Leather care
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- 1st Gear
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Leather care
Perhaps should've tacked this on to the recent subject on leather care...if Mods feel appropiate please move.
Seems to be the question of the month around the bazaars.
Plenty of products to choose from, some cheap, some expensive - some work and some are just plain damaging.
I've tried and binned most "off the shelf" products. They're generally horrible, leaving a nasty greasy film that simply attracts more damaging dirt.
I'm not going to try and convert you away from your favoured product, if you like it and it works for you, that's fine!
Nor do I have any affiliation with my recommended product "Liquid Leather"
www.liquidleather.com.
or, cheaper and possibly more pleasant service!
www.partsforsaabs.com (car care > leather care > Gliptone products)
Why "clean and condition"?
Your rear end is parked on your expensive and good looking leather seats; you sweat on it, you grind dirt and dust into it, it loses its natural oils through the effects of sunlight, heat and the cars air-con system.
Leave it untreated the leather will get dry, stiff and start to crack.
What should you buy? (sufficient for 3 or 4 complete treatments)
LL GT12 gentle cleaner 250ml £5.95
LL GT11 conditioner 250ml £6.95
There is a conditioner which contains water repellant - GT13 I don't think it gives as nice a finish as the GT11. Who's going to let their leather get wet anyway?
Using it:
The secret to getting the best from the product (and any other leather product) is warmth. Doing it on cold leather renders the best of cleaners / conditioners pretty much useless. The products will sit on the leather and not be absorbed.
Choose a warm day, use the seat heater, car heater or a hair dryer.
*Vacuum your seats, get all the dirt from the seams using a small stiff paint brush.
*Wipe the seats down with a cloth and warm water.
* Apply the cleaner, liberally, with a cloth. Work it in with a soft nail brush - don't scrub. All you want to do is small circular movements to "push" the cleaner into the leather pores.
*Leave for 15 minutes and wipe off dirt and residue with a clean damp cloth. Repeat until the cloth "wipes" clean.
*Allow to dry thoroughly.
Don't worry about the cleaner getting into the perforations of the leather.
*Apply the conditioner (to warm leather) with a clean cotton / terry cloth. Work it in and use liberally. Get plenty in around the stitching.
* Leave it for a minimum of 6 hours keeping some warmth in the car.
*Wipe off any residue with a damp cloth - job done.
As easy as that! Just remember it's not a wipe on, wipe off and drive away product" the conditioner needs time (and warmth) to be fully absorbed.
It leaves a lovely OE look to the leather and restores a long lasting authentic leather aroma - nice.
Clean 2 or 3 years a year and lightly condition every month.
If your leather is really grubby and your feeling brave (all at your own risk!) the hot "Chinese Towel" trick is exteremely effective at lifting dirt.
Do this and then follow up with cleaner and conditioner.
Seriously, be careful - it's easy to get burnt!!!
*One damp hand towel.
*Fold and put into microwave
* Heat for as long as is needed to get the towel steaming hot - trial and error needed!
*Once steaming, carefully take to the car and lay towel over the seats, Pat down and allow to cool.
*Wipe off dirt - you'll be amazed at how effective this is, especially if you pick your nearest and dearests best M&S Egyptian cotton towels (they work the best btw!)
If your leather is showing signs of cracking Liquid Leather make excellent touch up kits "Scuffmaster" that are easy and inexpensive to buy and use - and very effective.
Apologies for it not being a RS, but the best pic I've got of an interior finshed with LL. 3 year old, never cleaned, slightly scuffed, and with "shiny" leather
Dave
Seems to be the question of the month around the bazaars.
Plenty of products to choose from, some cheap, some expensive - some work and some are just plain damaging.
I've tried and binned most "off the shelf" products. They're generally horrible, leaving a nasty greasy film that simply attracts more damaging dirt.
I'm not going to try and convert you away from your favoured product, if you like it and it works for you, that's fine!
Nor do I have any affiliation with my recommended product "Liquid Leather"
www.liquidleather.com.
or, cheaper and possibly more pleasant service!
www.partsforsaabs.com (car care > leather care > Gliptone products)
Why "clean and condition"?
Your rear end is parked on your expensive and good looking leather seats; you sweat on it, you grind dirt and dust into it, it loses its natural oils through the effects of sunlight, heat and the cars air-con system.
Leave it untreated the leather will get dry, stiff and start to crack.
What should you buy? (sufficient for 3 or 4 complete treatments)
LL GT12 gentle cleaner 250ml £5.95
LL GT11 conditioner 250ml £6.95
There is a conditioner which contains water repellant - GT13 I don't think it gives as nice a finish as the GT11. Who's going to let their leather get wet anyway?
Using it:
The secret to getting the best from the product (and any other leather product) is warmth. Doing it on cold leather renders the best of cleaners / conditioners pretty much useless. The products will sit on the leather and not be absorbed.
Choose a warm day, use the seat heater, car heater or a hair dryer.
*Vacuum your seats, get all the dirt from the seams using a small stiff paint brush.
*Wipe the seats down with a cloth and warm water.
* Apply the cleaner, liberally, with a cloth. Work it in with a soft nail brush - don't scrub. All you want to do is small circular movements to "push" the cleaner into the leather pores.
*Leave for 15 minutes and wipe off dirt and residue with a clean damp cloth. Repeat until the cloth "wipes" clean.
*Allow to dry thoroughly.
Don't worry about the cleaner getting into the perforations of the leather.
*Apply the conditioner (to warm leather) with a clean cotton / terry cloth. Work it in and use liberally. Get plenty in around the stitching.
* Leave it for a minimum of 6 hours keeping some warmth in the car.
*Wipe off any residue with a damp cloth - job done.
As easy as that! Just remember it's not a wipe on, wipe off and drive away product" the conditioner needs time (and warmth) to be fully absorbed.
It leaves a lovely OE look to the leather and restores a long lasting authentic leather aroma - nice.
Clean 2 or 3 years a year and lightly condition every month.
If your leather is really grubby and your feeling brave (all at your own risk!) the hot "Chinese Towel" trick is exteremely effective at lifting dirt.
Do this and then follow up with cleaner and conditioner.
Seriously, be careful - it's easy to get burnt!!!
*One damp hand towel.
*Fold and put into microwave
* Heat for as long as is needed to get the towel steaming hot - trial and error needed!
*Once steaming, carefully take to the car and lay towel over the seats, Pat down and allow to cool.
*Wipe off dirt - you'll be amazed at how effective this is, especially if you pick your nearest and dearests best M&S Egyptian cotton towels (they work the best btw!)
If your leather is showing signs of cracking Liquid Leather make excellent touch up kits "Scuffmaster" that are easy and inexpensive to buy and use - and very effective.
Apologies for it not being a RS, but the best pic I've got of an interior finshed with LL. 3 year old, never cleaned, slightly scuffed, and with "shiny" leather
Dave
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- 1st Gear
- Posts: 52
- Joined: Mon May 01, 2006 8:20 pm
- Location: NE Scotland
- Contact:
TT has around 35k miles, the leather was less than loved - very dirty and dry. Several haevy applications of the conditioner achieved the result you see.
Yes, use it on motorcycle leathers (damp cloth to get rid of the bugs first) Great on anything leather - the only exception being BMW's Buffalo Leather.
Re the comment on using the LL conditioner with water repellant - if it works for you, fine! Personally, I don't like it. Seems to leave a tacky surface.
Dave
Yes, use it on motorcycle leathers (damp cloth to get rid of the bugs first) Great on anything leather - the only exception being BMW's Buffalo Leather.
Re the comment on using the LL conditioner with water repellant - if it works for you, fine! Personally, I don't like it. Seems to leave a tacky surface.
Dave
My back seats are dull and dry, but I thought they would be better than the fronts because no one sits on them ?!?!!?
Also, when I have done them in the past, the leather seems to stretch I am not getting them wet though??!!?!?
Plus, I want to do them this weekend, is 9 degrees too cold? (you stated that it needs to be warm)
Cheers,
Dave
Also, when I have done them in the past, the leather seems to stretch I am not getting them wet though??!!?!?
Plus, I want to do them this weekend, is 9 degrees too cold? (you stated that it needs to be warm)
Cheers,
Dave
APR 270bhp S3, Mixer K6 750
Cheap performance tip - lie the rear seats flat
Cheap performance tip - lie the rear seats flat
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- 1st Gear
- Posts: 52
- Joined: Mon May 01, 2006 8:20 pm
- Location: NE Scotland
- Contact:
Not sure what you mean by "stretching" Dave...it's not a peculiarity I've noticed before.david7m wrote:My back seats are dull and dry, but I thought they would be better than the fronts because no one sits on them ?!?!!?
Also, when I have done them in the past, the leather seems to stretch I am not getting them wet though??!!?!?
Plus, I want to do them this weekend, is 9 degrees too cold? (you stated that it needs to be warm)
Cheers,
Dave
Wet is something you really don't want to happen to your leather...by all means be generous with the cleaner and conditioner - but don't soak the leather when you dampen the surface before applying the cleaner.
The temperatures we're getting just now are not conducive to getting the best from any leather care products.
At this time of year warmth, and lots of it is essential!
Without it, the products will sit uselessly on the surface of leather...as in my advice above; use a hair dryer, car seat heating or, as I've started to do, a small fan heater. Just position it carefully and keep and eye on it and you'll be fine.
Dave
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