So what`s everyone like for leather care?

Coleroad- Didn`t see your post when I did my last one on this thread...that`s one CLEAN interior for such a light color, let alone given its age.
 
Accumulator said:
Coleroad- Didn`t see your post when I did my last one on this thread...that`s one CLEAN interior for such a light color, let alone given its age.
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This one of two cars of mine I`ve had since new. The Buick is a 2016, so it should still look great. My other cars are at different degrees of nice. The leather in the jag has cracks in it, but it had so when I bought her. The leather in the Land Rover just doesn`t have that new look. I`m not sure how to describe it. It`s not in bad shape. Having bought the sc430 new I`ve been able to keep it near pristine. So that`s the one I`m proud of, because it was just me that took care of it.
 
Coleroad- That`s some *well deserved* pride IMO!

Cracks in Jag/Connolly leather- The leather in my `85 XJS (the ultimate "Monday or Friday-build" car, just my luck..) cracked almost immediately, they even replaced an arm rest under warranty it was so bad. THEN...there was a huge snafu where it got left outdoors in hot/sunny/awful conditions for an extended period :o Yeah, sigh...you can guess :( but I don`t mind any more (I tell myself that at this point it`s merely patina). The Connolly leather in my `93 Audi has held up infinitely better despite the car having twice the miles and a much harder life (original owner is an elderly lady I know; it was her "Winter Car when in Ohio" so you`d think it`d be kinda bad).

The leather in my beater-Tahoe (purchased in "next stop is either an auction or the wrecking yard" condition and used primarily to haul big dogs) is just TERRIBLY cracked but hasn`t gotten *any* worse despite really hard use over, gee..?how long?..quite a few years now. People thought I`d have to have it replaced, but nope :)

Decent quality leather is often tough stuff; IME the cosmetic condition doesn`t always reflect its functional condition.
 
I finally tried Ultima Interior Guard on my leather seats a few weeks ago after seeing numerous posts over the years that they love the feel it leaves behind. I agree and I like it. Its a feeling that is just right. Feels soft but is not slick at all and at the same time not grabby at all. It sounds like it has some very good protection too regarding UV, repelling spills and it is making anti-bacterial claims now. I am going to try it on the interior vinyl/plastic next.

The products that I have been using:

DG Leather Shampoo
DG Leather Conditioner
Zaino Leather Conditoner
Pinnacle Leather AIO
CG Leather AIO (total crap that I have been trying to use up on freebie details for years)
Megs Qwik Interior Cleaner for occasional wipedown
 
My favorite leather care if not my favorite product of 2017 - Car Pro Leather Coating !

In all disclosure, my primary leather care product is....H20. Just plain water. I`ll use varying degrees of cleaners if NEEDED to remove the dye staining one gets on leather.
With CPL (in which I had huge reservations about sheen, color shift, feel, etc), I still use H20 but I`ve cut down my need of cleaners by about 95% - and I was using some pretty high alkaline cleaners.
 
Honest All-In-One Leather Cleaner. Hands-down the best leather cleaner I have ever used. It`s surprised the hell out of me. But it is pricey.
 
I used Griots 3-1 Leather cream for the first time. Seats were not real dirty, light tan in color. It did make them noticeably cleaner. First and only cleaner I have ever used. It cleaned the seat very nicely, does not leave an oily feeling when done, I like the smell,,, lol it smells like leather. I would recommend it to others.
 
Based on what I read here, I was ready to order Griot`s 3 in 1. However, on the Griot`s site, some reviews mention that it leaves white residue on black leather. Any experience with GG 3 in 1 on black leather?
 
Maintain leather that is clean I like Griots Leather Care Spray. To clean mildly dirty leather I use Meguiars D181 leather cleaner spray then GLCS. Really dirty leather I will usually use Meguiars D101 APC 10:1 or more aggressive if needed.
 
What is everyone using for an applicator when cleaning their leather seats? I currently use a MF pad when working with the McKee`s AIO leather cleaner/conditioner, but always looking for a better way to do things.
 
Desertnate said:
What is everyone using for an applicator when cleaning their leather seats?
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Something that doesn`t lint appreciably or soakup/retain too much product, and that`s light-colored enough that I can see if/when it gets dirty. I don`t really find significant diffs between cotton and MF for this one, other than the usual of MF being more gentle and thus a better choice if something`s really fragile. BHBs would be similar- brushes are great for all sorts of jobs where their bristles beat the nap of a towel/etc. and if you need something really gentle, then you oughta consider them, but most of the time they`re too gentle for my taste.
 
For cleaning I like the foaming Sonax Leather. It`s not expensive and I get good results. I don`t know how "good" it is compared to most others. But it works well for me. I use a MF sponge applicator, CG sells them in like 5 colors, so my brown ones are for leather interior only. I also use my Auto Finesse boars hair brushes a lot to get in the seams and cracks the sponge won`t reach.
 
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