Dirty, dirty leather...

JaredPointer

JaredPointer

COME AT ME BRO
I am having some difficulty in cleaning up the leather on the Ford Explorer I am taking care of. I have tried several cleaners that I have on hand, but none seem to be getting the leather as clean as I think it could be.

Either I am not using the right tool for the job, or the leather is just not going to clean up any better than I am getting it. Best option so far has been an APC mix with a soft toothbrush. Anyone got any ideas as to something I can pick up before the end of the week to get this stuff clean?

Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer leather - the only trouble I am having is with the light beige leather in the middle parts of the seat.

Why on earth would they make such a light colored leather to go in a truck? :D
 
I don't know if you have access to one or not, but on extremely dirty leather I use a steamer, it melts away at the dirt...

I found the Zymol leather cleaner to be pretty strong, I usually use that followed up with a conditioner.
 
JP have you tried strengthening the APC a little bit? When I can't get seats clean I bust out the PC with a soft brush attachment. That always does the trick. If you have a PC give it a try. Sometimes I find that you need to remove a little of the dye in the seat to really get the look you want. It's not the smartest idea but it has always worked well for me.
 
I made a great deal of progress with these seats last night. I called in my brother, who is a COIN-A-SEWER (haha to Stephan) of Ford vehicles. He's had probably 7 or 8 in the past few years, so I decided to see what route he took with this leather. he brought over some stuff, but we really made progress with Lexol leather cleaner (in the orange bottle), a surgical fingernail scrubber and a wet microfiber. Other than the dye being worn off in places, we got the front two seats practically new looking. The backs are a little different story due to children and pets, but they look a lot better. I appreciate everyone who chimed in.
 
No problem JP. Hows the rest of the clunker comming along with the detail? Did you pick an LSP to use?
 
9D4E420 said:
No problem JP. Hows the rest of the clunker comming along with the detail? Did you pick an LSP to use?
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It's coming. It's taking me a while to get it complete having to do it between work and childcare, but I will have it finished in plenty of time. I am leaning towards the Collinite, but I still have in mind the Zaino also. I would go with 4* UPP because I think it looks great and is slick, but I don't think it's as durable as either the Z or Collinite. I still have a couple of days to decide. :)
 
I hired a detailer some years back to help me with a car that I could not finish myself due to an injury...anyway he used his extractor on the leather seats...sprayed the solution on let set and then sucked up that water...I was taken back by this, but it worked...on leather as bad as you are playing with I would have tried it
 
As far as extractors go - what do you think of the Little Green Machine Pro? I can get one at Wally World for 60-70 bones. Is this a good machine or would I be better off with a big wet/dry vac? I tried to search around for it, but there's not too much to be found that is current. Most of the stuff I found was a few years ago post-wise.
 
JaredPointer said:
As far as extractors go - what do you think of the Little Green Machine Pro? I can get one at Wally World for 60-70 bones. Is this a good machine or would I be better off with a big wet/dry vac? I tried to search around for it, but there's not too much to be found that is current. Most of the stuff I found was a few years ago post-wise.
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Its ok for small spot cleaning, but I wouldn't recommend using it for a whole interior...first at least for me it never had the lift required to fully remove what the machine puts down...I always found the upholestry and rugs were left damp...

Unless you go to a commercial grade extractor the wet/dry shop vacs do just fine...although my only problem with the wet dry vacs is the hose size, its just too cumbersome when you are trying to work inside a car...

Again just my two cents.
 
JaredPointer said:
As far as extractors go - what do you think of the Little Green Machine Pro? I can get one at Wally World for 60-70 bones. Is this a good machine or would I be better off with a big wet/dry vac? I tried to search around for it, but there's not too much to be found that is current. Most of the stuff I found was a few years ago post-wise.
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I like the machine. I've had mine for a few years. It's served me well. IME, I've been able to get more dirt out of carpets with it than my shop vac. If you're doing the whole interior, I'd suggest blocking some time off and working from the middle out, so you dont kneel on wet floor. Plan on the floor still being a little wet when you're done.
 
JaredPointer said:
As far as extractors go - what do you think of the Little Green Machine Pro? I can get one at Wally World for 60-70 bones. Is this a good machine or would I be better off with a big wet/dry vac? I tried to search around for it, but there's not too much to be found that is current. Most of the stuff I found was a few years ago post-wise.
Click to expand...


The LGM is OK for smaller jobs but its got some draw backs.....the solution and recovery tanks are small so you are changing those a lot...the hose is short so you have to keep moving the machine around...and the lift is OK but I still had to go over with the shop vac in the end just to get more water out...that said bang for the buck its a decent extractor that you will use in the car and house....I had one for two years before it broke, but I got the miles out of mine in that time...mine was the heated model.
 
Beemerboy said:
The LGM is OK for smaller jobs but its got some draw backs.....the solution and recovery tanks are small so you are changing those a lot...the hose is short so you have to keep moving the machine around...and the lift is OK but I still had to go over with the shop vac in the end just to get more water out...that said bang for the buck its a decent extractor that you will use in the car and house....I had one for two years before it broke, but I got the miles out of mine in that time...mine was the heated model.
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Good point on the hose length...on SUV's you will find yourself having to place the LGM inside the vehicle...
 
When Megiuars was producing their line of detail brushes i purchased a interior one that has some nice bristles and use it with their Aloe Cleaner Works great. I personally scrub the heck out of my leather with it.
 
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