removing Aerospace 303 from leather seats

[PoorOwner]

I have coated beige leather in my new car.

I had put Aerospace 303 on the seats and armrest, headrest.



I was told the 303 is not the best product for it that it will stop hydration, stiff seats etc.

I bought the leather master cream, after my research this is a better product in many ways.



I would like to remove the 303 without any harsh detergent, the seats do not need cleaning right now,

Is a wipe down with wet MF towel good enough prep for it? Since the 303 is water based.

 

[Dan]

303 is some stout stuff, I'm not sure a regular leather cleaner will get it off. You'll need something like LM strong.



That said, you are worrying about nothing, 303 isn't going to make your leather crumble.

 

[Legacy]

I agree, just let it wear off and then use the Leather Master. IMO you would be better off just keeping your seats clean with a mild cleaner.

303 is some stout stuff, I'm not sure a regular leather cleaner will get it off. You'll need something like LM strong.



That said, you are worrying about nothing, 303 isn't going to make your leather crumble.

 

[Ron Ketcham]

A good bit of dwell time with any quality all purpose cleaner will break the resin of the product so it wipes off.

That said, since the poster does not share information of what the brand of vehicle they have or it's age, most pro's will assume it is a coated leather, so no matter if it stays on or not. It is not going to do anything other than aid in keeping off body oils (most damaging of what can get on it normally) or normal dirt/soil.

These are cleaned off with a good all purpose cleaner as well.

Grumpy

 

[PoorOwner]

A good bit of dwell time with any quality all purpose cleaner will break the resin of the product so it wipes off.

That said, since the poster does not share information of what the brand of vehicle they have or it's age, most pro's will assume it is a coated leather, so no matter if it stays on or not. It is not going to do anything other than aid in keeping off body oils (most damaging of what can get on it normally) or normal dirt/soil.

These are cleaned off with a good all purpose cleaner as well.

Grumpy

Yes it is coated.

I am interested in the leather master because it is supposed to guard against dye and stain better. I know it is not stain proof but I don't mind having a bit of protection.



Someone on another forum told me the aerospace will clog the pores and stop it from breathing and hydrating, and told me to use a fluoro-carbon nano jargon. Even on coated leather.

 

[David Fermani]

I'd put some APC into a bucket of water and wipe the interior down to remove this product. I seriously doubt it will harm your interior finish. It's just not needed. LM Protection Cream is fine, but I wouldn't bet that it will do that much for stains/dye transfer.



Just down a regular wet towel wipedown of your interior and you'll be fine. DON'T wait for it to get dirty to clean it. Be pro-active and your interior will stay looking great for years.....

 

[togwt]

There is a great deal of conflicting information on leather care being put out by leather experts themselves who use baffling pseudo scientific techno speak as another marketing ploy, which makes it difficult to find a definitive, unbiased answer. Here is one definitive truth –you are dealing with the leathers finish, not the hide itself. The use of oils, replacement of fat liquor, oil-based conditioning, proteins or the adjustment of pH levels is totally unnecessary; the surface is a urethane that contains pigmentation (colour) it neither needs or benefits from any of the above



You might find this information useful- “Proper Finished Leather Cleaning and Care” - http://www.autopia.org/forum/guide-detailing/136421-proper-finished-leather-cleaning-care.html

 

[David Fermani]

Definately conflicting info, but one good thing is that I've noticed more and more people on various forums prescribing the use of water as a regular cleaner which I feel is a great step in the right direction. Look back a few years ago and so much more BS was given.

 

[togwt]

Yes it is coated.

I am interested in the leather master because it is supposed to guard against dye and stain better. I know it is not stain proof but I don't mind having a bit of protection.



Someone on another forum told me the aerospace will clog the pores and stop it from breathing and hydrating, and told me to use a fluoro-carbon nano jargon. Even on coated leather.

Fluro carbons are mainly used as an aerosol propellant, which atomizes liquids.



303 will not prevent finished leather hydration (transpiration and evaporation of moisture) although it coats the leather with a thin film, it will not seal it per se. As has been suggested one of the Leather Master (Strong or Soft) cleaners will remove it from the surface.

 

[akimel]

I have coated leather seats in my S2K. I use Leather Master to clean them. I typically apply 303 Protectant to them at my spring detail. I keep the top down a lot during the summer, so I figure a little protection from the UV rays is helpful. I certainly have not noticed any damage to the seats. I wouldn't worry about it. Just clean your leather seats periodically with your Leather Master, and all will be well.



FWIW, the now defunct 303 FAQ had the following to say about the use of 303 on coated leather:

What does 303 do for leather?



303 Aerospace Protectant works on Finished Leather. "Finished Leather" is dyed the desired color and finished so it does not readily absorb water or other liquids. Auto upholstery and furniture are almost always finished leather. Absorbent leathers include deerskin, suede and chamois. If a drop of rain soaks in and makes a dark spot, it's absorbent leather and 303 Protectant is NOT for absorbent leather!



303 Aerospace Protectant softens hardening leather and leaves a natural, lustrous, repellent, non-oily finish. Similar to vinyl, finished leather is degraded by sweat, body oils, suntan and other oils & lotions. (Two extreme examples of this are tack (horse leathers) and exercise equipment. Before there was vinyl, the leather on exercise equipment was quickly destroyed by sweat and body oils. Now, sweat and body oils cause the vinyl to prematurely fail.)



303's super-repellent finish is crucial when it comes to finished leather. Besides protecting against sweat, body oils and lotions, 303'd leather is almost impervious to water & oil based staining agents. The major benefit is UV screening. 303 is the most powerful UV screening formulation is very effective on the dyes used in finished leather.

 

[PoorOwner]

thanks alot guys for clearing things up!

 

[SSizzlin']

I use Mothers VLR to clean and maintain my coated leather. Seems to work great.

 

[SSizzlin']

The use of oils, replacement of fat liquor, oil-based conditioning, proteins or the adjustment of pH levels is totally unnecessary; the surface is a urethane that contains pigmentation (colour) it neither needs or benefits from any of the above



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So, neat’s-foot oil and lanolin, are pretty much worthless on finished leather?

 

[togwt]

[So, neat’s-foot oil and lanolin, are pretty much worthless on finished leather? ]



Modern automotive leather upholstery use a completely different tanning processes and finishing system, utilizing advanced polymers and chemicals (urethane doesn’t require conditioning or rejuvenation) and as a consequence they do not need to be treated with aftercare products containing oils or proteins. Oils and soft plastics (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.

 

[SSizzlin']

[So, neat’s-foot oil and lanolin, are pretty much worthless on finished leather? ]



Modern automotive leather upholstery use a completely different tanning processes and finishing system, utilizing advanced polymers and chemicals (urethane doesn’t require conditioning or rejuvenation) and as a consequence they do not need to be treated with aftercare products containing oils or proteins. Oils and soft plastics (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.

Thanks.



What's the best way to keep brand new(daily driven) finished leather soft and prevent cracking?



Id Optimum Leather Protectant a good product for finished leather?

 

[togwt]

[Is Optimum Leather Protectant a good product for finished leather?]

Yes, OPT products will work fine on finished leather



[What's the best way to keep brand new(daily driven) finished leather soft and prevent cracking?]



1. Clean - there are two cleaning-related factors that can cause your leather to wear prematurely. The first is dirt, and the second is oil, combined they become very abrasive, as dirt / grit and subsequent friction cause the finish to wear



2. Hydrate – when leather tanner’s talk about conditioning leather they are referring to its moisture content, re-hydration is used to restore or maintain fluid balance (transpiration and evaporation of moisture); not the replenishment or replacement of the fat liquoring, oils and / or waxes.



3. Protect - is essential as it will protect the surface finish, without hindering transpiration, while acting as a sacrificial layer; this way you are not actually cleaning the Leather's original surface, but cleaning from the surface of the protection. It also makes dirt easier to clean off



3a. Ultra violet (UV) protection - 303® Aerospace Protectant is water-based and will provide invaluable ultra violet (UV) radiation protection against photo degradation (fading); especially in a roadster or convertible vehicles, steering wheels and dashboards. It doesn’t contain silicones, so it won't attract and capture dust. You should apply to a clean surface (it doesn’t contain any cleaning agents) It will not prevent finished leather hydration (transpiration and evaporation of moisture) as it’s water-based, although it coats the leather with a micro fine coating; it will not seal it per se.



Note: this product does NOT air dry. Use a second dry cloth to finish the application process. Extra buffing with at dry cloth increases bonding, repellence and durability

 

[Roger Koh]

What's the best way to keep brand new(daily driven) finished leather soft and prevent cracking?

Take at a look at this beautiful leather.



Picture #2 shows cracking at the stitching holes, towards the right – due to drying of the leather moisture content (fat, oil and water) – loses its tensile strength – nothing can be done now – but could be prevented from leather-safe cleaning products pH ranges from 3 to 5 – and periodic hydrating and fatliquor replenishing it would have help prevented these cracking or splitting or tearing.



In real life leather is not molded as one piece without the weak points, but has stitching and perforated holes – these are where you need to pay special attention.



Stain like prints from a plastic bag can be removed by the revolutionized “reverse transferring” technique result shown in Picture #1 with no problem.



But once leather is dried stiff – it will surely crack – leather-safe preventive care is the only solution – with constant periodic fatliquor replenishing is one of the answers – rejuvenating the leather structure through the weak points to keep it supple and strong.



The remaining surface, I agree is almost trouble free!



Even seemingly impossible stains are removed leather-safe, without the need to color touch-up them.





#3

#2

#1

Roger Koh

info@leatherdoctor.com

 

[togwt]

Interesting.



Is Rolls Royce upholstery finished leather?