Automobile 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 grade or the finish applied or use baffling pseudo scientific techno speak as another marketing ploy.

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 resale value. Cleanliness is one of the major things buyers look for when purchasing a vehicle.

Modern vehicle upholstery is either Fabric, finished leather or Viynl, fabric and vinyl are self-explanatory, however, finished leather is not so I offer this explanation

Be cognizant that the leather and finishes used for automotive upholstery vary from leather industry standard descriptions and although the names are similar the type of leather, pigmentation and finish are often very different. Si it is very important to be able to recognise the various finishes and materials used by OEM’s as they all require different methodologies and products for proper care and maintenance

Finished or Coated Leather - the surface coating applied to the leather substrate does not exceed one-third of the total thickness of the product but is in excess of 150 µ (microns).

Nappa Leather –is the tanned skin of a sheep and generally denoted as high quality, soft, full grain leather, like Aniline this grade of leather would not stand the rigorous use of an automobile interior.

Unfinished Leather - is left in its natural state without the application of a clear coat, unfinished leather is very rarely found in modern automobiles and must be maintained on a regular basis with products utilizing natural oils

Leather Dye- the application of a Pigment (colour) either by hand rubbing or immersion

Pigmented - leather that has been applied to a surface colour, usually by spraying and is analogous to the "staining" of wood

So be cognizant that you are dealing with the finished coating of the leather  NOT the  hide itself

The ideal product would be a urethane cleaner that provides anti-abrasion, whilst allowing some surface lubrication to allow easy exit and egress  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  cleaner, one section at a time, and then finally wipe off with a clean, damp 100% cotton micro fibre towel

You should use a product specifically formulated to treat the finish coating, one that contains special cleaners that remove oxidation, grime, body oils and perspiration salt while maintaining the flexibility of the finish so that it remains supple, not dry and brittle (Leather Master™ Foam Cleaner or Iz Einszett Plastic Deep Cleaner) 

Proper surface care

Is all about knowing the properties of the surface you want to treat and what product contains the correct formulation of ingredients best suited for that surface. Leather finishes are a very chemically complex material, and if the product is incompatible with it in any way, it can exert a damaging effect: finish peeling, finish cracking, color transfer ("crocking"), yellowing, and general degradation are some of the problems that can be caused by the application of an improperly formulated, incompatible leather treatment product.

You should use a product specifically formulated to treat the finish coating, one that contains special cleaners that remove oxidation, grime, body oils and perspiration salt while maintaining the flexibility of the finish so that it remains supple, not dry and brittle (Leather Master™ Foam Cleaner or Iz Einszett Plastic Deep Cleaner)