what is the best product to clean and condition? i have some spray from mothers, but im a noob to what "BEST" consists of with leather someone please shed some light.

 

If you ask ten detailers you will get a dozen different answers. This is what works for me.

On my own leathers I use Leather Masters Leather Cleaner and follow with Leather Masters Protection Cream. I don't use conditioners as they leave a film on the leather which hastens the leathers soiling. Conditioners don't penetrate the leathers urethane top coating anyway and were originally designed for unprotected leathers and offer no protection against dye transfer or staining.

On the other vehicles I detail, I will usually use Woolite, (1:10 or 1:20 dilution) as suggested in the Lexus owners manual, which works well to clean most soiling.

I believe the process is important if you want to keep your leather looking like new for a long time.

I first, vacuum the leather. Then using a soft foam sponge, I work some cleaner into the sponge to generate lots of foam and apply to a small area of the leather. I gently aggitate an area of about 1' x 1' and let the foamy solution dwell for a minute or two but not letting it dry. I take care not to over wet the leather. I wipe up the residue with a white, 100% cotton towel and inspect both the leather and the towel. I'm looking to see that all the soil has been removed from the leather and that the towel is coming up clean. I continue on to clean the rest of the leather in this manner. When finished, I take another white, 100% cotton towel and wet it and wring it out. I now gingerly wipe down the leather with the wrung out towel to remove all traces of the detergent that might remain on the leather or the stitching. I next grab another towel and buff down the leather to dry it. I let the leather further air dry for a while prior to application of the LM Protection Cream. I apply the LM Protection Cream with a white soft lintless cloth. I apply sparingly and evenly. Like a sealant for your car's paint, thin is better.

If you have light colored leather this protection cream will avoid damaging dye transfers from jeans, purses, belts, jackets, etc. I just had a reminder of this yesterday when a passenger I picked up in the rain was wearing new jeans and left some dark blue marks on the ivory leather of my RX. Since I had used LM Protection Cream it wiped right off with a damp towel.

Once I thoroughly clean and protect the leather as described, I maintain it by wiping it down every few days with a damp towel. I do the thorough cleaning every two or three months depending on the soiling.

 

Exactly what Jim said!

No need for conditioners. Just clean and protect.

Leather Masters is a great brand. Really good products. Look for water based products too, for these modern leathers.

 

thanks! its just me in the car i rarely have others only because most people i know smoke and well that isnt allowed in the car. it shouldnt be to hard to maintain but i do like to keep my stuff freshhhhh