Leather in cars

Cleaning agents should be water based as the leather needs rehydrating due to water loss. Cars are much more suscebtible to this from sunlight and heaters. It is the water in the leather which needs replacing NOT the natural oils which only come out of leather in special circumstances. Cleaning agents containing oils and/or waxes will only help clog up the surface of the leather.
Cream cleaners in the auto industry are very common and the evidence of what they do is quite common. Creams wiped on to leather surfaces can dissolve dirt but it is then quite difficult to remove the dirt laden cream. The result is often residues of cream and dirt being left down in the grain pattern. This builds up over successive cleans and the dirty residues begin to break down the pigment coating. The results of this are very evident in the crazed cracked appearance of 4-5 year old car.
Any products which are cream cleaners should be avoided as these products will not remove the dirt but drive it deeper into the leather, they will also clog up the surface which will then not allow the leather to be rehydrated.
A leather protector should be used after cleaning (again water based) as this will inhibit dyes and dirt from soaking into the leather and make subsequent cleaning much easier.

Aniline leathers always appear not to clean very well. We will only be able to clean what is sitting on the surface as anything else will have been absorbed and will be impossible to remove. They will absorb a lot of product due to the fact that they are unfinished. All anilines need a good leather protector which will inhibit dirt and oils from being absorbed and then when they are subsequently cleaned the dirt will sit on the protector and not be in the leather so will be easier to clean.

What products are we useing?

We are using only foam water based cleaning agents without any silicones, waxes or oils which will in time damage the leather.

What to avoid?

Any products which are cream cleaners should be avoided as these products will not remove the dirt but drive it deeper into the leather, they will also clog up the surface which will then not allow the leather to be rehydrated.
Soap will actually do considerable damage to todays finishes on leather and therefore should not be used. Some products will make the leather look fantastically clean but are actually stripping off finish and in some cases pigment so therefore will get dirty more quickly and in the long term destroy the leather.

Why clean and protect leather?

When leather is manufactured a certain amount of oil and fat is introduced into the hide and, this is where it stays. It does not evaporate or migrate or leave the leather by any other means. What does leave the leather is moisture (water), and it is this that needs replacing. Dry leather is more susceptible to a whole range of problems. The most obvious is cracking, both of finish and fibres. Next is raised absorbency levels which means body oils containing fats and acids will more readily soak into the leather (ever seen those dark areas on head rests and arm ends) eventually destroying finishes and the leather itself. Dry leather will be a sponge for spills, tea, coffee, red wine, ink, any product with colouring once soaked inside leather will leave a permanent stain, which depending on leather type may or may not be fixable.
Water based cleaners will rehydrate your leather which is the 'nourishment' that it needs. Under normal circumstances leather does not lose its natural oils so therefore does not need these replacing.

Leather Protector performs all the good functions of a ‘conditioner’ or ‘food’ product and will leave a virtually invisible, breathable, non greasy coating on the surface. This will be effective at helping to resist stains via spillages, dye transfer and day to day soiling, including body oils. It is not bullet proof and the leather still needs cleaning, but the dirt will be sitting in or on the protector and will clean off more effectively.