How to clean leather car seats - Guide to automotive leather and vinyl cleaning and protection
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#forensicdetailing #detailing
regarding steam:
Steam Cleaners - Steam cleaning leather is not ideal because of 2 reasons.
1) Excessive heat can shrink leather - Chrome tanned
leather used in most modern cars these days start shrinking at 80 -85
degrees. I don’t think most people are aware of this. Please see the
dictionary for more detail. www.leather-dictionary.com/index.php/Shrunken_leather_-_leather_shrinkage
2) Steam cleaners also make the leather extremely wet.
This can dry out the leather in the long run. Also, it does not clean
the leather any better than the process shown in the video (FDC comment I can verify it cleans very well)
I've used Meguiar's All Purpose Cleaner (detailer range) diliuted 10:1 on leather for years with no ill effects. Darren from Auto Fetish Detail over the pond in California has also used Megs APC and also uses Megs Super Degreaser on leather and has done for a very long time and he swears by both being very safe. I read up plenty on forums before using Megs APC on leather and have been told countless times from multiple reliable sources that it's safe.
On the flip side, I've heard of some people (and actually witnessed) people using Autosmart G101 on leather and seen it strip the colour almost instantly. I've never used this on leather, and never will, but just a word of warning to those out there who have used it, or do use it, to avoid putting it anywhere near leather.
Jon you mentioned vinyl "leather" in your video. Does vinyl or "fake leather" require the same care while cleaning as real leather? I'm guessing if the cleaning process is the same then so are the protection stages also.
meguiars APC is an example of an APC thats formulated for use on interiors.. And its says on the label its for use with automotive leather..
Its one of my favorite APC's and Ive also been using it to clean leather for years... I have no doubts it cleans it well..
After shooting this video Im interested in its PH, and I also dont like the fact its less foaming (although generally very foamy by APC standards) and going to be at least 90% water at around 10:1 and the fact wetting the leather is something which will help dry it up if it penetrates.. One potential thing is you could be really impressed with how well it cleans the leather without being aware of how suitable it is to maintain it long term... but thats more a statement for "general use" of APC's with leather. so in other words you can see good results in terms of cleaning, but gauging the long term results in terms of increased wear is difficult.
I will say this, most of the leather cleaning "specialists" use high foaming cleaners... The fact companies with high levels of technical expertise in the components they put into their cars. EG the likes of BMW, Mercedes Benz, Porsche, VW, Jaguar Land Rover etc use the colourlock products is a good sign. Like I say colourlock are at the heart of leather in the automotive community. that doesnt mean to say that other products are not cool. Megs APC is very cool...
Im going to feature Megs APC on the channel soon. Ill check its PH when I do the feature, and see if I can find out a bit more about the chemistry? eg SLES, surficant based etc...
This is the best, most comprehensive video about leather I've seen yet. Particularly important to the detailing world is the part about the top coating and when it begins to deteriorate. It is good to know that the leather conditioners can penetrate after so much use. Awesome work!
thanks eag, myself and Ram wanted the key point to the piece to be informational. the products are really solid.. no BS, and using their products properly (and other offerings as well) is helped by understanding a little bit about automotive leather.
with keeping new leather looking nice is really is about a good cleaning regime and reducing frictional wear.
Im sure theres other products out there that do it well... but Colourlock really do understand leather and their products deliver.. their leather cleaners are in a different league compared to what Ive been using for the last 5 years. found that out yestaday when I tried to clean the other half of that heavily soiled seat..
So…. If sticking with Colour Lock products. If old leather Top Coat gone use leather protector. Let dry 2-4 hours. Then use leather shield just like a new car as a topper on top. Yup? Good video these. If just doing one car a year ( own car ) ; would just use CL but if repeating once a week stock cars would need a cheaper manufacturer leather product cleaner and restorer…. Enjoyed vid again Jon. Always helpful
Hi Forensic Detailing channel I own a Valeting and Detailing company. This a has cleared a lot questions i have about leather. This has been very helpful. I've watched all of your test videos they been very helpful and Accurate. Cheers 👍
really appreciate that Kieren thank you very much.
Hi buddy. Good video. Leather care is something you can spiral right down into... its a huge area and you can create an encyclopedia of info or you can stick to doing something that simply works - do the work and get paid. Colourlock look good and I must try them. There are a few good products out there, including feeds and conditioners. I tend to ignore conditioners because generally if a leather needs conditioning, your average £11.99 "conditioner" is not the product to revive it, regardless of what it says on the label (It will actually do the opposite). One approach for older leather is to leave a restoring agent on the seat overnight. You will see how the leather is porous when you come back the next morning - some parts will have absorbed the agent, while others still have the agent sitting on the surface. This is good, because the porous sections will have lost nutrient and hydration through the porous sections, making the fibrils lose suppleness. The next stage is the cleaning and most will do this incorrectly. Cleaning soiled leather properly is a 2 or 3 stage process.. If you just foam, brush and wipe before you apply protection, then you are going to be locking in contaminants and this will affect the topcoat binders down the line... It won't destroy the leather but simply accelerate the aging process. Most leather cleaners are not free rinsing, so you need to properly purify the surface before protecting. If the protector has been friction-adjusted, having a properly clean surface will greatly improve in reducing friction further. You don't really need to worry if a seat has been chrome-tanned or veg-tanned (eg Volvo leather is veg tanned at source) as the finished, coated hide requires the same treatment in cars. Only uncoated leather, particularly antique leather will require specialist treatment. For car seats, there is a difficult balance to be reached... brushing will wear down the surface with heavy grime, strong cleaners can affect the surface integrity. This is why detailers need to educate customers that like paint correction, it is a process that should not be rushed. (Actually there are a lot of parallels between paint care and leather care). Otherwise you are giving it a hack treatment. Do it right and the seats will absolutely delight the client as they put their backside on it. It looks different, it feels different, it smells different, it even sounds different. And that's what makes the difference. Cheers - Brian, Spirit Detailing :)
wise words brian great feedback thank you
I got very fragile nuluxe vinyl seats in my Lexus ct200h. What product do you recommend to clean them? I need a good cleaner since the color is of a lighter color. Also a product to protect them?
@@r.k862 If you're in the UK, The Dr Leather Cleaner and the Dye Block are a great combination. Colourlock also do nice cleaners and protector. Best to give it a light cleaning regularly rather than waiting till it the dirt builds up - at least on the driver's seat anyway, but it depends on the usage.
I've used Product 303 since it first appeared, maybe twenty years ago, and it has been my go-to for all interior surfaces since. While it might look like A**All, it is not just a silicone oil suspension, and leaves only slight sheen change, no slippery residue, and no buildup. The ugly side effect of oils, silicones or natural, is they evaporate in heat, then condense on the inside of the windshield pretty quickly. 303 has real UV protectants that slow the degradation of plastics, and I've tried Outlast, but can't verify whether it is similar or not. Too many products throw a bunch of ingredients into a slurry, and can't scientifically state why or how those materials are supposed to work together, or just lay there. Do no harm, especially when the thin plastic outer coating may be damaged by solvents, oils, or other materials. Insect repellents with DEET (first developed as a plastic solvent!) can destroy almost every type of plastic surface, and using cheap seat covers may be a better option all around.
First, great video Jon. I don't how you got someone from colourlock to do this presentation but really informative.
I've been using the leather shield, exclusively on a brand new steering with napa leather made in italy. Real soft and feels amazing to touch. With the description of the product, i thought it will reduce potential scratch or mark on the leather, from nail or rubbing. I've sadly realized that's not working. Maybe to a certain extend of contact. But i've put 1 and another time 2 coats, and it won't act as a strong protectant. Dye transfer will be reduce, but not contact scratching. Don't get it if it's what you are searching for and thought it was.
Also, i recommand Meguiars APC, at 1:5 to 1:10. It's great, use it with a good sprayer with a fine mist to avoid soaking the leather, and get into cracks. I got a gallon, it's overkill for me but it will last a few year at least. Especially if you have a leather couch, it really a great choice.
Made another comment on newer vid with Ram. That was exceptional results. I don’t need exceptional but do need supple softness 10-20 year old leather. Get it penetrated and soft then add balm. I’m not at sub 2 year old sub 20k mileage leather. More leather tiring but not worn out worn through. Just tired. Get it soft and balmed without a nasty oily surface. Just a Matt Sheen and leather best rejuvenated. I already cleanse leather clean then balm. After this 6 year old video thinking need a penetrating step 2. Wondering where go for non exceptional price penetrating oil. Will continue process across sub 3k older car budget car sales. Etc. Start with a 20 year old personal Alfa GTA
Fascinating information. Been trying many leather products for the soft Leather in my Volvo xc90. Had some surprising results. These "all in one" cleaning products don't seem to make much difference so have to spend out on separate cleaner, conditioners, etc. Really looking for getting that real soft leather smell finish in a product. So many choices out there, but automotive products in shops seem to disappoint. Specialist leather products available elsewhere seem to be a better choice. great video thanks
If your after leather scent in a product check out the DR leather stuff. It really smells heavily of leather. I dont like that though.
Great video. I use Colourlock and like it a lot. But if you have older leather, say ten years+ and you can do without the car for a week to ten days, nothing beats Leatherique in my opinion.
cool stuff double tee thanks for the heads up. they have this other product called elephant wax or something like that, which is a wax, a lot greasier and more waxy but for older leather thats really dried out.. will feature is as soon as I cant find a suitable seat to kind of show what it does..
Esoteric have a video on the YT channel on Leatherique. It's worth a look. Thanks for the crazily in depth stuff you do.
I use Leaterique Rejuvenating Oil and Pristine Clean on the leather seats of my 2006 Monte Carlo (for those folks outside of North America, that is a Chevrolet/GM car). I can't say if the car has a protective layer on the leather or not. I can say that the Rejuvenating oil does exactly that; I spray on lightly, and work in with a very soft brush. Allow the car to sit in the sun for the day, or overnight (I've done it both ways), and the leather is just coated with grease/dirt/oils/smeg by the next day. Follow that up with the Pristine Clean on a terrycloth towel, and the leather looks noticeably cleaner, softer, and brighter.
Leatherique says the Rejuvenating oil penetrates into the leather, and pushes the contaminants out. Sounds outlandish and really just like marketing hype, but really does seem to work that way. The Pristine Clean is designed to clean off the Rejuvenating Oil and the contaminants it has brought to the surface. I don't know if Colourlook is available here in Canada, but I will look for it.
Highlight for me is the cow noise. Just spat my coffee out at it, caught me off guard lol.
Hahaha yes ! Very funny indeed ! Mooooo !!
Brilliant video Jon very very interesting
Awesome video. Also really good to see the different products on the market to 👌
Iv always used autoglanz apc in leather at 100:1 like to thank you jhon your videos got me into the autoglanz range can't do without them
Great insight fellas, thanks! Any advice on cleaning air cooled seats, ie can you still use a brush or is there another technique for those?
Another absolute top notch video once again.
Would of been nice to see and hear about there leather dye application.
will almost certainly be doing something on this.. theres some cool information on it and colourlock can mix the paint for you to match the OEM spec if you just give them the car make and name of the leather. They can even mix it with the binding products so you literally just need to prep and apply with a sponge if you dont have a compressor.. will also probably look to do puncture and split repairs as well cracking etc...
That's a great insight Jon - thanks..! I've been scratching my head recently on cleaning leather and found the Colourlock product through my usual supplier. Interesting point which I've learnt from this video, is about the top coat failure. I've got the Oyster leather in my BMW and I've made it my business to keep it regularly cleaned, to the point that I may of over done it, by the sounds of your video. However, it looks as good as new, but purely down to the use of GTechnque (however it's spelt) Leather Guard, which I also throughly recommend. Again, it gives that smooth feel and locking the grain to stop any colour transfer. However, one of the things I can't stand, is shiny or satin looking leather - Does the Colourlock protectant produce a matt original finish on and after application? If so, I'm sold... cheers
Great in depth common sense approach to understand this subject matter! 😊
I would have like to see a brief dip into faux leather vinyl but I guess leather needs a more considered approach.
Informative, credible explanations made this video useful thanks guys!
one bit I chopped out that would have been good to have in there.. most seats are a mixture of both.. the wear or contact areas are generally leather and the other bits are vinyl (generally speaking, like the sides) but the vinyl has a top coat as well.. and although the vinyl wont have the tendency to dry out like leather can, the steps I guess about keeping it clean and using the shield are still appropriate to it.
very astute comment dave thanks buddy.
Perfect as I've just got my first car with leather seats after 34 years of driving. 320d m sport
Top video as always Jon! Any plans to do one on interior shampooing/ wet vaccing? Just can't find a good in depth one anywhere on TH-cam! Cheers
Given the value of the top coat, is using a brush really the best long-term cleaning solution? I doubt many of us would use a brush to clean the paint topcoat.
Thank you for the info. Great presentation.
Very informative 20 minutes, ty.
Thanks for the very informative video!
Great video, but what is the best way to clean vinyl?
Hey, I didn't know you did your own intro music. Awesome, rock on! And leather seats, that's cool too, lol.
Hi Jon. I bet your going to get plenty of questions on this subject. So here's mine. We have 30k miles on 17 year old car with the lightest of beige interiors and I do around 1000 miles a year. When I clean the seats, which I do regularly as they love clothing dye, they become very grippy. What should I use here? Also, the whole interior, headlining etc, is all leather but never touched. Should I just leave this or should something be applied to it. Great vid as always and a new product supplier to me. Many thanks, Steven
would prolly want to eyeball it as you have a fezza with high end leather.. but its most likely your top coat (if it had it) has gone now and your leather paint coat is exposed.. To clean it I would just use the mild leather cleaner, and the brush if you have texture or just the colorlock lint free cloth or a nice soft microfiber terry cloth if its smooth.. look for color transfer when you clean.. I suspect you will see it. You could then use the protector and after 4 hours top with shield to reduce surface friction.
The headlining again would need to look at it.. its less likely to get hit with UV damage over time because of its location, and way less prone to wear... it wont need anti friction because nothing going to rud it to just cleaning it is all I would do I think.. never seen leather headlining before on any car, gotta love ferrari.
Really useful Jon. I have been doing it with a soft detailing brush but can't recall if there has been mild colour transfer to a microfiber. I'll look more closely.It does attract every bit of dye even from the most heavily washed trousers. Its stored indoors so no really UV exposure and the condition is excellent. The whole interior is cream leather with the top of the dash in black. I assume that's how they justified the huge costs when new! Help really appreciated as usual Jon and I hope you get some commissions as I also follow your recommendations. All the best, Steven
very informative mate 100% perfect advice.....
Is that a Volvo seat you're demonstrating on? Just bought a 9 month old Volvo, which has a leather interior. I have just ordered some colour lock products. Thanks for the excellent video.
it is mate yes, its taken I think from a 10 year old volvo estate I cant remember the model got it down the scarp yard.
Really like your Videos John, really easy watching and that's what I like.. more videos on pad and polish combos would be good. Also I'm looking for something to polish and go the extra mile, polishing the gloss black honeycomb grills on the like of Audi RS brand etc.. TIA
Well off topic Jon but can you do a di vessel review? Thanks
just what i was looking for :) thx mate
PLEASE do cloth seats / door panels also!!
I recently gave my black seats a wipe with a branded cleaner (Zymol) and found that either dirt or colour had transferred to the microfibre. How would I know if this is dirt or colour? The car is two years old, but done only 9500 miles.
Also any special precautions required with perforated leather, which allows heating and cooling of seats where fitted? Would some products bung up the holes?
Excellent and interesting video as always. Cheers. Will certainly be giving Colourlock a whirl.
check the colourlock website, and the "how to's" I think they have something on perforated leather..
with regards to dirt and color.. just follow the process to clean it first and then check for transfer.. the transfer will be more widespread than dirt.. you will maybe get a lot of it.. and once cleaned you should not be getting dirt..
on the drivers seat is a good place to test because it gets worn a lot there...
Cheers!
How do you distinguish between different types of leather? just was looking at some of the colour lock products and it says suitable for pigmented leather, SRP leather etc. will start driving my new car soon so would want to make sure the part leather seats are protected. Am really liking the leather shield but want to be sure thanks
Thanx John, top work
John have you tried gliptone and there liquid leather cleaner and conditioner? This was one product my local detailing shop recommended but not sure if colourlock is better
First comment in I think. Blew away the myths and bullshit with leather cleaning. My standard regimes is a wipe over with autoglym leather cleaner ( I'm a chauffeur so keeping on top of the interior is important). Spot on with the leather balms/ 'feeds'. I noticed it just sat there and was a bugger to get off (6 months in with 23K miles) that greasy feel. I guess I'll revisit the balm/feed later this summer particularly my seat as it gets the most use. By the way, just some feedback on the detailing spray that helps with water spots. I does work, although I did find in certain places it needed to be left for a couple of minutes then re-dampen with another spray then wipe off. Overall very impressed and I have to say the car looked very good afterwards, so a top recommendation there FDC. Keep the vids coming as they're so helpful in sorting the wheat from the chaff. 👍
your spot on about leaving koch FSE on heavier water spots.. Ive had to do that as well.. I guess its just giving the acidic liquid more time to break down and shrink the mineral deposits.
Forensic Detailing Channel here's an interesting fact. Do you know it's basically sold out everywhere? I put that down to the FDC factor.
your right every single supplier in the UK is now out of stock. Its kind of really nice to know the word gets spread and people trust me enough to try things... Its really important for me to back the right horses in terms of products and give solid recomendations... Koch generally speaking are very very solid. ill ask the main distributor whats going on in terms of getting more...
Forensic Detailing Channel definitely solid recommendation. Easy on and off with a good result especially on black. Just watching your vid on glazes and resins- gonna blast the motorbike this weekend using the autoglym resin as a stop gap. What do you think about putting the Fusso on afterwards?
I dont know how well it works with SRP.. I would use Extra Gloss protection from autoglym on top of SRP... they are formualted to work togther and share solvent chemistry etc.. EGP I think is acyrilic sealant and leaves the paintwork like silk...
Great video! Do you have a tip on what product to use on the leather for the weekly maintaince wash? I mean during the time between deep cleans/condition? Or should I just use a water-damped mf to swipe over? Thanks!
Hi, what would you recommend for a 13 years Mercedes Benz with 110k on the clock, probably never been cleaned properly through the life of the car? The Mild or the strong cleaner?
What would you recommend for ink stained leather? Great explanation of all the products too!
I think if leather is new the ink shouldnt be able to penetrate.. but Im guessing the ink has pentrated if your having problems with it.. I hate to say this but if the ink stain has penetrated you could be looking at refinishing to remove , but you could try a leather cleaning brush and a strong cleaner first. remember your scrubbing the unprotected paint on most car leathers so the harder or more agressive you scrub the more you are scrubbing away at the color layer..
ill ask Ram though and see if that advice is sound as well.. you can actually ask colourlock as well and you will get good advice that isnt necesarily sales based advice.
Forensic Detailing Channel Okay thanks a lot buddy, its brand new leather it's a 66 plate BMW on the back of a seat so the top coat is highly likely to be there still , the stain likely hasn't been there long probably a few days at most , I've tried with quite a lot of force a microfibre autoglym cloth with autoglym leather cleaner, probably the wrong product whats your opinion on it please? I kept using it and the stain gradually got better, but it's still there, thanks a lot for the advice though!
PO Koch Chemmie is a good leather cleaner. Or more a alcantara suede ???? If anyone knows of this product. Been using cleaners from Auto G and AG
Another great video.Have you tried LTT Leather care which is another great product for cleaning leather.
not tried mate no.
What do you recommend for delicate vinyl seats in terms of cleaning power but extremely safe? It is light colour seats and it is nuluxe which is from Lexus, a lot of people had problems about this vinyl so I would need a good company who is experts on vinyl?
Use the mild cleaner don't use the brush every time only when it's very dirty. Use the shield every 2 months.
@@ForensicDetailing is colorlock vinyl cleaner a mild cleaner? which do you consider a mild cleaner?
Extremely useful👍
Which leather product you recommened on bmw leather seats so confused?
Watch video
Is there any products for Alcantara? I know it's not leather but my car has Alcantara down the center of the seats and i'd like to do some thing with that too.
colorlock sell an alcantara cleaner for this as well
@@ForensicDetailing Ahh sorry i didn't notice it when on thier site, i've just added the 'ALCANTARA & FABRIC CARE KIT' to my order. Do i clean alcantara in the same way as fabric? my drivers seat has gone a bit clumpy (if you know what i mean) so i'm going to pull the seats out of the car and give them some tlc while the weather is bad. Alcantara is some thing i've never really come across so any tips would be appreciated.
wow...thank you...ive been wasting my time using leather conditioners!!!!
How about steamers to clean leather and the perforated leather seats.
it will clean it and the steam will help break down the sort of greasey residue you get on leather.. the negatives could be around what the steam will do to exposed color coat on older leather, and what it does to the top coat on new leather. Ill ask ram about that next time.. another negative with older pourous leather is that you are soaking it with water (steam) thats going to penetrate and wet the leather.. wetting the leather actually makes it drier and dry leather is more brittle and prone to cracking...
thats just me thinking out loud though, ill ask colourlock.. if steam cleaning is suitable or not they will provide an honest answer.
Forensic Detailing Channel nice thank you👍
Great vid! i know this opened a couple of my friends eyes! :) mine to! so thank you for this! and all the other videos! your Great! :D
What about cleaning leather with a steamer?
Will the protector leave any shine?
No
Great video as always Jon!!!!!!! Very informative as always. Greetings from LA, California 😎😎😎😎😎👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
this is some interesting stuff!
Very helpful :)
Can these techniques & products be applied to a leather sofa?
Gavin Vaughan I think it can but you want to make sure its suitable for that type of leather
yes, colourlock are not just automotive and have videos on their website the explain furniture leather maintainance.
Ok, great.
what about vinegar?
Please get a mic, it will sound much better.
you send me a lavel mic that can match the quality of the videomic pro and do the dubbing for me and I might make the move.
Hey sorry if i sound rude. I love your video and watched most of them. Is it possible to get a wireless lavel mic and feed into your camera line in. So no dubbing needed
That's a Volvo seat if I have ever seen one.
One person i dont trust John at Clean and shiny!!!
thats gotta be said in jest right graham :)
Absolutely lol suppose tone doesnt come accross when behind a keyboard lol.
It might be good but £9 postage on my cart or £70 is a no Jon. I’ll use swissvax