Best leather cleaner / conditioner?

[Obioban]

I started an experiment yesterday, because this conversation keeps coming up. This is pretty easy for anyone to replicate at home, if they don't believe me.

I took a piece of never used, OE BMW leather (leftover from a hide I bought in ~2006). I made it into a coffee filter shape and secured it it using a random spring perch, with an inspection nipple poking through the bottom. I then slightly filled it with leatherique rejuvenator:



Today, inspecting the nipple from below, it is visibly damp (and you can feel/smell the leatherique) on the rough side of the leather:



I don't believe there's any explanation for this other than the leatherique going through the top coat and leather, to the far side.

Obviously this is a fairly extreme example, as I left a trapped puddle of leatherique on top of the leather, but IMO it pretty conclusively shows that the top coat is meaningfully permeable.

[tnord]

I'm sorry man, but you're just wrong.

[bmw]

please explain how leather with a topcoat can acquire stains.

In most cases, the stain is on the topcoat. I'm not claiming clear coated leather it is 100% impervious, but a 3 day treatment on a non-porous clear coat, probably less than 1% of the product is absorbed. The M3's leather is thickly coated, and beads water with no absorption. Leather conditioner is only effective on non-clear coated leather, which is in some cars made before roughly the 1980s and a very limited number of exotics. That it is is still sold (and at high prices) for modern cars is pretty much snake oil.

[yhp2009]

One has to wonder how much of that top coat still remains after 15-20 years. Especially on the driver seat

[tnord]

You can continue to believe what you want. The top clear coat, if still intact, clearly repels water (see for yourself) and is non-porous. Just because someone said otherwise does not make it true. You would have obtained the same results simply with a thorough cleaning with an APC. They got you for the product and a portion of three days of your time, but if you are happy, that's all that matters.

please explain how leather with a topcoat can acquire stains.

[bmw]

As mentioned earlier in the thread, the top coat is permeable.

I did a 3 day Leatherique treatment on my driver's seat with crap leather a few months ago and it made quite a difference. Because the top coat, it takes time and effort to get results, but it is definitely treatable.

You can continue to believe what you want. The top clear coat, if still intact, clearly repels water (see for yourself) and is non-porous. Just because someone said otherwise does not make it true. You would have obtained the same results simply with a thorough cleaning with an APC. They got you for the product and a portion of three days of your time, but if you are happy, that's all that matters.

[ATB88]

The leather in these cars has a plastic top coat on it, so you are not treating leather and don't and should not use a leather care product as it will just build up on top.
Clean with a microfiber towel and soapy water, or your favorite APC in an appropriate dilution.
Leather care products for 99% of cars are nothing but wasted money.

As mentioned earlier in the thread, the top coat is permeable.

I did a 3 day Leatherique treatment on my driver's seat with crap leather a few months ago and it made quite a difference. Because the top coat, it takes time and effort to get results, but it is definitely treatable.

[bmw]

The leather in these cars has a plastic top coat on it, so you are not treating leather and don't and should not use a leather care product as it will just build up on top.
Clean with a microfiber towel and soapy water, or your favorite APC in an appropriate dilution.
Leather care products for 99% of cars made in the last two to three decades are nothing but wasted money.
These coated seats simply kept clean, not abraded by getting in/out improperly, and kept out of the sun will continue to look brand new.

[tnord]

Leatherique is the best, but also the most work.

Lexol is crap-- worse than nothing IMO. Leaves the leather shiny.

Gliptone gives it a nice matte finish and good smell, but doesn't do much in the way of softening. I tried it fo one year, instead of leatherique (because it's a lot easier to apply), but quickly became unhappy with how much less soft my leather wise.

this is a bit over the top, but Leatherique really is the best. I've used a number of different cleaner/conditioners and it's not even close. I used Leatherique for the first time a couple months ago and the results are fantastic. It did basically take me two days to finish the job, but I removed the seats, did the door cards, rear seats, arm rest and everything. I'll do it again this spring when it warms up.

I would say that using lexol or any other leather treatment is better than nothing, but it does leave an undesirable sheen and slickness behind. I wonder if you left the conditioner on there for a longer period of time like leatherique if it would be more effective.

[Toby22]

Soapy water / diluted simple green


elbow grease

I actually think this is a good method of cleaning heavily greased/dirty seats. Just not something i’d do on a normal basis

[BMWahba]

I pretty much go to Obsessed Garage’s videos for DIY detailing and tips. While everything he does is certainly his opinion, I can at least see if I am liking the results he is getting on camera.

I use leatherique. I believe he may be using something else now.

I switched to his process of the Colourlock and Swissvax leather products and found they do an excellent job, and less invasive as leatherique. It also varies wildly depending on the condition of your leather.

[Bostonbruck]

+1 leatherique. Expensive and time consuming but great results

[James31]

We don't have leather, we have top coat. Even if you were touching the leather, I don't see how something with natural ingredients, that's very diluted, would pose a problem?

We still have leather seats even if it’s top coated. As Ian said, it is permeable which is why leatherique works well. Simple green say it shouldn’t be used on leather as it has harmful ingredients and simply diluting means their is less of a chance to cause damage but a chance non the less. Just my opinion but if it’s working for you and you like it, who am I.

[antknee]

Religiously have been using Leatherique for the last 12-13yrs I’ve owned it 110k now (had it since 40k and prior owner only used Leatherique too)

This pic taken last week...car is parked outside under a car cover 10 of those years

i treat the interior twice a year

[m3nt0s]

I used Lexol the first time I conditioned the leather in my M3 after having used it for years in my S60R where it was the definitive go-to product. Unlike the Volvo’s far softer/thinner/less treated leather, the leather in the M3 didn’t seem to soak it up Lexol same way and I found it would dwell on the surface with an unpleasant sticky feel.

Leatherique on the other hand has very specific application instructions, and I have had great success using it on my M3, and other E46M’s that I regularly detail. The best description I’ve heard is that leatherique leaves a “supple matte” finish when applied correctly. It is time consuming and somewhat pricey, but the 2x 32oz Kit does last a while.

While on the topic of interior products, I’d highly recommend Griot’s Interior Cleaner. I’m in no way affiliated, just impressed with finally finding a great odorless/colorless/residue free cleaner. Not to be confused with their “Interior Detailer” product, which was the exact opposite of the Interior Cleaner.