Ask a random sampling of
automotive consumers what single thing most typifies luxury in a car and the
first answer is likely to be leather upholstery, and yet most vehicle owners
are at a complete loss when it comes to the type of leather finish used or how-to
care for it.
Finished Leather
Correct information
regarding the care of leather is scarce, often contradictory, misleading, or
simply wrong. Misinformation can lead to inadvertent damage to your vehicles
leather upholstery; my goal is to present clear, concise, accurate information.
There is a great deal of
conflicting information on leather care being put out by leather experts
themselves who recommend the same products and techniques be used regardless of
the leathers finish or use baffling pseudo-scientific techno speak as another
marketing ploy, Furniture, Motorcycle, Equestrian and Automobile leather are
all different type of leather finishes and require different care. You do need
to understand some of the basic chemistry behind the tanning and finishes
applied to automotive leather to understand how to renovate, clean or care for
it.
All of which makes it
difficult to find a definitive, unbiased answer. Using the correct product is
important in order to protect your car’s interior. If you keep your cars’
interior clean, you can easily save your car for a good couple of years and it
can stay in a ‘like-new’ condition, and maintain a better re-sale value.
Cleanliness is one of the major things buyers look for when purchasing a
vehicle. There are several finished leather upholstery cleaners available,
which need to be used in accordance to the type of finished leather used in for
your vehicles upholstery.
That is why it is
imperative, that if you are concerned about the results you wish to achieve,
you must perform a bit of research into finding the products suitable for your
requirements.
After various meetings and
discussions with leather tanners, their research and development teams,
chemists and fat liquoring formulators and many leather care product
manufacturers I’ve gained an understanding of this versatile material on both a
practical and scientific level.
It had always confounded me
that such a simple subject has been made into something so complicated. I have
always thought that the more facts and information you have at hand the easier
it is to judge what information you are being given. After all, how can you
fully understand and properly use any product unless you have all the facts? In
the final analysis; it’s your vehicle, your hard earned money and your choice
Simple cleaning, hydration
and protection are the three steps that will prolong the life of Micro pigment finished leather. Always pre-test the product on a hidden
area. Shake the foam container thoroughly. Spray the product at a distance of
12 inches from the leather to one section at a time, and allow product to
remain in place for approximately 15 to 30 seconds.
Finished leather doesn’t require conditioning or
rejuvenation; always keep in mind that you’re dealing with the finished
coating on the leather and not with the leather hide itself
Finished Perforated Leather
1.
Clean
2.
Hydrated
3.
Protected
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, commercially unbiased answer.
Having devoted many hours to this particular material and spending a lot of
time with both leather tanners and their formulating chemists I have gained
some insight and it amazes me that such a simple subject has been made into
something so complicated.
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
Simple cleaning, hydration
and protection are the three steps that will prolong the life of Micro pigment finished leather. Always pre-test the product on a hidden
area. Shake the foam container thoroughly. Spray the product at a distance of
12 inches from the leather to one section at a time, and allow product to
remain in place for approximately 15 to 30 seconds.
Finished leather doesn’t require conditioning or
rejuvenation; always keep in mind that you’re dealing with the finished
coating on the leather and not with the leather hide itself
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
Remove surface dirt and
dust, cleaning the seams periodically is important as dirt / grit will abrade
the stitching causing them to fail, prise them apart, then use a soft brush,
vacuum and then use a foam cleaner, one section at a time, and then finally
wipe off with a clean, damp 100% cotton micro fibre towel
The advantage of foam over
liquid is the minimum amount of moisture, very important for cleaning absorbent
and moisture sensitive leathers.
Use a foam cleaner (Leather Master™ Foam Cleaner),
Hydrated – why
it’s important to used water-based products. Unlike
lacquer-base products, which close the pores and shorten the life of leather,
water-based leather care leaves the pores of the leather open. This enables you
to hydrate your leather to keep it soft and supple.
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.
Moisture balance is a sine qua non (an indispensable
and essential action) in leather care. Leather naturally absorbs and retains
moisture vapour, meaning it’s also susceptible to losing the moisture necessary
to keep it pliant and soft. One of major attribute is its ability for
transpiration (allowing the movement of moisture back and forth (evaporation
and hydration), which it does even better than wool.
Repetitive heat cycling
causes the leather to lose moisture, resulting in the formation of creasing or
surface cracks, which may lead to the leather contracting; however, the
urethane remains stable, which may lead to it delaminating.
A regular wipe down with a
damp towel on a regular basis is all you need to condition and / or hydrate
finished leather, and by using aqueous (water- based) products that do not
contain oils and/or waxes, check the label if they do then don't use them.
Leather should be hydrated on a regular basis and is somewhat climate
dependent.
Protected - 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
Leather Master™ - Protection
Cream (a Scotchgard™ type product) specifically formulated
for lather, the polymers penetrate the surface of finished leather and
cross-link to form a durable protective film that is breathable, allowing
transpiration and keeps the leather supple. Being aqueous (water- based) it restores moisture to finished leather and
provides a protective sacrificial barrier against all kinds of soiling, water,
oil, alcohol-based and blue denim stains as well as perspiration marks.
Use sparingly, remove excess and then allow to dry to a haze and
remove
Ultra violet (UV) protection - 303® Aerospace Protectant
will provide invaluable ultra violet (UV) protection
against photo degradation (fading); especially in a roadster or convertible
vehicle, steering wheel and dashboards
This product is water-based and will provide invaluable ultra
violet (UV) radiation protection against photo
degradation (fading) protection; especially in a roadster or convertible
vehicles. 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
Patina(softness)
- used to improve and maintain the
tactile feel and lustre to ensure the finished leather remains soft and supple;
apply Leather Master™ Soft Touch and allow to dry for approx. 20 minutes, finally using a
clean dry 100% cotton micro fibre towel buff to a matte sheen. This product is NOT a conditioner per se but is used to restore the softness
to hard finished leather; place the car in a sunny location and roll down the
windows. Allow the car to sit in the sun for one or two hours to warm the
surfaces
Maintenance:
Monthly hydration of leather
upholstery in most southern states; Florida, Texas and Arizona, and etc.
especially during the summer months, would not be out of line
Current Information
A little science
is useful to understand both the How and Why of detailing and to be of
real practical use, a subject like automotive detailing requires a great deal
of research, and updating as new products become available. The advent of
materials like detailing clay, micro fibre technologies and finely milled micro
diminishing abrasives, suitable for ceramic nanotechnology paints are examples
of why it’s so important to monitor the industries new products, chemical
technologies and ideas that are constantly being introduced, as are the
techniques for applying them, hence all of the in-depth articles will be
up-dated and revised on a regular basis
Always be willing to learn;
because the more you learn, the more you’ll realize what you don’t know. You
should never stop learning, and your quest for information should be part of
your everyday process. It
is said that knowledge is power, with the caveat that it includes access to a
reliable information sources. I would
like to think that these articles become an asset to anyone who is new to
detailing and to professional’s alike, as well as industry experts who seek to
advance their knowledge.
I detailed my first vehicle
at the age of fourteen (1958) forty plus years later I started to write
detailing articles to share my experiences. For about fifteen years or so I
started to contribute to various detailing forums answering questions posted by
neophyte’s, enthusiasts and professionals alike.
My mantra has always been Experience
Unshared Knowledge Wasted.
I purchase all the products
I use, so the endorsement is entirely personal and commercially unbiased, the
product recommendation is based on "Does exactly what it says on the tin"
and it suits my detailing goals. The products mentioned have been personally
subjected to extensive laboratory (using state of the art instruments and
methodologies in some of the world's most prestigious labs) as well as field
testing, and using the methodology and tools cited, which may or may not be the
same as those recommended by the manufacturer.
It has been my experience that
they will perform the task more than adequately, hence the personal
recommendation, as this testing is carried out without sponsorship I have no
intention of publishing any test results. Using the methodology and tools cited,
which may or may not be the same as those recommended by the manufacturer.
I
hope these articles are informative. They are based on the current status of
technical development as well as my experience with the products.
By
having some understanding of the ‘What’ and ‘Why’ as well as the ‘How’ along
with a little science to help you understand how the chemicals we use react,
you can achieve the results you desire.
I would appreciate it if you
would share these articles as it helps other detailers further their knowledge.
As always if you have
questions, I’ll do my best to answer; bear in mind the only stupid questions is
the one that was unasked. Questions and/ or constructive comments are
always appreciated
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