Leather conditioning

As David said, I use a wringed out terry cloth towel. Usually a good scrubing with the towel takes care of most of the dirt and grime problems. My big thing with the towel is to clean the steering wheel on the drive home. When at a light, I will pick a section of the wheel and go over it a couple of times with the towel. Repeat at every light and the wheel is usually clean by the time you get home. Just don't go overboard in any one section at any one time or you might damage the coating.



Being in SoFl, I recomend against conditioning, but have heard others in drier climates say they have needed it. Still not sure how the conditioner would get through the top coat.



One of the big things these days are the protectors. I guess they are kind of like Scotch guard for leather. I haven't really tested any of them. I think JudyB has one and Stahl has a new one. I have some Stahl samples if David ever wants to drop by and pick them up.
 
For the cleaning aspect I had good results with 3D LVP(diluted 1:10) using a Horse Hair Brush, using a towel was just a pain for me.
 
David Fermani said:
To reinterate my point in a general kind of way; if a mainstream conditioner treatment is used, and you are regularly cleaning to surface to eleminate dirt abrasion, will the use of said conditioner cause any premature avoidable wear?
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I do not think there is any real evidence that is does degrade or cause premature wear. The FUD is about whose product is best and the marketing associated with it. The seat will get wear (maybe confused as premature) by actually sitting on it (getting in and out of the car).



We just have to look at all the threads between Roger and Judy on leather care products.
 
I understand the using a damp towel to re-hydrate the "coating" on the leather and all, but it's hard for me to think I'm leaving it "protected" I guess, if there is really a true protection to be had. The Megs cleaner and conditioner spray I've used does a great job at cleaning and I've always thought that it's protecting it too, but I never really thought about what it is really protecting it against. My main thing it to prevent drying, cracking, wrinkling, and fading. If just a damp towel by itself it the best way to do all those things, then hey that's great! If not, can we get a definitive answer as to what will? And personal experience, opinions are appreciated, not just encyclopedia/dictionary/wikipedia type posts that don't offer personal experiences.
 
Oils and soft plastics i.e. polymers, acrylics and urethanes are not compatible; repeated application on to finished leather can cause the break-down of cross-linking and binding agents. Oil accelerates the deterioration of urethane over time. After extended use the condition of the finished leathers pigmentation (colour) will be removed by the oil causing the urethane protection to become delaminated
 
TOGWT said:
Oils and soft plastics i.e. polymers, acrylics and urethanes are not compatible; repeated application on to finished leather can cause the break-down of cross-linking and binding agents. Oil accelerates the deterioration of urethane over time. After extended use the condition of the finished leathers pigmentation (colour) will be removed by the oil causing the urethane protection to become delaminated
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Thanks! When you say oils, are there oils in most if not all leather conditioners? Specifically the Megs cleaner and conditioner spray? Or some specific oil for leather?
 
RZJZA80 said:
Thanks! When you say oils, are there oils in most if not all leather conditioners? Specifically the Megs cleaner and conditioner spray? Or some specific oil for leather?
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Most conditioners are oil-based this is based upon the nitrocellulose lacquer that was used on older technology leather finishes on classic vehicles that required oils to keep them from becoming too brittle and cracking. Many oils have been / are used for leather (fish, sperm whale, and etc) I would go as far as to say that apart for the original tanning oils (fat liquoring) used there are no specific oils that are 'good' for finished leather, in fact the very opposite is true.



Even water-based products contain trace amounts of oil for surface lubrication.



I don’t know how Meguiars leather care products are formulated, I don’t use them, not because they are not good products, it’s just that they are not my preference ( if you read any of the articles on leather care Leather Masters is my product of predilection
 
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