it's weird...but I spray WD40 on my leather seats on my E36 M3. It cleans, softens the leather, and conditions it. I've been using it for over 2 years now....usually spray them and clean them that way once a month. After that, I buff and use Griots interior cleaner for wiping down and just giving a basic clean.
1999 BMW ///M3 Coupe
2014 BMW S1000RR
A very good friend of mine has been in the auto parts & service industry for 20+ years and has been with *gasp* a Mercedes dealership for over 8 years. He swears by Hyde Food and says it's the best product out there for keeping leather healthy, clean and supple. With our harsh summers here in the Phoenix area the leather has a tough life. our dry environment with auto interior temps of 160+, people damage (sweat much in Phoenix summers? and day-to-day issues are brutal to seats and upholstery.
https://www.bimmian.com/Byrons-Hyde-...for-BMW-E70-X5
Hope that helps!
Best leather cleaner, Meguires degreaser diluted 10:1 and then add a good quality conditioner.
I have been using the Lexol two part cleaner/conditioner products for a few years. It seems to work great and smell great for the money. Though, I'd like to see something that does a better job at softening and restoring hardened leather without any sanding or extreme DIY jobs.
Here's my experience:
Still using the Lexol cleaner with microfiber's, water and a detailing brush. Works well and is gentle on the leather.
Link: https://youtu.be/jbYBjAT8QjM
I have successfully cleaned some reasonably filthy leather seats using shaving cream, a soft fingernail brush and rinsing thoroughly with damp rags. There are lots of thoughts on conditioners, Lexol and various saddle oils have served me well.
If you can leave two black stripes from the exit of one corner to the braking zone of the next, you have enough horsepower. - Mark Donohue
I just started on my 540 m-sport interior and used Leatherique rejuvenator and pristine clean. My seats were near mint and this product damaged my seat! It took off the color.....what ever you do, be gentle.
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I like the Zymol Cleaner and Conditioner kit. Use it on cars and home leathers. No real odors from either. The conditioner smells like a lotion.
For a budget leather cleaner I use the Griots Garage 3-1 Leather. Does the job quickly.
RFZ - Can you post some photos? Was it the rejuvinator that took color out of the leather?
i bought some cadillac brand leather cleaner conditioner that was recommended. my daughter just did the seats on the 325i and it looks great. she put the lotion on a soft cloth and slowly rubbed it in and the cloth turned dark in spots. seems to have worked great.
Leatherique used correctly is the best way to bring old leather back to life. It is definitely not a 5 minute process like a lot of the other cleaners/conditioners are. I've also used Leather Honey with good results. It is also at a few hour to few day process, depending on the condition of your leather. If you have hardened or cracking leather those two systems are the ones to use.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JLr7igvCZc
Tommy L.
(oOO \ (IIII) (IIII) / OOo)
-o- (##########) -o-
2001 BMW M5 LMB LHD Euro
Bilstein PSS, Black Kidneys, Dinan Rear Anti-sway Bar, Matte Black Style 65, UUC SSK w/DSSR, Alpine iLX-007, Alpine MRV-F 340 Amp, Boston Acoustics Pro components, Alpine MRP-M450 Amp, Infinity Kappa 102.7W Sub x2
Current Garage:
1993 BMW M5
1994 BMW 525i Touring 5spd
2004 Ford SVT Lightning
There are lot of leather cleaners available in the market and I have read about some online, I am unable to determine why some claim ph-balance. How does it affect the cleaning process? Refer: https://carhq.org/best-leather-cleaner-cars
FESeat.jpg
This is my wifes 2008 Ford Escape (For Sale if anyone is interested) I have been treating the leather with Lexol Cleaner and Conditioner since I got it 10 years ago.
I use it in my 2008 335i convertible as well (only owned for 3 years so far) and they look brand new as well.
Look! Before our very eyes, the future is becoming the past.
I am surprised no one has mentioned baby wipes. I use them ICW Meguiars or Lexol, then lexol on an extra soft microfiber. But I rarely let my seats sit for long without cleaning. I’d use a glycerin saddle soap on a new-to-me vehicle if I were looking for a fresh detail. I’ve never found Leatherique to be any more effective, so one purchase was enough to swear me off it
i was told cadillac brand leather polish. got it thru amazon. seems to work well.
Leatherique is the go-to, a bit costly but worth it. Gyeon Leather cleaner is another product that I use to clean leather. There are numerous conditioners that work well. Ammo Mouse, Bickmore, Pinnacle, etc...
A note pertaining to a few posts here - APC and Magic Eraser shouldn't be used on leather. Both will cause damage.
I just had some sport seats swapped into our recently acquired E39 530i with the usual Montana Grey leather. The seating surfaces are a bit worn, but darker in places and obviously dirty. I put some Griots 3in1 on them just to get them a bit rehabbed, but they need to be cleaned....
I have been told Woolite is a good, gentle cleaner for the leather as it both cleans and opens up the pores so it can absorb conditioner. Anybody else heard about or used the Woolite on your leather seats?
I used bmw brand on my 2003 330Ci convertible that I just bought used. Previous owner gave to me. Did a nice job, seats were already clean, it just made them look new
Neatsfeat oil. It’s naturally made from purified cattle products (shin bones and feet). Same oils that penetrate a cattle hide when living and natural replenishment for leather. Saddle makers use it, shoe companies promote it, and keeps my BMW seats like new. Can always pre-wash them with a mild detergent and let dry before applying the oil. And it’s far more economical than leatherique.
So I purchased a spray bottle of the Lexol PH-balanced leather cleaner off Amazon Prime. For some reason the stores don't seem to carry this, but they carry the creme (not spray) variant. Anyways, I went over the front seats with the cleaner (as per the instructions) and did it twice using a damp microfiber towel for scrubbing/cleaner application and a Colourlock brush with synthetic bristles designed for this task. The only reason I can see that some say the LEXOL cleaner doesn't work, is that it takes a bit of patience, and uhh..WORK. I'm very pleased with the results, and then went over the seats with Griots 3 in 1 for leather. They definitely look better than they did, and I was amazed at how ugly black the water was when I rinsed out my microfiber towel I used for the cleaning stage...that didn't seem to look that dirty. The cleaner definitely lifted A LOT of dirt and other impurities out of the leather.
Someday I'd love to try the Leatherique...
Last edited by 1BlinkGone; 06-04-2019 at 08:50 PM.
IMG_1969.jpgIMG_1951.jpg I've been using Leatherique Rejuvanetor Oil and Pristine Clean. I vacuum the seats, clean off any obvious gunk or junk and then slather on the oil. I use a small bristle brush that comes with the kit to work the oil into the leather. I think let it sit all day in the heat to give the leather time to soak up the goodness. I follow up with the pristine clean - I use a lot of the pristine clean so end up dipping a microfiber pad into a measuring cup filled part way with the pristine. I then follow it up with warm water and a microfiber towel to get any pristine residue off of the seats. I dry it off with more dry micro fiber towels and sit back and admire the results. This is from a 2001 740i that I just purchased. I did the treatment twice because it was the first time for the leather and I figured it would enjoy it
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