leather care
06-21-2012 | 01:28 PM
#3
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 924
Likes: 1
From: Los Angeles, CA
My Ride: 2008 AW N52 with sports package & premium package; natural brown interior
MODs:
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3000K H8 Yellow Fogs
Matte Black Kidney Grills
20" Miro 111
Hankook V12 Tires
H&R Sport Springs
Special coding via Simon (dbl flash hazards, digital velocity, etc.)
LED Side Markers from Trinity Autosports
LED License Plate Lights from Trinity Autosports
Carbon Delete
BMC Air Filter
RPI Scoop
RPI GT Exhaust
Future MODs:
Mtech Kit
KW Variant 2 Coilovers
CIC Retrofit
Upgrade Audio System
06-24-2012 | 09:15 AM
#10
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Senior Members
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 663
Likes: 2
From: AZ-USA
Like many car enthusiasts, until recently, I took great care in choosing the product to "feed" the leather in my cars. And the Dakota leather in my 545i was no exception.
However, using Leatherique on my Dakota leather left a greasy, clammy surface (even after finishing up with Pristine Clean).
Nothing like the results I used to get on my 1989 Jaguar XJ6 with Connolly leather or on my living room sofa, which soaks up and loves Leatherique.
After some investigation I learned that auto manufacturers have moved away from semi-aniline leather toward pigmented leather. The advantages of pigmented leather for the manufacturer are lower cost as less than perfect hides with scars and marks can be used and still create a uniform look. The advantages for the car owner are a clean uniform look, resistance to staining and no need to regularly condition the leather to prevent it from drying and cracking. The other day I happened to be visiting a body shop that was restoring a 50's Rolls Royce. I felt the seats and they were hard as a rock. Semi-aniline leather definitely needs regular care. Some manufacturers of very high-end automobiles still use semi-aniline leather that are full dyed natural leather with just a thin protective coating, but it is rare. Lexus offers the use of semi-aniline as an upgrade option, but warns of the extra care required.
Back to pigmented leather. To test which type of leather your car has use the water drop test. Apply a drop of clean water to the leather seat. If the drop does not quickly (10 seconds) soak into the leather and temporarily stain the leather darker then it is pigmented coated leather.
Pigmented leather is undyed leather that is coated with a pigment (like a paint) to provide a solid color, then a uniform "grain" is usually pressed into it for appearance and then a protective coating is applied. This product is used in 98% of automobiles that have leather today. There are different levels of quality. The quality of the base leather and the quality of the coating on the leather is what allows a pigmented leather in a high end car like a BMW or Infiniti to still feel supple and natural, while an entry level car's leather is stiff and vinyl-like in feel.
The protective coating on pigmented leather prevents liquids from staining the leather, and prevents moisture from leaving the leather which over time would allow it to grow brittle. But equally, the protective coating prevents leather conditioners from reaching the leather.
So, if leather conditioners, designed for semi-aniline leather don't work on pigmented leather, then how do we care for pigmented leather?
1. Vacuum regularly as dirt, small rocks, sand and grit all act as abrasives to wear and dull the protective coating on the leather and the webbing between panels.
2. Use mild soap to remove soil and heavy dust or if it just has a light coating of dust a damp towel with water only.
3. Apply a product regularly that is designed to keep the protective coating clear, flexible and conditioned so it doesn't crack. Although it feels very strange to an aniline leather traditionalist (oh the heresy!), those products are vinyl protectors.
There are many good vinyl protectors on the market. Many products sold today as leather protectors or conditioners actually are vinyl protectors directed at the pigmented leather market, and do a good job keeping the protective coating in good condition.
One of my favorite dedicated vinyl protectors is 303 Products Aerospace Protectant, which not only conditions and protects, but contains UV inhibitors which prevent clouding of the clear protective coating on pigmented leather.
Do I miss semi-aniline leather? Yes. When properly conditioned and maintained it is like a baby's bottom. But the vast majority of automobile owners are better off with low maintenance pigmented leather. With no care it stays looking pretty good and food and drink spills wipe off with no staining. And pigmented leather, which allows the use of lesser grade skins, makes leather affordable today in many more applications. Semi-aniline leather, where only the cleanest skins with little or no imperfections can be used, is extremely expensive for automobile use.
I think there will be a resurgence of semi-aniline leather, probably in situations where the customer can be sold on the "natural look" of imperfections (fully dyeing the leather does not hide imperfections like pigment coating does). Some of this has already been done by Detroit as options in high end trucks to give a natural rustic western feel. I for one wouldn't mind the uniqueness of leather with scars and marks, knowing that I could enjoy the natural feel of the leather and not pay an arm and a leg for it. But ....... then no eating or drinking in the car.
I now reserve my Leatherique (which is a fantastic product) for aniline leather.
However, using Leatherique on my Dakota leather left a greasy, clammy surface (even after finishing up with Pristine Clean).
Nothing like the results I used to get on my 1989 Jaguar XJ6 with Connolly leather or on my living room sofa, which soaks up and loves Leatherique.
After some investigation I learned that auto manufacturers have moved away from semi-aniline leather toward pigmented leather. The advantages of pigmented leather for the manufacturer are lower cost as less than perfect hides with scars and marks can be used and still create a uniform look. The advantages for the car owner are a clean uniform look, resistance to staining and no need to regularly condition the leather to prevent it from drying and cracking. The other day I happened to be visiting a body shop that was restoring a 50's Rolls Royce. I felt the seats and they were hard as a rock. Semi-aniline leather definitely needs regular care. Some manufacturers of very high-end automobiles still use semi-aniline leather that are full dyed natural leather with just a thin protective coating, but it is rare. Lexus offers the use of semi-aniline as an upgrade option, but warns of the extra care required.
Back to pigmented leather. To test which type of leather your car has use the water drop test. Apply a drop of clean water to the leather seat. If the drop does not quickly (10 seconds) soak into the leather and temporarily stain the leather darker then it is pigmented coated leather.
Pigmented leather is undyed leather that is coated with a pigment (like a paint) to provide a solid color, then a uniform "grain" is usually pressed into it for appearance and then a protective coating is applied. This product is used in 98% of automobiles that have leather today. There are different levels of quality. The quality of the base leather and the quality of the coating on the leather is what allows a pigmented leather in a high end car like a BMW or Infiniti to still feel supple and natural, while an entry level car's leather is stiff and vinyl-like in feel.
The protective coating on pigmented leather prevents liquids from staining the leather, and prevents moisture from leaving the leather which over time would allow it to grow brittle. But equally, the protective coating prevents leather conditioners from reaching the leather.
So, if leather conditioners, designed for semi-aniline leather don't work on pigmented leather, then how do we care for pigmented leather?
1. Vacuum regularly as dirt, small rocks, sand and grit all act as abrasives to wear and dull the protective coating on the leather and the webbing between panels.
2. Use mild soap to remove soil and heavy dust or if it just has a light coating of dust a damp towel with water only.
3. Apply a product regularly that is designed to keep the protective coating clear, flexible and conditioned so it doesn't crack. Although it feels very strange to an aniline leather traditionalist (oh the heresy!), those products are vinyl protectors.
There are many good vinyl protectors on the market. Many products sold today as leather protectors or conditioners actually are vinyl protectors directed at the pigmented leather market, and do a good job keeping the protective coating in good condition.
One of my favorite dedicated vinyl protectors is 303 Products Aerospace Protectant, which not only conditions and protects, but contains UV inhibitors which prevent clouding of the clear protective coating on pigmented leather.
Do I miss semi-aniline leather? Yes. When properly conditioned and maintained it is like a baby's bottom. But the vast majority of automobile owners are better off with low maintenance pigmented leather. With no care it stays looking pretty good and food and drink spills wipe off with no staining. And pigmented leather, which allows the use of lesser grade skins, makes leather affordable today in many more applications. Semi-aniline leather, where only the cleanest skins with little or no imperfections can be used, is extremely expensive for automobile use.
I think there will be a resurgence of semi-aniline leather, probably in situations where the customer can be sold on the "natural look" of imperfections (fully dyeing the leather does not hide imperfections like pigment coating does). Some of this has already been done by Detroit as options in high end trucks to give a natural rustic western feel. I for one wouldn't mind the uniqueness of leather with scars and marks, knowing that I could enjoy the natural feel of the leather and not pay an arm and a leg for it. But ....... then no eating or drinking in the car.
I now reserve my Leatherique (which is a fantastic product) for aniline leather.