Car leather cleaning and maintenance products

Originally Posted by paul34

If you want technically "correct" answers it depends on whether you have real leather, vinyl, pleather, whether it is dyed, coated, etc.

Chances are your leather is more modern leather. This means it is probably coated. For this, you really don't *need* dedicated leather conditioning products since chances are it won't soak in anyway.

Meguiar's leather stuff is good for over the counter stuff. Otherwise look up something called Optimum Protectant Plus. It can be used on all the vinyl/leather/plastic surfaces in your car and the newer revision actually has a leather scent. It has light cleaners so it can be used as a weekly maintenance product. It is also long lasting with serious UV protection to protect against damage on your interior surfaces when you open your windows (or put down the top if you have a convertible) and such.

Also obviously provides stain resistance (although if you are like me you try to avoid having food or drink in the car!). It is not shiny or greasy at all - just looks "fresh" which is how a detailed interior should be.

If you need serious cleaning power on the leather, use something like Meguiar's All Purpose Cleaner plus (not available at most stores, I order most of my detailing stuff from www.danase.com or www.autogeek.net ), or even just water and a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser (no joke!). Try not to use both because then it ends up being a bit *too* potent and will probably start pulling the color out of your coated leather.

Good luck! And read up over at www.autopia.org/forum - lots of good stuff there

BTW if you are wondering why most leather thesedays are coated it is since most people do not maintain their leather and a coated leather will maintain its somewhat-new look longer than a dyed leather. Regardless, either will discolor and crack if not properly maintained and cleaned. And we all know once it cracks the only solution is replacement.