Leather Care

[PearlMurano]

I have the leather seats in my MO and I have been using the leather wipes to clean and condition the seats. I was wondering if the leather cleaner/conditioner that you massage into the seats is better to prevent cracking and splitting. What does everyone else use, any suggestions and which works better?

[special-k]

Meguiar's Gold Class leather products are excellent.

They have cleaner/conditioner combination products as well as separate cleaners and conditioner. Which one(s) you use will depend on your need, desire, and condition of the leather.

[10murano]

I have used DuraGloss Leather Shampoo and let the seats dry then follow behind with Duragloss Leather Conditioner. This works SUPER. I have used it on my 1998 Chevy Tahoe since new and seats still look good.

[mattski]

I use Lexol 2-part system annually. Using a separate cleaner lets you get the detergent off the leather with a clean damp cloth and then really let the conditioner soak in for long lasting protection. Lexol is not too expensive either (good deals on Amazon) especially for larger size.

[hokey777]

Originally Posted by special-k

Meguiar's Gold Class leather products are excellent.

Ditto

[cleung]

Leatherique works great for leather esspecially if you prefer the natural look without the short lasting high gloss that wipes and other products give. I've been using leatherique for years on my bmw's and have always had good results.

[tudy]

Lexol here too

[FredZiffle]

I use the chemical guys leather leather cleaner and conditioner. Great stuff!

Leather Cleaner Conditioner In One

Fred

[BudsMO]

I've been using Lexol 2 part for years. My 75 Eldorado seats which are white still look and feel like new. Will be using it on my new Murano too. Bud

[chuck jones]

I know this is going to sound hokey...and there will be many nay-sayers, but for years I was in the Porsche circuit...I showed and raced cars. During many of the concours events, there were numerous very anal and pickey folks around who all had their ideas about what to use...which particular wax, which cleaners etc.....but one that was sort of universally held and not well publicized.....was the use of Woolite in a 4 parts water and one part Woolite mix, applied by a soft washcloth dipped in the Woolite mix, and wrung out.

I started using is for the interior, the seats, whether leather or faux leather, vinyl or whatever....and I continue using it today. It leaves no residue, does not harm any material, works wonders on your carpets as well as dash and for cleaning the entire enterior. The only thing I don't use it for is cleaning the plastic covering for the speedometer, tach, and gauges. Give it a try sometime....you'll find it not only works, but it's a hell of a lot cheaper than all those fancy labels you've been buying.

[mattski]

Originally Posted by chuck jones

I know this is going to sound hokey...was the use of Woolite in a 4 parts water and one part Woolite mix, applied by a soft washcloth dipped in the Woolite mix, and wrung out.

I think that is probably fine for cleaning, but you still need to use something for conditioning/preserving the leather. What are the old-timers using, saddle soap?

[Dunbar]

I used to spend a lot of time on Autopia (a detailing forum) and saw a lot discussion about leather treatments. One lady worked in the leather industry said that modern coated leathers do not benefit from leather treatment. She explained that leather treatments will not penetrate past the coating and be absorbed into the leather. Periodically wiping the seats with a moist towel is all that is needed to maintain modern leather. And who knows how much real leather they are using anymore

[tudy]

Good point Dunbar. I'd expect a higher end Mercedes etc to have better quality leather than my
Murano!

I am going to try Chuck Jones Woolite & water trick and see how that works- my tan leather needs a good cleaning

[chuck jones]

Dunbar has it about right....the new leathers really don't absorb much and the woolite is really a great cleaning agent. What really screws up your leather is dirt ground into the leather creating an abrasive compound that is mixed with sweat, body oils, dirt from your clothes, your dogs, kids etc. The Woolite and water mixture applied with a washcloth or hand towel removes that without leaving any damaging chemicals on or in the leather. Unlike things like Armoral and some of the other cleaners, there's no "gassing" like you get if you use some of the other space age agents. They can result in the development of a film or haze on the inside of your windows, especially the dash.

The concours guys (and me, although I don't concours the Murano) also use a product called Dr. Jackson 's Hide Rejuvenator....but that's really to help restore the suppleness in leather that has hardened from exposure to the sun or elements or to restore the natural oils. The label says "...for conditioning new and abused leathers." I used it on an 87 Porsche convertible I bought (my avatar) that had sat unused and covered in a garage for 7 years in an area that got to well over 100 in the summer. The leather had turned hard and had fine cracks in places but not split. It took me a couple applications over two weeks working it in by hand to bring back the suppleness of the leather, but when completed, the seats looked like new. The cracks and roughness was gone. It goes on like soft butter (NOT FOR SUEDE)....I just use my hands to apply it...the worst that can happen is for me to get softer hands. It is made from animal hide extracts, so it puts the natural oils back into the leather, but does NOT stink up the car or release gasses like some products do. You'll see that in this subject area, everyone has their particular favorites and recommendations. Some are good, some aren't. I don't knock anyone's choice. I went with what the restoration and concours folks used and have done well by it for years. You'll only find Dr. Jackson's Hide Rejuvinator at custom leather shops...hard to find but well worth it (for me). I only use it on the seams and stitched areas in the Murano just to keep the seams supple. It comes in a round flat plastic can with a screw top and will last you for a long time.

The sun is the biggest enemy...but most of the folks garage their cars, so exposure is usually only during work hours...but that can be the heat of the day. Just using the Woolite is probably all you really need...truthfully. Keep the leather CLEAN. Nissan sells a custom cut sun shade for the Murano that's made out of a chrome foil like substance on the sunny side, sealed onto what feels like some sort of insulating substance on the back. It rolls up and has a velcro fastner to keep it rolled up. It really fits perfectly around the mirror and into corners and reduces the heat in the car a good 20 or more degrees. I really recommend this...it was $26 at Nissan and was actually MORE expensive on eBay...that was really a first for me.

Geez Mattski...I just re-read your post and you asked "what do the old timers use"....I guess I'm showing my age? Do old guys ramble on in their posts? I guess I do qualify as an "old timer"...

Happy motoring guys....and stay safe.
Chuck

[Faydra]

How often do you treat your seats, with whatever method you use to treat them?