Used Lexol conditioner and it left streaks when it dried.

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david328ci

New member
I just detailed the interior of 2003 m3 using lexol leather cleaner and conditioner. When the conditioner dried, it left some streaks. Some areas of the leather look glossier than others. I'm very dissappointed. This is the first time that I've used conditioner on my car. I thought I could give the leather a good start on life, but now it looks like it's go water steaks all over it. :mad:



Any way to fix this? Switch to a different leather conditioner?
 
Your leather seats probably have a polymer/vinyl finish. Put a drop of water on an inconspicuous spot. If it is absorbed, it is not sealed, and should be treated as leather. If it beads, and I'll bet it does, treat it as vinyl. That is: clean with an APC, and finish with a protectorant such as 303 (UV protection)



Save the Lexol for your Leather jacket...



Jim
 
Try buffing the seat again. Sometimes if too much conditioner is applied it leaves a haze. The leather can only absorb so much conditioner. The unabsorbed stuff lays on top.
 
When I used the Lexol for the first time I also noticed streaking, jonw440's comment is correct. You will probably have to use a separate cloth to lightly buff the seats after applying the lexol. It should leave a satin finish with no streaks once it's been wiped down.



It worked great on my seats, just didn't care for the smell. Luckily the smell wears off in three days.



If indeed your leather is painted I've found the Meguiars Gold Class Leather Cleaner/Conditioner Cream to be the best. It brings back the stock appearance and keeps the leather soft. The only problem is if you have pinholes in your leather it is a major PITA to get it out of the holes.



Good luck and sweet car!:up
 
Ok, I'm a bit confused by this thread. Are most newer cars with leather interiors treated with a sealant and should be cared for like a vinyl? Making Lexol the wrong product to use...?
 
No Lexol is fine to use. I use it all the time as I love how soft/supple it makes the leather. If you are getting streaking, maybe you didn't apply enough? More likely, though, you applied a lot and didn't buff it. I usually give it about 20 minutes to set in and then buff the seats with a terry towel. I find Lexol to leave a very non-shiny surface. Although sometimes products work differently on different cars. Maybe it just isn't the best on your leather. But I'd give it another try first. Also, did you clean the leather first? You don't have to if it is clean, but the conditioner isn't made to clean.
 
Vinyl seats in a BMW?:scared

German cars have some of the best leather you can park your butt on!

Dont get me wrong... they may have vinyl seats but I would hope they were leather. Smell them, they should smell good. (Just dont let anybody see you sniffing the seats) My Wife cought me giving my 911 a kiss goodnight. my 911 one night

Women just dont get the connection with guys and there cars......
 
UPDATE:



When I went to my car this morning, the steaks had faded significantly, and by the time I got out of work at around 7 pm. The streaks were completely gone. Looks pretty good, too bad it took almost a whole day for the stuff to evaporate.
 
AFAIK both Nappa leather in your M3 and more common Montana leather in other bimmers are clear coated (name top coat is also used) with a protective coating.

The coating still has pores that will allow conditioner to be absorbed but at a much slower rate (may explain some streaking).

I wouldn't make a habit of using conditioner more than a few times a year as some say it may degrade the coating with time.



I treat leather in my car with 303 Aerospace Protectant on regular basis, like every 2 -3 weeks and condition it 2-3 times a year. IMO the key in leather care is keeping it clean, I make a habit of wiping entire interior including seats with damp microfiber towel every couple days and thoroughly clean it with a cleaner prior to conditioning.



You will encounter streaking with many other products if your application is incorrect.

To apply conditioner I use terry cotton pads, I let it seat for 20-30 minutes and wipe it with a clean towel. If you still notice some streaking go over it with a slightly damp towel.

To apply 303 you can use cotton pads but I prefer foam pads since it's not as thick as conditioner and foam applicator gives me even coverage. Remember to never spray anything directly onto surface.



Give 303 a try, it's perfect for BMWs as it will provide that non glossy factory finish on both dash and seats, I guarantee you'll love it.
 
Lexol is great; I use it on my car. The reason why you see streaks after conditioning the seats is because you didn't buff the seats with a dry cloth. I had the same on my seats when I cleaned/conditioned them yesterday. The instructions on the back of the bottle make note of that as well. Leather can only absorb so much from the conditioner, so the rest has to be wiped off after the leather is given a few minutes to absorb some conditioner.



Hope this helps.
 
Dr. Jones said:
Do conditioners like Lexol have any effect on coated leather? How do you remove the small cracks in coated leather?
Click to expand...



Based on my observation they do make leather softer.

Top coat will allow some of the conditioner to go through, the problem is that it may do some harm to the coating if used too often.



I assume that you're talking about LX 470, are you sure that leather cracked? You see I have a simlar problem on wife's RX300 and I've seen it on other Lexus cars but it's not leather that cracked but the finish only. You see some manufacturers (mostly japanese and some domestic) use a spray on dye, basicaly paint leather instead of dyeing it through (german cars). What I see on my car is that color coating peeling off. I took care of that seat since new, it was never neglected so I don't see any other explanation than poor manufacturing. AFAIK the only way to fix it is to use a filler and a dye from Leatherique but it seems like PITA.
 
My father in law has LX470 and leather in his car is a little better than in mine, I haven't noticed cracking in his car yet.



Try to clean the seat where the cracks are and take a closer look to see what they actually are.
 
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