean and conditioning. Still looks good after almost 3 yrs. Starting to show a little wear again but without that fix it'd have a hole by now.

Thanks RyanJM, I looked up the MARS company and sent an email to their local tech. Sounds like a perfect solution. Thanks for the lead.

**Dodger Duke** · 07-22-2010, 08:48 AM

Originally Posted by RyanJM

We actually used to dye seats at car lots and fix wear spots on leather while I handle the ext. detail and paintwork. It's a special dye you get and mix the colors till you get what you want and add an adhesion promoter to it. Any decent interior shop should have the same dye we used and be able to do it. They make it in a spray can at any PPG or Dupont store but even using the interior color code it may not be perfect. This dyeis applied like paint with a normal gun and then dried with a heat gun and sets up to drive in 10min or less. Just call some local interior shops. There is also a company called M.A.R.S. that did the same stuff as us. Look them up on google they usually have a local vender in every area with lots of car lots. You can probably make an appt. to stop by only took 15 min max to putty the wear mark, grain it, and then dye it. Just had to wait a week befoore clean and conditioning. Still looks good after almost 3 yrs. Starting to show a little wear again but without that fix it'd have a hole by now.

RyanJM, the local MARS rep never got back in touch with me, but I found another company here in Raleigh called Leather and Vinyl MD. The tech came to my house, 30 minutes later he left and the seat looked BRAND NEW. It was awesome and for only $85, I couldn't have been more pleased.

**SandmanWs7** · 07-22-2010, 08:58 AM

My seats went from this

to this

**Dodger Duke** · 07-22-2010, 09:59 AM

My seat didn't have quite the overall wear that Sandman did, just one smaller wear area.

**Z06-Goose** · 07-22-2010, 08:34 PM

Originally Posted by 99'CajunFirehawk157

Surprised Goose or TSS didn't mention this:

Use regular old Woolite from your laundry room, here are 5 pages from Autopia.org post on this subject where pro detailers have been using it for years on leather, like everything, YMMV

http://www.autopia.org/forum/car-det...r-woolite.html

Well, I hardly ever have to work on interiors that need a lot of work. Most of my services are for paint correction and such, and I've been lucky enough to have cars that the interior are for most part in good shape.
I can only remember one interior on a Cadillac I did about 4 years ago that needed that kind of treatment, but after that, I haven't seen many that bad.
thanks for the link and the tips!