Bunky
Well-known member
- Jun 20, 2007
- 6,433
- 153
Unofficial poll:Favorite leather cleaner/interior cleaner
- Thread starter Bill1234
- Start date
Eldorado2k
Well-known member
- Nov 9, 2015
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Meguiars D181 Leather Cleaner followed by D180 Leather Cleaner & Conditioner. That's my one two punch and I'm happy with it.
The cleaner cleans great, and the conditioner leaves my interior looking just right + IMO it's among my top 3 best smelling detail products of all time.
The cleaner cleans great, and the conditioner leaves my interior looking just right + IMO it's among my top 3 best smelling detail products of all time.
Eldorado2k
Well-known member
- Nov 9, 2015
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"When I specifically asked about Cadillac's & Lexus (as well as all other car manufacturers) recommendation for using Woolite to clean leather, both representatives where dumbfounded, stating that the Woolite has never, and never will, recommend their product for cleaning leather (specifically)"
My owners manual doesn't mention using Woolite.
View attachment 51810
As far as the dealer recommended leather cleaner, I was at the dealer a couple weeks ago and they had Mothers VLR, Sonax, and a few other known brands of various leather cleaners + detailing products available for purchase in their display case.
My owners manual doesn't mention using Woolite.
View attachment 51810
As far as the dealer recommended leather cleaner, I was at the dealer a couple weeks ago and they had Mothers VLR, Sonax, and a few other known brands of various leather cleaners + detailing products available for purchase in their display case.
expdetailing
New member
- Aug 17, 2014
- 1,447
- 0
If Woolite's PH value is 8, then what is the PH value of Meg's APC (PH~13) dilluted with water? Many people use APCs and some report using super degreaser (PH~13.6) to clean leather.
FUNX650
New member
- Dec 1, 2010
- 21,057
- 2
Yep...
There are so many people that seem to
always have an inexhaustible supply of
recommendations for "expedients".
However:
Are any of these same people ever
willing to indemnify themselves?
{I'm so glad that's something I
don't ever have to worry about.}
Bob
There are so many people that seem to
always have an inexhaustible supply of
recommendations for "expedients".
However:
Are any of these same people ever
willing to indemnify themselves?
{I'm so glad that's something I
don't ever have to worry about.}
Bob
Cliffnopus
New member
- Aug 15, 2010
- 198
- 0
A mild hydrochloric acid wash works wonders for your fine leather interior. And you only have to clean it once! How's THAT for an expedient?
(No, please don't follow this recommendation)
(No, please don't follow this recommendation)
Desertnate
Well-known member
- Aug 5, 2013
- 6,239
- 294
Our '13 Toyota says about everything it can to lead you to Woolite except for endorsing the product by name. The manual says something along the line of, "very mild detergent designed for use on delicate fabrics....". I'm not a laundry wizard, but there is only one well-known popular product on the market I know which fits that description.
Regardless, I just use McKee's 37 protectant and on the rare instance highly diluted APC.
Eldorado2k
Well-known member
- Nov 9, 2015
- 14,566
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That's pretty funny. I guess Woolite has enjoyed a bit of increased profits with all these car makers beating around their bush acting like it's the holy grail of safe automotive leather cleaner. Lol.
This is my favorite part of the Cadillac owners manual...
View attachment 51853
...Yea I just bought a brand new Cadillac, so how bout you pass me that liquid hand soap from the bathroom sink so I can go outside and give it a wash.. Or just use some dish soap, either or as recommended by Cadillac in the manual. And make sure to dry the finish with a cotton towel to avoid surface scratches.
And never use High pressure car washes, because they can cause water to enter the Cadillac... God forbid that would or could ever happen.
lol. That's all in that small paragraph. A little glimpse of the years when the Cadillac Catera was given the green light, and failed.
Desertnate
Well-known member
- Aug 5, 2013
- 6,239
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Wow. I guess they don't have much faith in their weather seals?
That was some funny reading. I'm surprised there was no mention of cloth diapers! (Yes, I too used them long ago...)
Eldorado2k
Well-known member
- Nov 9, 2015
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I've aggressively used Megs Super Degreaser @ 4:1 on my entire rear leather seats and scrubed nice and good with a nylon brush, just to prove a point, and nothing happened. Other than the surface feeling slightly tacky for a short bit after I was done everything remains normal to this day. PH balance only "leather cleaners" meh...
I've also cleaned my my whole interior leather seats and vinyl door panels with Soft Scrub bathroom cleaner [this was when I 1st bought the car, and before I bought any of my current products & tools] and it worked great just like they said it would. [it's nearly as effective as if you were to steam clean your leather] And that also had zero adverse effects on my leather interior.
I've also steam cleaned my interior at least twice for sure that I can remember. With Megs APC @10:1 as a pre spray.
My inteior looks pretty cherry right now. A whole lot better than most normL peoples leather interiors, that's for sure. BTW, It's 20yrs all original. Best guineua pig ever.
View attachment 51854
View attachment 51855
Bob,
In my experience with D103 (forget the number...and I still have some...talking about APC+) and OPC have given me fits with staining paints...as in not rinsing clean even after thorough rinsing. Had to compound...not polish, but compound...the stains off. One beige Tahoe...one black Trailblazer...both Chevrolet paint systems.
My thoughts are that any interior cleaning with any APC, whatever the mixture or however weak the dilution...well, let's just say I have a hard time thinking a residue isn't left behind or that even with a water dampened towel the residue won't all come off. That may not be entirely true with all apc's, or even with the two I mentioned, but I still can't help but be leery of a sticky residue popping up when in contact with a sweaty arm or something on an arm rest after cleaning with apc's. Can't say for sure, but pure interior cleaners may be nothing but weak apc's.
I try not to use apc's for light dirt or once a week type cleaning, even highly diluted, just a personal thing. I like your thoughts on using D114 especially, and even opti-clean on interiors.
No one's mentioned any real sledge hammers for the tough stuff like in work trucks and rubber floors, but in my experience...for what that's worth...M39 is a product people should complain that Meg's doesn't offer in gallon and 5 gallon containers...it's that good! It used to be called vinyl/plastic prep ,that I am certain of, because I used many a bottle of it decades ago. I can't find anyone at Meguiar's that can remember it...and yes it did exist because I've been sent numerous texts by ol' timers who also remember it, yet like me they can find no information or pictures of the bottles. M39 is the closest thing to the ol' vynil/plastic prep that I've found...M39 isn't quite as strong, but it's close. The old stuff...they used it to clean rubber floors, and vinyl and plastic for prep before a re-dye of the surfaces. The dirt and gunk would absolutely roll. Best rubber floor cleaner I ever used, bar none...even better than the Malco that someone mentioned, and I've used it too!
EDIT:
Just for clarification...
I think Bob's comments..."that's not true"... was in disagreement with someone else mentioning products NOT needing rinsing, woolite specifically. I believe Bob to be saying they indeed need thorough rinsing and I'd agree...thus the reason for my post.
I just don't feel comfortable anymore using APC's on interior leather, plastic and vinyl. APC's seem way more concentrated than even car soaps, so I'd be more apt to use even highly diluted soap on a towel from a bucket than an apc. I still prefer something like D114, plain water, or a dedicated Meguiar's interior cleaner, or steam. Some thoughts from a non-pro, and barely a weekend warrior, but I've cleaned my share over the decades. Sledge hammers only get used when a certain degree of persuasion is needed. LOL! Even then, I understand steam is more aggressive in dirt removal yet less aggressive in total...than some products.
Setec Astronomy
Well-known member
- Aug 31, 2010
- 17,061
- 1,355
Here I thought I was going to surprise you with a picture, but then I re-read your post and you're talking about the predecessor to this one...well, here you go anyway:
You're correct, Setec. I am talking about that products predecessor. Nice to see that one too though.
I've asked the 3 Mikescuteers...Phillips/Pennington/Stoops...(no disrespect intended with that comment) all of which I'm almost certain are older than me. No one remembers it and no one can find information about it at Meguiar's and internet searches have yielded zero pictures of the old bottles...plastic bottles...so in reality it's not that old. I've even mentioned that I even think the original number may not have been 39...I in fact believe it was 36 or something besides 39. I've written about this several times on this forum, which should help internet searching, yet nothing.
That said, when they went from the plastic/vinyl prep name to the name in the picture above, the products worked identically close, if not the same. I still believe that a name change AND a number change is what has lead to the confusion and/or lack of information available in finding pics of the old bottles. I used to buy 12 bottles at a time.
I've asked the 3 Mikescuteers...Phillips/Pennington/Stoops...(no disrespect intended with that comment) all of which I'm almost certain are older than me. No one remembers it and no one can find information about it at Meguiar's and internet searches have yielded zero pictures of the old bottles...plastic bottles...so in reality it's not that old. I've even mentioned that I even think the original number may not have been 39...I in fact believe it was 36 or something besides 39. I've written about this several times on this forum, which should help internet searching, yet nothing.
That said, when they went from the plastic/vinyl prep name to the name in the picture above, the products worked identically close, if not the same. I still believe that a name change AND a number change is what has lead to the confusion and/or lack of information available in finding pics of the old bottles. I used to buy 12 bottles at a time.
Eldorado2k
Well-known member
- Nov 9, 2015
- 14,566
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This is the most unbelievable stantement I've ever read on here. How could that not ring enough of a bell through the minds of those 3 Mikes? Somethings wrong with this picture. Ask Bob.
Blew me away too! Check my posting history here and at Meguiaronline about it. I got no answers either place. Seems like I recall even email Meguiars...maybe one of the Mikes at Meguiar's. Same answer with all 3...no one but me and a few others recall it. Weird, huh?
Eldorado2k
Well-known member
- Nov 9, 2015
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Vivid dreams? Ever been told you sleepwalk? Lol.
Eldorado2k
Well-known member
- Nov 9, 2015
- 14,566
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He'a old but bold.. At the very least he'll boast about having used the exact Meguiars product just recently. Tell ya all about what the label says etc.. But his inability to post pictures saves him everytime.
I'll pay for that 1 too but he can't post a real time pic so my joke is somewhat valid. Lol.