Lexus Leather Conditioning questions...
02-12-10, 01:33 AM
#1
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
Lexus Leather Conditioning questions...
First, here's my car: 2008 IS250, 11k miles, two years old, black leather cleaned with a damp cloth weekly but never conditioned. So tonight I finally got around to conditioning it for the first time. I like the smell of this stuff, but was wondering how long it will last? I still had a new car smell, but now the coconut scent is present.
On my passenger seat there are slight wrinkles (depressions) starting to form in a diagonal direction. This is on the seat bottom surface. I was told by my service tech that the moisturizer would help with this, but it didn't make any difference when I wiped it on. Is it a delayed-fix reaction? Is it too late and these ripples are going to stay? Also interesting to note the seat has only been used once since I bought the car. Yet my driver's seat has no such wrinkles on the same area. I am guessing it's my own body heat or something keeping my seat more moisturized than the unused passenger seat? Any guesses?
Also, all the leather now appears somewhat glossy. I really don't like that look, but if it goes away shortly, then I can live with it. The instructions said to wipe off any "access," which I did. I don't think I put that much on to begin with. But it still has a slight shine to it.
I was also wondering if I should have done the steering wheel too. I skipped it because I don't want to be touching anything slippery when grip is essential while driving. The leather looks fine on the wheel too, so not sure how important it is to apply the conditioner there. Has anyone done this? Ditto on the gear shifter, which I also did not want slippery. Once you touch that or the treated wheel, in a few days of driving, prints seems to spread to every button on the dash.
Thanks for any comments...
On my passenger seat there are slight wrinkles (depressions) starting to form in a diagonal direction. This is on the seat bottom surface. I was told by my service tech that the moisturizer would help with this, but it didn't make any difference when I wiped it on. Is it a delayed-fix reaction? Is it too late and these ripples are going to stay? Also interesting to note the seat has only been used once since I bought the car. Yet my driver's seat has no such wrinkles on the same area. I am guessing it's my own body heat or something keeping my seat more moisturized than the unused passenger seat? Any guesses?
Also, all the leather now appears somewhat glossy. I really don't like that look, but if it goes away shortly, then I can live with it. The instructions said to wipe off any "access," which I did. I don't think I put that much on to begin with. But it still has a slight shine to it.
I was also wondering if I should have done the steering wheel too. I skipped it because I don't want to be touching anything slippery when grip is essential while driving. The leather looks fine on the wheel too, so not sure how important it is to apply the conditioner there. Has anyone done this? Ditto on the gear shifter, which I also did not want slippery. Once you touch that or the treated wheel, in a few days of driving, prints seems to spread to every button on the dash.
Thanks for any comments...
02-12-10, 05:56 AM
#2
Leather Care
In this primer I well tell you what I do and I've gotten to these steps through many years (46) of trying various products and techniques. If you ask a dozen detailers how they care for leather you will probably get a dozen different answers. People in the leather industry say that the most important leather care a consumer can do is keep it clean.
What I do:
These comments apply to automotive (P) protected leather.
1. I thoroughly vacuum the seats paying special attention to the seams and places like where the seat back meets the seat bottom.
2. I use Leather Masters Strong Leather Cleaner next with a foam applicator. I squirt some cleaner onto the foam and squeeze it a few time to work up a lather, then agitate in circular motions to a small section (about 1'x1') at a time. I let the foamy mix dwell for a minute or two then I wipe up the residue with a clean microfiber or white, 100% cotton towel. BTW, I make sure to launder the MF towels prior to using them as frequently the dye is not set and might transfer to light colored leather. I use foam for the applicator because it is gentle and effective. A terrycloth covered applicator has more bite and I only use them for cleaning stubborn stains. Besides Leather Master Strong Leather Cleaner, I’ve also had good results using Woolite diluted 1:10 with water.
3. I clean all the leather then follow with a clean, damp (wrung out) microfiber towel to remove any trace of remaining detergent. [Important step] I remove all traces of the detergent as it can trap and hold dirt if not completely removed. It can also shorten the life of the stitching. I then buff the leather dry with dry microfibers and let the leather further air dry for 10-15 minutes. One caution, I don't use a lot of water. I don't want to saturate the leather, especially perforated leather and around the stitching and seams. If the leather is old and has cracks I want to use minimal water and abrasion as well.
4. I don't use leather conditioners and I'll explain why later in this primer. I use Leather Masters Protection Cream instead. This is a water-based fluorocarbon protectant. I apply this with a white lintless cloth and concentrate on applying a smooth, thin even coat of protection. I do the whole car and then wait 10-15 minutes and gently buff with a microfiber or 100% cotton towel. This product seals the topcoat and is not oily or slippery. This will make your leather much easier to clean and resistant to stains from jeans and belts. It leaves the original sheen on the leather but it feels silky smooth. This step is akin to applying a sealant to your paint.
The most significant thing you can do to preserve leather is to keep it clean. Otherwise the dirt will abrade the leather coating and cause early degradation.
This bears repeating... The single most important step to preserve leather is to keep it clean.
You should be aware that that you see with protected leather is really just the painted urethane topcoat that gives the leather it’s uniform grain and color. The painted topcoat is what makes the split leather hide underneath look like top grain leather.
Every time you slide into the car you are abrading the leather topcoat with any dirt that is on the leather. This is the main reason I don't use conditioners on protected leather. Conditioners are either oily or slippery depending on their makeup and they leave behind a film that holds onto dirt and make the seats soil and wear more quickly. Sure, the leather will feel nice initially but you are just feeling the film left on the topcoat. The feel is short lived and the dirt collects and sticks to the film and the seats abrade faster. Also consider that the urethane topcoat is impervious to conditioners. It won’t let the oils or wax through to the leather.
Conditioning leather that is in good shape will lead to shortening it's life. Conditioning worn and cracked leather can be even worse as the oils can seep through the cracks in the topcoat into the underlying leather and weaken the bond of the remaining urethane topcoat, making the damaged area spread.
People like to think that conditioning protected leather will make the them feel softer. Leather is made soft in the manufacturing process and they get harder as moisture evaporates from the skin. Water is the vital lifeblood of leather. Too much and it will shrink and harden as it dries, too little and it will harden and crack.
In this primer I well tell you what I do and I've gotten to these steps through many years (46) of trying various products and techniques. If you ask a dozen detailers how they care for leather you will probably get a dozen different answers. People in the leather industry say that the most important leather care a consumer can do is keep it clean.
What I do:
These comments apply to automotive (P) protected leather.
1. I thoroughly vacuum the seats paying special attention to the seams and places like where the seat back meets the seat bottom.
2. I use Leather Masters Strong Leather Cleaner next with a foam applicator. I squirt some cleaner onto the foam and squeeze it a few time to work up a lather, then agitate in circular motions to a small section (about 1'x1') at a time. I let the foamy mix dwell for a minute or two then I wipe up the residue with a clean microfiber or white, 100% cotton towel. BTW, I make sure to launder the MF towels prior to using them as frequently the dye is not set and might transfer to light colored leather. I use foam for the applicator because it is gentle and effective. A terrycloth covered applicator has more bite and I only use them for cleaning stubborn stains. Besides Leather Master Strong Leather Cleaner, I’ve also had good results using Woolite diluted 1:10 with water.
3. I clean all the leather then follow with a clean, damp (wrung out) microfiber towel to remove any trace of remaining detergent. [Important step] I remove all traces of the detergent as it can trap and hold dirt if not completely removed. It can also shorten the life of the stitching. I then buff the leather dry with dry microfibers and let the leather further air dry for 10-15 minutes. One caution, I don't use a lot of water. I don't want to saturate the leather, especially perforated leather and around the stitching and seams. If the leather is old and has cracks I want to use minimal water and abrasion as well.
4. I don't use leather conditioners and I'll explain why later in this primer. I use Leather Masters Protection Cream instead. This is a water-based fluorocarbon protectant. I apply this with a white lintless cloth and concentrate on applying a smooth, thin even coat of protection. I do the whole car and then wait 10-15 minutes and gently buff with a microfiber or 100% cotton towel. This product seals the topcoat and is not oily or slippery. This will make your leather much easier to clean and resistant to stains from jeans and belts. It leaves the original sheen on the leather but it feels silky smooth. This step is akin to applying a sealant to your paint.
The most significant thing you can do to preserve leather is to keep it clean. Otherwise the dirt will abrade the leather coating and cause early degradation.
This bears repeating... The single most important step to preserve leather is to keep it clean.
You should be aware that that you see with protected leather is really just the painted urethane topcoat that gives the leather it’s uniform grain and color. The painted topcoat is what makes the split leather hide underneath look like top grain leather.
Every time you slide into the car you are abrading the leather topcoat with any dirt that is on the leather. This is the main reason I don't use conditioners on protected leather. Conditioners are either oily or slippery depending on their makeup and they leave behind a film that holds onto dirt and make the seats soil and wear more quickly. Sure, the leather will feel nice initially but you are just feeling the film left on the topcoat. The feel is short lived and the dirt collects and sticks to the film and the seats abrade faster. Also consider that the urethane topcoat is impervious to conditioners. It won’t let the oils or wax through to the leather.
Conditioning leather that is in good shape will lead to shortening it's life. Conditioning worn and cracked leather can be even worse as the oils can seep through the cracks in the topcoat into the underlying leather and weaken the bond of the remaining urethane topcoat, making the damaged area spread.
People like to think that conditioning protected leather will make the them feel softer. Leather is made soft in the manufacturing process and they get harder as moisture evaporates from the skin. Water is the vital lifeblood of leather. Too much and it will shrink and harden as it dries, too little and it will harden and crack.
02-12-10, 12:38 PM
#3
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
Leather Care
In this primer I well tell you what I do and I've gotten to these steps through many years (46) of trying various products and techniques. If you ask a dozen detailers how they care for leather you will probably get a dozen different answers. People in the leather industry say that the most important leather care a consumer can do is keep it clean.
What I do:
These comments apply to automotive (P) protected leather.
1. I thoroughly vacuum the seats paying special attention to the seams and places like where the seat back meets the seat bottom.
2. I use Leather Masters Strong Leather Cleaner next with a foam applicator. I squirt some cleaner onto the foam and squeeze it a few time to work up a lather, then agitate in circular motions to a small section (about 1'x1') at a time. I let the foamy mix dwell for a minute or two then I wipe up the residue with a clean microfiber or white, 100% cotton towel. BTW, I make sure to launder the MF towels prior to using them as frequently the dye is not set and might transfer to light colored leather. I use foam for the applicator because it is gentle and effective. A terrycloth covered applicator has more bite and I only use them for cleaning stubborn stains. Besides Leather Master Strong Leather Cleaner, I’ve also had good results using Woolite diluted 1:10 with water.
3. I clean all the leather then follow with a clean, damp (wrung out) microfiber towel to remove any trace of remaining detergent. [Important step] I remove all traces of the detergent as it can trap and hold dirt if not completely removed. It can also shorten the life of the stitching. I then buff the leather dry with dry microfibers and let the leather further air dry for 10-15 minutes. One caution, I don't use a lot of water. I don't want to saturate the leather, especially perforated leather and around the stitching and seams. If the leather is old and has cracks I want to use minimal water and abrasion as well.
4. I don't use leather conditioners and I'll explain why later in this primer. I use Leather Masters Protection Cream instead. This is a water-based fluorocarbon protectant. I apply this with a white lintless cloth and concentrate on applying a smooth, thin even coat of protection. I do the whole car and then wait 10-15 minutes and gently buff with a microfiber or 100% cotton towel. This product seals the topcoat and is not oily or slippery. This will make your leather much easier to clean and resistant to stains from jeans and belts. It leaves the original sheen on the leather but it feels silky smooth. This step is akin to applying a sealant to your paint.
The most significant thing you can do to preserve leather is to keep it clean. Otherwise the dirt will abrade the leather coating and cause early degradation.
This bears repeating... The single most important step to preserve leather is to keep it clean.
You should be aware that that you see with protected leather is really just the painted urethane topcoat that gives the leather it’s uniform grain and color. The painted topcoat is what makes the split leather hide underneath look like top grain leather.
Every time you slide into the car you are abrading the leather topcoat with any dirt that is on the leather. This is the main reason I don't use conditioners on protected leather. Conditioners are either oily or slippery depending on their makeup and they leave behind a film that holds onto dirt and make the seats soil and wear more quickly. Sure, the leather will feel nice initially but you are just feeling the film left on the topcoat. The feel is short lived and the dirt collects and sticks to the film and the seats abrade faster. Also consider that the urethane topcoat is impervious to conditioners. It won’t let the oils or wax through to the leather.
Conditioning leather that is in good shape will lead to shortening it's life. Conditioning worn and cracked leather can be even worse as the oils can seep through the cracks in the topcoat into the underlying leather and weaken the bond of the remaining urethane topcoat, making the damaged area spread.
People like to think that conditioning protected leather will make the them feel softer. Leather is made soft in the manufacturing process and they get harder as moisture evaporates from the skin. Water is the vital lifeblood of leather. Too much and it will shrink and harden as it dries, too little and it will harden and crack.
In this primer I well tell you what I do and I've gotten to these steps through many years (46) of trying various products and techniques. If you ask a dozen detailers how they care for leather you will probably get a dozen different answers. People in the leather industry say that the most important leather care a consumer can do is keep it clean.
What I do:
These comments apply to automotive (P) protected leather.
1. I thoroughly vacuum the seats paying special attention to the seams and places like where the seat back meets the seat bottom.
2. I use Leather Masters Strong Leather Cleaner next with a foam applicator. I squirt some cleaner onto the foam and squeeze it a few time to work up a lather, then agitate in circular motions to a small section (about 1'x1') at a time. I let the foamy mix dwell for a minute or two then I wipe up the residue with a clean microfiber or white, 100% cotton towel. BTW, I make sure to launder the MF towels prior to using them as frequently the dye is not set and might transfer to light colored leather. I use foam for the applicator because it is gentle and effective. A terrycloth covered applicator has more bite and I only use them for cleaning stubborn stains. Besides Leather Master Strong Leather Cleaner, I’ve also had good results using Woolite diluted 1:10 with water.
3. I clean all the leather then follow with a clean, damp (wrung out) microfiber towel to remove any trace of remaining detergent. [Important step] I remove all traces of the detergent as it can trap and hold dirt if not completely removed. It can also shorten the life of the stitching. I then buff the leather dry with dry microfibers and let the leather further air dry for 10-15 minutes. One caution, I don't use a lot of water. I don't want to saturate the leather, especially perforated leather and around the stitching and seams. If the leather is old and has cracks I want to use minimal water and abrasion as well.
4. I don't use leather conditioners and I'll explain why later in this primer. I use Leather Masters Protection Cream instead. This is a water-based fluorocarbon protectant. I apply this with a white lintless cloth and concentrate on applying a smooth, thin even coat of protection. I do the whole car and then wait 10-15 minutes and gently buff with a microfiber or 100% cotton towel. This product seals the topcoat and is not oily or slippery. This will make your leather much easier to clean and resistant to stains from jeans and belts. It leaves the original sheen on the leather but it feels silky smooth. This step is akin to applying a sealant to your paint.
The most significant thing you can do to preserve leather is to keep it clean. Otherwise the dirt will abrade the leather coating and cause early degradation.
This bears repeating... The single most important step to preserve leather is to keep it clean.
You should be aware that that you see with protected leather is really just the painted urethane topcoat that gives the leather it’s uniform grain and color. The painted topcoat is what makes the split leather hide underneath look like top grain leather.
Every time you slide into the car you are abrading the leather topcoat with any dirt that is on the leather. This is the main reason I don't use conditioners on protected leather. Conditioners are either oily or slippery depending on their makeup and they leave behind a film that holds onto dirt and make the seats soil and wear more quickly. Sure, the leather will feel nice initially but you are just feeling the film left on the topcoat. The feel is short lived and the dirt collects and sticks to the film and the seats abrade faster. Also consider that the urethane topcoat is impervious to conditioners. It won’t let the oils or wax through to the leather.
Conditioning leather that is in good shape will lead to shortening it's life. Conditioning worn and cracked leather can be even worse as the oils can seep through the cracks in the topcoat into the underlying leather and weaken the bond of the remaining urethane topcoat, making the damaged area spread.
People like to think that conditioning protected leather will make the them feel softer. Leather is made soft in the manufacturing process and they get harder as moisture evaporates from the skin. Water is the vital lifeblood of leather. Too much and it will shrink and harden as it dries, too little and it will harden and crack.
But going along with what you said, I do clean my leather weekly. There is no dirt, no staining, no hairs, dust, etc. I am crazy about keeping it clean, yet my passenger seat started wrinkling. The only thing left to try (from what I researched) was the conditioner, per Lexus's recommendation. I guess I'll know how well this wroks after it dries and rubs off in a few weeks time.
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