ACLR8R Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 What do you guys use for the seats and door panels? I have heard no on leather conditioner, because vettes have coated leather and then other have said it still works. I just picked up an '06 and the seats are pretty dry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest badbobs95 Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 What do you guys use for the seats and door panels? I have heard no on leather conditioner, because vettes have coated leather and then other have said it still works. I just picked up an '06 and the seats are pretty dry. I use Jax Wax leather conditioner on my car and my customers. But I'm sure any brand name leather conditioner will work just fine. If they are really dry, put it on with your hands and really rub it in. No sense in using a clean rag, it will just soak up most of the product. It should soak in and then re-apply a couple days later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shifty Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 I have good luck with Lexol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheCMSH Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 I have good luck with Lexol. ^^^ ditto ^^^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
az57chevy Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 I use Chemical Guys Nonsense cleaner (diluted to 10%) and then their leather conditioner Be sure and use some cleaner first Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ACLR8R Posted May 22, 2014 Author Share Posted May 22, 2014 OK, it seems the consensus is you do use leather conditioner even though the leather is coated, correct? After that its brand preference Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest badbobs95 Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 Leather conditioner keeps leather soft and supple. I never heard of this "coating" but GM doesn't use the best leather anyway. All leather needs to be re-moisturized or it drys and cracks and rots out. Our lack of humidity also contributes to rapid aging. Just look at my face for proof! Now, go moisturize those seats! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChadC Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 it would not surprise me that the door skins are not leather but plastic instead. I know only the 'contact surfaces' of the gm seats are leather but the sides' of the bolster and bottom pan is vinyl. im working with a door skin now and I think its simply molded plastic with a texture imprinted on top. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desertdawg Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 I think only 4LT packages have the real leather wrapped door skins and full leather dash pad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChadC Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 I think only 4LT packages have the real leather wrapped door skins and full leather dash pad. good point FYI I took out a c6 door skin that was sitting wrapped in packing tape for 5 years in my house. Once i wiped off the dust it felt just a 'supple' as the door skin in my current car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ACLR8R Posted May 22, 2014 Author Share Posted May 22, 2014 Leather conditioner keeps leather soft and supple. I never heard of this "coating" but GM doesn't use the best leather anyway. All leather needs to be re-moisturized or it drys and cracks and rots out. Our lack of humidity also contributes to rapid aging. Just look at my face for proof! Now, go moisturize those seats! This one of the places I found the "coated" leather info. http://forums.corvetteforum.com/car-care-discussion/2828114-leather-seats.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest badbobs95 Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 Leather conditioner keeps leather soft and supple. I never heard of this "coating" but GM doesn't use the best leather anyway. All leather needs to be re-moisturized or it drys and cracks and rots out. Our lack of humidity also contributes to rapid aging. Just look at my face for proof! Now, go moisturize those seats! This one of the places I found the "coated" leather info. http://forums.corvetteforum.com/car-care-discussion/2828114-leather-seats.html Holy CRAP! That's a lot of opinions. Learn something everyday. I haven't found a seat that didn't soak up the stuff I use and I don't think it's just evaporating! Go with your heart young man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wills.WindowsAndWheels Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 What do you guys use for the seats and door panels? I have heard no on leather conditioner, because vettes have coated leather and then other have said it still works. I just picked up an '06 and the seats are pretty dry. We've tried many products over the years and have worked on 100's of cars...personal favorite for interior is CarPro's PERL. Its water based and you can dilute it down to your liking as far as sheen goes...its fine on both leather, vinyl, rubber and plastic. The key is just cleaning the surface thoroughly prior to using (which you should do regardless of what protectant you apply). And yes while most leather seats are coated, ive always thought about it kinda like clear coat on the exterior. Yes, its a clear coating (paint), but the clear itself needs protection (wax, sealant, opti-coat/ CQuartz Finest) in order to both stay in good shape and be easy to maintain. Just my .02 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dvl4evr Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 For those of you don't know me very well, I run the customer service department for Creative Leather Furniture. Does this mean I'm an expert on all leather products, no. However, for the last 6 years I've been surrounded by leather products, and being a person who likes to know what he's talking about, before opening his mouth, I've learned a LOT about leather. The leathers used in cars, planes and boats is way different from leathers used on furniture. The reason it's different is that it has to hold up to major temperature variations, getting wet, and generally just hard usage. Therefore the manufacturers of leathers used in these applications do a LOT of processing to them. Meaning the apply a LOT of man made materials to the leather as a barrier. Will kind of hit the nail on the head. The processing leathers undergo is not too different from a car's paint job. The leather is the like the metal or fiberglass, the dye is like the paint, and to protect the dye/paint, they put on sealer/clear coats. Just like bird poop or harsh water will damage a paint's clear coat, body oils, perspiration and other minerals that are leached out of your skin, will attack the sealer coat on the leather. The best way to combat this is to wipe the leather down with distilled water. Distilled water has no mineral content & therefore absorbs minerals it comes into contact with. That's why you're not supposed to drink it, it will rob you of the minerals in your body. In addition to wiping it down with distilled water, at least once a month, you should use a "soft" leather cleaner every 3 or 4 months. Soft leather cleaner isn't as important on automotive leather as it is on furniture leather, because of the extensive processing automotive leather undergoes. But if you use too harsh of a cleaner, it can wear away the sealer coat on the leather, causing you to "live" on the dye itself, which will only lead to dye color loss. After the leather has been cleaned & is dry, you MUST apply a conditioner/protector. Like Will said, it's like waxing the car's paint job. It creates a barrier between the sealer coat and contaminants. When buying cleaning/conditioning products for leather, there is no "one product that fits all". There are many different types of processing that leathers can undergo, and therefore some are more sensitive then others. Do not use products for your car's leather on your leather furniture. Those products, in most cases, are way too harsh. A good place to buy products that will be good for furniture leather, as well as automotive leather is www.leatherworldtech.com Leather Master is a very good brand, and is trusted in my industry. They do sell soft, medium & harsh cleaners, but again, I would stick to soft cleaners, which will typically just be called leather cleaner. Harsher ones, in the furniture industry anyway, will tell you they're harsher. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheCMSH Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 Yanno Jim, when you show up with facts and expertise it really cuts down on speculation and the general jackassery we normally have Good write up man! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChadC Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 here is the kicker kids leather is on SOME of the seats. the non seating surfaces is vinyl . and the dash pad? center console lid? door skins? door pulls? I know for 1000% the door pulls are plastic. and the rest? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dvl4evr Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 here is the kicker kids leather is on SOME of the seats. the non seating surfaces is vinyl . and the dash pad? center console lid? door skins? door pulls? I know for 1000% the door pulls are plastic. and the rest? Bolts of vinyl used in furniture, which I'm sure are the same as vinyl used in automotive applications, are generally made of 100% PU. Therefore soap and water is probably cheapest and is probably just as effective, as all of those products you can buy for car interiors. The same would probably be true of the plastic on the door. Being PU, nothing is going to be absorbed into the material, and therefore using any kind of conditioner/protector is a waste of money. However, if you like your vinyl to look shiny, an Armor All type topical product will do the job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desertdawg Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 A good place to buy products that will be good for furniture leather, as well as automotive leather is www.leatherworldtech.com Leather Master is a very good brand, and is trusted in my industry. They do sell soft, medium & harsh cleaners, but again, I would stick to soft cleaners, which will typically just be called leather cleaner. Harsher ones, in the furniture industry anyway, will tell you they're harsher. Group buy????? And an interior detail day would be cool! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1jester Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 is there a place in town that sells lEather dyes for small cuTs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
az57chevy Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 Shoe polish with colors available from cobbler? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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