Your best leather cleaning technique?

briarpatch

briarpatch

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I'll be doing a vehicle that has leather interior...and it is nasty. I doubt that it's ever been properly cleaned and/or maintained in any way, although the car's owner says she had it detailed a year ago. I have different products at my disposal...Griots 3 in 1, Wolfgang Leather Cleaner, McKees 70/30 Leather Shampoo, and Meguiars D101 at various dilutions. I did watch a Lexol video where they wiped the seats down with warm water prior to cleaning. So, my question is...what's your best technique for cleaning a very dirty leather interior? Include your product of choice if you would.....
 
i'm not expert but i had good luck with meguiars D101 dilute 9:1
i'll start with vacuum and test on a few nasty spot.
For very stubborn area i use meguiars super degreaser D108 dilute 5:1

From then on, the interior only require meguiars quik interior detailer wipe down.

i always spray the chemical on the brush or microfiber instead on the leather.
 
Magic Eraser sponge with a interior cleaner.
 
My favorite is Megs D181 Leather Cleaner. I thoroughly vacuum the seats first. I then use D181 straight and with a brush. For really bad and dirty leather I do it twice. I wipe with a towel after to dry and pull any more light dirt remaining.
 
Paul A. said:
My favorite is Megs D181 Leather Cleaner. I thoroughly vacuum the seats first. I then use D181 straight and with a brush. For really bad and dirty leather I do it twice. I wipe with a towel after to dry and pull any more light dirt remaining.
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i heard good things on meg D181, can it be use for interior dashboard ,door trim etc?
i try to find alternative for meg quik interior detailer due to strong scent.
 
If the dirt is really embedded into the grain of the leather...any cleaner and sometimes a magic eraser won't be able to break it loose. A steamer with a horse hair attachment brush will loosen it with just a few passes...then I'll use a dedicated leather cleaner and a brush to agitate and mop up.
 
I use Meguiar's all purpose cleaner (Not De-greaser) and a soft brush for real dirty leather and i have never had an issue. Another trick is 5oz of Woolite and the rest water ( I use distilled water) in a 32oz bottle with a soft brush or soft toothbrush. and then wipe with a micro towel. Be sure to treat with Lexol when done to reintroduce hydration into the leather.
 
For really nasty leather interior, I go straight for the steamer using the triangle head attachment w/ cotton terry towel wrapped around it in conjunction with either Meguiars D181 Leather Cleaner or D101 APC@10:1.
Megs D180 Leather Cleaner & Conditioner can be used as a 2nd step to reintroduce moisture back into the leather once it’s been thoroughly cleaned.

GEM65 said:
i heard good things on meg D181, can it be use for interior dashboard ,door trim etc?
Click to expand...

Yes, it can be used for that. It’s not much different than D101@10:1
 
Steam and while the leather is warm, spray cleaner and scrub, then wipe. Works wonders!
 
Woolite mixed 5:1 works wonders


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parshisa said:
Give carpro inside a try. Amazing stuff and works really well. Should be used with an appropriate leather brush


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Good stuff but the scent is overpowering. I would definitely recommend using a mask or working in a well ventilated area. One whiff and it's like getting kicked in the face lol.
 
The Guz said:
Good stuff but the scent is overpowering. I would definitely recommend using a mask or working in a well ventilated area. One whiff and it's like getting kicked in the face lol.
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I’ve used it diluted 1:1 and really didn’t notice any strong odor, instead i liked it lol


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I have CarPro Inside, but I haven't tried it yet. What I usually do is:

Coated Leather/vinyl - Just use an appropriate cleaner for the level of cleanliness. Anywhere, from a rinseless wash (I have D114, but N914 would also work) to various cleaners.

Real leather - I've had real good luck using Megs 180 cleaner and conditioner. I just wipe it on liberally and hit it with a rag covered steam head. One and done. It leaves the leather real nice.
 
In AutoZone or like, most leather cleansers and conditions are very unfortunate, they are typically formed with a lot of traditional leather treatments such as fatty oils and lanolin. The most recent leather seats are "teared" by using a thin vinyl coat to inhibit the usefulness of the low quality cleaners and conditioners. The vinyl is placed over the top with a cleaner or conditioner, which makes the seat look shiny and fat.
WATER BASEDs are the only cleaners/conditions which have a substantial favorable influence. In fact, these can penetrate the top vinyl coat. I'm using that on my Subaru seats, which are quite low-quality, but then seem weaker and newer. Your chairs are still in good shape, so they look even better. This item is supplied with a cleaning, a conditioner and a protective sunscreen, all that you might require.
Finally, realize that leather is the foe of direct sunshine. The vinyl top coat can be broken by the UV rays and dried out and hardened by the length of strong heat. Have a sunshade or a note to always park in shade for your car's windscreen.
 
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