Interior Detailing

[AlexSmith]

I drive with my top down and windows down alot. So the interior can reflect that. What is everyone using to clean the interior leather and plastic and such? Right now I am using a Meguiars interior spray with a microfiber cloth.

-Alex

[Raven]

I heard Lexol is supposed to be the best for leather, but I'd like to hear what the hardcore detailers on here think.

[imaj]

For leather I have a two step method that does not break the bank. If your leather is in good condition do this...

1.) get a bucket of very warm water with a cloth. Get the cloth wet with warm water and rub the leather area with it.

2.) Use the leather conditioner of your choice and rub that on the leather area that you just wiped clean with the hot cloth. My conditioner of choice is Zaino Z-10 Leather in a Bottle and you are finished.

Simple and very effective. Your leather will look new again and be well protected from the elements.

Just think of leather like your skin. You need to open the pores of your skin to let the moisture get in. Same with leather.

[ccompton]

That is a similar method to mine, I get the seats warm and moist (that's what she said...sorry, I'll try to throttle that response), then I use the Zymol leather cleaner then conditioner

[Qship5]

I swear by Leatherique products. Once or twice a year you use their rejuvinator oil and then you use Pristine Clean each time you clean your interior.

The rejuvinator oil provides the leather with all the natural oils that are lost over time and it floats any embedded dirt, perspiration, etc to the surface for easy cleaning with the Pristine clean. I like to apply the rejuvinator oil to the leather and then let the car sit in the sun for several hours to all day so the interior gets nice and hot as this helps the leather absord the oil.

As far as interior plastic, I use Einszett Cockpit Premium with a microfiber cloth.

[snowball]

I swear by Leatherique products. Once or twice a year you use their rejuvinator oil and then you use Pristine Clean each time you clean your interior.

The rejuvinator oil provides the leather with all the natural oils that are lost over time and it floats any embedded dirt, perspiration, etc to the surface for easy cleaning with the Pristine clean. I like to apply the rejuvinator oil to the leather and then let the car sit in the sun for several hours to all day so the interior gets nice and hot as this helps the leather absord the oil.

As far as interior plastic, I use Einszett Cockpit Premium with a microfiber cloth.

Mike, where do you get your supplies?

[mikem]

With Mike on the Leatherique. I wipe the seats down with a wet microfiber cloth in between pristine clean treatments, and do the rejuvenator a couple times a year. Then I hit everything else with 303 Aerospace.

Well, except for the alacantra headliner. Haven't really figured out what to do with it yet, but it doesn't seem to need much either.

You can order leatherique here (http://www.leatherique.com/). I get the 303 at west marine near 75 & walnut hill.

[Qship5]

Mike, where do you get your supplies?

Leatherique is available directly from them. http://www.leatherique.com/ I get most of my other supplies from Autogeek.net.

[JackG]

Agree with Mikem on the 303 Aerospace product for vinyl. It has sun protection as well as being non-greasy. Most of my vintage Porsches have only vinyl and I use a lot of the 303; it's the best I've found for vinyl and rubber. It's no accident it's sold in all of the better marine products stores.

Jack

[John LMBZ06]

I use 303 Aerospace on that plastic stuff in the vette. That stuff works great.

For leather, yes, use a damp cloth first if your leather does not have a bunch of deep cracks. Remember that your leather is "coated" with a clear plastic from the factory. The newer the leather, the more that expensive leather conditioner is not going to get through that clear cloat on the leather.

[Qship5]

Remember that your leather is "coated" with a clear plastic from the factory. The newer the leather, the more that expensive leather conditioner is not going to get through that clear cloat on the leather.

Some leathers are in fact clear coated, but a lot of the higher end cars don't have a clear coat on the leather. If your leather is clear coated, the conditioner will not be easily absorbed. In that case you need to apply the conditioner along the seams and allow it to absorb through the holes in the stitching. It is a slower process, but the leather will absorb it.

[RaceMX-M3]

I used leatherique once and seemed to make the leather smell bad, although I wasn't able to let it bake in the sun. Maybe I will try again. Most of my leather is in perfect shape except the driver's seat. I'm going to have the leather replaced soon. Nothing worse than cracked worn out leather seats.

[mikem]

I used leatherique once and seemed to make the leather smell bad, although I wasn't able to let it bake in the sun. Maybe I will try again. Most of my leather is in perfect shape except the driver's seat. I'm going to have the leather replaced soon. Nothing worse than cracked worn out leather seats.

Yea, it doesn't do very well if you don't get heat on it. Let it bake in the sun for 6-8 hours with the windows up. And get ALL the rejuvinator off, or it will have that trademark smell. It took one or two applications for me to get the hang of it. I'd give it another shot.

[RaceMX-M3]

Yea, it doesn't do very well if you don't get heat on it. Let it bake in the sun for 6-8 hours with the windows up. And get ALL the rejuvinator off, or it will have that trademark smell. It took one or two applications for me to get the hang of it. I'd give it another shot.

ok.. sounds good. waiting for the sun to come out. :confused:

[Qship5]

ok.. sounds good. waiting for the sun to come out. :confused:
If you really want to get it to bake in, remove the seat, put the rejuvinator oil on, put the seat into a black garbage bag and set it in the sun all day.