Leather Seat Conditioning

[ibmaxx]

Can anybody with experience tell the ups or downs of conditioning perforated leather on the seats. It seems to me putting on liquid conditioner will ooze in to the holes and relocate on to your pants/dress. Putting on gel conditioner (which I use effectively on current cars) would tend to block the holes and then also relocate on to pants/dress. This is a close up of the Stinger seat so you can see what I am talking about -

I don't want to block air circulation, don't want melted heated oil gel on my gear and don't want to stuff up the holes. Anybody?

 

[Chris]

I use Meguiars Leather FOAM, the trick is to never apply anything directly to the seats. This applies even if the seats are not perforated. Put it on a clean microfiber cloth, rub it in to the cloth so it is evenly applied to the cloth first and then use the cloth to apply it to the seats.. if it is not hot outside turn on the seat heaters and leave them on for a while to help it dry.

 

[BIGRED]

I have the perforated leather seats in my 2011 Optima SX. I’ve never conditioned the seats for fear of negatively affecting the ventilated seats. Today my seats are still like new. I don’t recommend messing with the leather seats.

 

[Euljiro1ga]

Hum... there's two camps on leather in modern cars among the detailers out there. It seems like the majority do not really treat leather as leather but a form of plastic, due to the coating manufacturers put on the leather these days. I personally care for my leather using all-purpose cleaner and interior detailing spray (Carpro PERL to be precise) as a 'conditioner'.

So, back to your question - first thing first, no matter what you do, there's always going to be some product going through the holes. And that's precisely what you want - 'through' the holes and not clog the holes as you mentioned. What I personally do is I use liquid 'conditioner' and cleaner, not thick wax or gel that may become stuck in the holes. Secondly, to minimize product going through the holes, I spray the products on the microfiber then wipe, never spray directly on the seats.

That's my take.

By the way, this may be a good thread for the detailing section, @Kia Stinger.

 

[Kia Stinger]

Thank you, sir - thread moved. I've been curious about this in the past as well. The thing is - I just don't condition my seats. Ever. I've had leather perforated seats since, I don't know, 2003 or so - and I've never done anything but sit on them - and they've always appeared new...

 

[Euljiro1ga]

Thank you, sir - thread moved. I've been curious about this in the past as well. The thing is - I just don't condition my seats. Ever. I've had leather perforated seats since, I don't know, 2003 or so - and I've never done anything but sit on them - and they've always appeared new...

That's precisely what the coating manufacturers put on the leather in modern cars were meant for - making it super easy to maintain.

I think as long as you keep them clean, there's no need to get those expensive leather conditioners for the seats. I treat leather the same way as other plastic trims.

 

[ibmaxx]

Thanks guys for your responses. Yes, not conditioning does no harm at all as I know from not doing it on an older car and the seats still looked unmarked just like the back seats which had no wear. However after conditioning for years the front seats obtain a lustre which in fact makes them look better than new and since I use armor-all on the vinyl and non soft touch plastics all over the interior the overall effect is remarkable. Only the 'as new' back seats look out of place but they sit under a tailor made seat cover anyway.
I will go with the microfibre and spray liquid or foam I think and keep the gel for the other car.
Thanks again all.

 

[Kia Stinger]

after conditioning for years the front seats obtain a lustre which in fact makes them look better than new

Ya know... I wonder if this is because the coating on top of the leather has worn off after all that conditioning... I can imagine that making the leather softer and appear more natural... And better!

 

[ibmaxx]

Ya know... I wonder if this is because the coating on top of the leather has worn off after all that conditioning... I can imagine that making the leather softer and appear more natural... And better!

Yes I wonder that too. Much sitting as well softens the leather, you know , like shoes get broken in and shoe polish improves elasticity and preserves. I think all 3 combined meaning conditioning + use + gradual removal of factory coating is the optimum and it is a rewarding task.

 

[Stinger GT SS]

I had leather protection applied as a package through my dealer with paint protection, I don’t believe it will be needed again. My previous cars with leather were done like this with no problems.

 

[Tazztattoo]

Can anybody with experience tell the ups or downs of conditioning perforated leather on the seats. It seems to me putting on liquid conditioner will ooze in to the holes and relocate on to your pants/dress. Putting on gel conditioner (which I use effectively on current cars) would tend to block the holes and then also relocate on to pants/dress. This is a close up of the Stinger seat so you can see what I am talking about -
View attachment 1851
I don't want to block air circulation, don't want melted heated oil gel on my gear and don't want to stuff up the holes. Anybody?

I just used this OAKWOOD kit and was very impressed:

Oakwood Leather Care Complete Protection Pack - Supercheap Auto

Its not expensive at $30 and is more of a wax like substance which you apply with the supplied microfibre cloth and I can confirm you will have absolutely no issues with clogging the perforations in the leather as long as you spread it on the cloth first. It goes on easily and doesn't leave the leather greasy or shiny but just hydrates it to help the nappa to soften. It also comes with a first stage cleaner and a set of wipes to keep in the glove box for accidental spills on the road.

Also as I have the red nappa to prevent stains I will also be applying Gyeon Q2 Leather Shield. Maybe not as essential for black leather but again not an expensive product at $60 to prevent more costly cleaning in the future.

https://www.carcareproducts.com.au/product/gyeon/q2_leather_shield

 

[PA_RN]

I use Chemical Guys Sprayable Leather Cleaner and Conditioner all in one. I spray a small amount on a microfiber and make sure its spread evenly on the cloth before cleaning. Small amount of product goes a long way and if cleaned regularly the dirt doesn't get built up to the point it needs brushed or a harsher cleaning. I had no issues with the ventilated seats on my last car doing this. Helps keep the leather soft and supple as well.
Chemical Guys - Sprayable Leather Cleaner & Conditioner in One (16 oz) or http://a.co/3KWaYq1

Also a quality window tint can help protect the leather from UV ray especially if you have to park outside frequently. Already lined up my tint for the sides and rear and am looking for a shop locally to do a 80% or 90% for the windshield just for the UV rejection.

 

[RaskyR1]

I'm on the side of the camp that agrees with leather experts that say modern coated leather in today's cars don't need conditioning. All our coated leather needs to stay looking good and soft is regular cleaning with a water based cleaner. A protective product can be applied to help fight against dye transfer, but most leather conditioners on the market today contain oils and waxes which can't penetrate the urethane top coat and end up sitting on the surface attracting dust and dirt, which is what accelerates wear.

My suggestion is to use a water based cleaner like Leather Masters Strong Cleaner and follow it with Leather Masters Protection Cream. These products maintain the factory look and feel with no added gloss or slickness.

There are also coatings for leather, much like the ceramic coatings for paint, but I'm on the fence about using these. While they do work well, they can't be polished off like a coating can on paint if the application goes wrong. For this reason alone I tend to steer more towards regular cleaning with the above mentioned products.

FWIW I've been detailing for 28 years.

 

[Eugene Onegin]

Lexol quick care .

 

[ibmaxx]

I just used this OAKWOOD kit and was very impressed:

Oakwood Leather Care Complete Protection Pack - Supercheap Auto

Its not expensive at $30 and is more of a wax like substance which you apply with the supplied microfibre cloth and I can confirm you will have absolutely no issues with clogging the perforations in the leather as long as you spread it on the cloth first. It goes on easily and doesn't leave the leather greasy or shiny but just hydrates it to help the nappa to soften. It also comes with a first stage cleaner and a set of wipes to keep in the glove box for accidental spills on the road.

Also as I have the red nappa to prevent stains I will also be applying Gyeon Q2 Leather Shield. Maybe not as essential for black leather but again not an expensive product at $60 to prevent more costly cleaning in the future.

https://www.carcareproducts.com.au/product/gyeon/q2_leather_shield

I also use Oakwood now and very impressed. Just the hydrating cream though. Screw Super Cheap Auto as here they charge $26.00 per tube and the supermarket has it for $10.00. I first used Armor-All wipes to clean.

 

[dashnell]

What about treating for sunscreen stains? My wife haphazardly slathers sunscreen on and stained the leatherette in my Sportage to a faded gray-green on the bolsters. I'm worried the same thing could happen to the black Nappa leather in my new Stinger. Any advice on protecting it against sunscreen?

 

[Kazz]

I would think a good leather protectant product might keep that at bay if used often enough.