Leather brush?

[Evenflow]

Hey all,



I usually clean my leather with dedicated cleaner/terry towel. But the terry towel usually grabs at the leather because of the product. What is everyone using to clean their leather?



I am picking up Leatherique, and am thinking about picking up a boar hair brush as well instead of using at terry towel.

 

[imported_beachwolverine]

IIRC, I believe a brush came with my Leatherique kit. I understand the reason for boar's hair on paint, but it seems like overkill on leather to me.

 

[David Fermani]

I use a horse hair brush made for leather. Firm yet delicate.

 

[Accumulator]

I use a horse hair brush made for leather. Firm yet delicate.

Once again, David and I use the same approach



Yeah, the brush I use for leather is considerably firmer/different from the BHBs I use on paint. IIRC I got mine from Griot's, which is the simple but expensive way to buy such things. Brushes used for this job last forever though, so you wouldn't need a new one for well over a decade (mine's older than that and still like new; the horsehair brushes I use on leather footwear are over *50* years old and will be good for another few generations of users- good brushes for this just don't wear out).



I do use a cut-down, paintbrush-style BHB for some tight spots and areas that need more aggressive scrubbing. Shortening the bristels (and cutting off the gentle, flagged tips) made this BHB *much* stiffer than BHBs usually are...gotta be a little careful on the upholstery's stitching though.

 

[imported_advs1]

I use a horse hair brush made for leather. Firm yet delicate.

i'm going to go shave my wifes horse, hehehe probably get like 10 brushes

 

[David Fermani]

Once again, David and I use the same approach



Yeah, the brush I use for leather is considerably firmer/different from the BHBs I use on paint. IIRC I got mine from Griot's, which is the simple but expensive way to buy such things. Brushes used for this job last forever though, so you wouldn't need a new one for well over a decade (mine's older than that and still like new; the horsehair brushes I use on leather footwear are over *50* years old and will be good for another few generations of users- good brushes for this just don't wear out).

We keep running into things we do the same. :lol



I've had my brush for about 10 years too. It's just like the day I bought it. Does yours have a white handle like this one:

 

[imported_sal3291]

David where did you get those brushes?

 

[Quality Leather]

I use a 3M delicate duty scuff pad. I was in Target yesterday and they sell them as well as the grocery store.

 

[Evenflow]

I use a 3M delicate duty scuff pad. I was in Target yesterday and they sell them as well as the grocery store.

No targets around these area. Any other place sell them? How would that work with Leatherique? Coat the scuff pad with product and clean?

 

[imported_sal3291]

I use a 3M delicate duty scuff pad. I was in Target yesterday and they sell them as well as the grocery store.

Not to be a jerk but you say you use the 3M pad? I always read you referring people to thee pads but then you also mentioned you have never used these pads in another post and that you get your pads from a janitorial supplier?

http://www.autopia.org/forum/detail...-leather-cleaner-conditioner-leatherique.html

 

[Accumulator]

.. Does [your leather brush] have a white handle like this..

Nah, mine is a little palm-sized rectangular thing with a beige plastic handle, not a good sized head-plus-handle design like yours.

 

[Bigpoppa3346]

Right now I'm using a Swissvax leather brush. It is, like most Swissvax products, overpriced, $10 and the thing is 4 and 3/4" long by 1 and 1/2" wide (which I guess is a good size for nooks and crannys, although I was expecting something more substantial looking). The bristles (sp?) are fraying after only a few months of use, but it works well, did a nice job on dirty Bentley leather yesterday combined with Woolite/water at 8:1.

 

[Quality Leather]

No targets around these area. Any other place sell them? How would that work with Leatherique? Coat the scuff pad with product and clean?

Ummm, how about a grocery store?



I just spray my cleaner on the leather and start scrubbing. Wipe with a clean towel.

 

[Quality Leather]

Not to be a jerk but you say you use the 3M pad? I always read you referring people to thee pads but then you also mentioned you have never used these pads in another post and that you get your pads from a janitorial supplier?

http://www.autopia.org/forum/detail...-leather-cleaner-conditioner-leatherique.html

Well, I wouldn't take offense if you would have quoted me correctly. Here is what I said:

I believe that is it. I see them at the grocery store and they are marked delicate duty. I usually just look for the white pad. I actually don't use 3m pads. I found some pads at a local janitorial supply house. I use the ones in this pic on this website http://williamssupplycompany.com/floormaintenance.htm. They are nice and thick. I cut them into like 2 inch squares. A box of five pads costs around $7 and lasts me a long time. I have found that these get into the grain better and lift out the dirt and grime better than anything else. Sometimes you will damage the finish on furniture, so it is best to test it.

Not using the 3M brand ones is a lot different from never having used one. I have used many different pads, but I like the ones I get at the janitor place because a) they are thicker and all pad and b) they are inexpensive. The ones you see at the stores are usually attached to a sponge. I prefer not having a sponge, which is a preference. The ones that Ford used to recommend were bigger and had a sponge. For most people doing their own vehicle, spending $2 on sponges once every six months or so is fine. The post above is in reply to Jay who is a leather repair guy. I was giving him some advice on buying in bulk. This can also apply to the pro detailers. Keeping costs down is one way to become more profitable. Anyway, I say 3M delicate duty white pad, but I think they are now generic like Kleenex or Aspirin. I think all of the white pads have the same abrasiveness like all of the green pads (which are more ubiquitous) whether they are made by 3M or someone else.

 

[Bert]

I use a 3M delicate duty scuff pad. I was in Target yesterday and they sell them as well as the grocery store.

Which department of Target did you see it in? Just the general cleaning supplies? I googled "3M delicate duty scuff pad" to see what the package looks like but nothing came up.

 

[Quality Leather]

Yes, general cleaning with the mops. There with the other household sponges. I guess I should be calling them the Scotch Brite sponges. Here is the link:

Heavy duty, multipurpose and delicate scrubbing sponges from Scotch-Brite

 

[beachcities]

For me it depends on the leather. i think certain brushes are ok on tougher plastic type leathers like gm style leather. but i would not use them on softer napa leather in fine automobiles. i prefer to use a lambswool washmitt. it is able to get into all the areas of the seat, and covers a broad area. i like to use a mild soap. and one thing i learned is to never spray a product directly onto the leather. it leaves a mark where the spray was, like it cleans it too well and looks like water drops on the leather.

 

[Accumulator]

For me it depends on the leather. i think certain brushes are ok on tougher plastic type leathers like gm style leather. but i would not use them on softer napa leather in fine automobiles. i prefer to use a lambswool washmitt..

The leather in my Jag is more delicate than normal (long story involving abuse/neglect by others) and I have to be *very* careful with it. With that in mind (and I don't intend this as an :argue )..



Mitts seem more likely to get surfaces wetter than the brushes, and that's not always what I want. With the brush, I can achieve a somewhat "dry lather" style of cleaning that doesn't oversaturate the leather. And I find it tricky to modulate the pressure with which I use mitts; the minimum pressure applied to the leather is often a bit much. No problem on cars like our Audis, big problem on the Jag.



There are all sorts of brushes, and other than that cut-down BHB, mine are mostly pretty gentle.



My regular leather brush is, if anything, *too gentle* for many jobs (it won't do any "scrubbing" type of cleaning). I'm able to use it more gently on the Jag's leather than any other type of wash media; I just *barely* whisk it across the surface of the leather and it doesn't catch/damage the compromised areas. It's sorta like BHBs used to wash vehicles- used properly, they're often too gentle, which isn't what most people probably expect when they see the word "brush".

 

[Bert]

Yes, general cleaning with the mops. There with the other household sponges. I guess I should be calling them the Scotch Brite sponges. Here is the link:

Heavy duty, multipurpose and delicate scrubbing sponges from Scotch-Brite

Ahhh, I have seen those before, I would have never thought to use them on leather though. I assume you use the one towards the bottom of the screen, I think it was called the delicate duty scrub sponge or someting like that?

 

[Quality Leather]

For me it depends on the leather. i think certain brushes are ok on tougher plastic type leathers like gm style leather. but i would not use them on softer napa leather in fine automobiles. i prefer to use a lambswool washmitt. it is able to get into all the areas of the seat, and covers a broad area. i like to use a mild soap. and one thing i learned is to never spray a product directly onto the leather. it leaves a mark where the spray was, like it cleans it too well and looks like water drops on the leather.

Ummm Beach, I am not sure what you mean by napa leather. There are only two types of leathers - finished and unfinished (suede and aniline). Almost all leathers in autos are finished. Some may have a little less finish applied to them than others, but it is still finished. I seem to remember some Maseratis last year that I worked on having a a very thin coating applied to them. Be that as it may, I still worked on them the same way.





Bert,

Yes, the ones at the bottom are the ones