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Cleaning Leather/Cloth Interiors

2

Comments

  • taxesquiretaxesquire Member Posts: 681
    After going through such an intro, why not just name the product? :confuse:
  • william13william13 Member Posts: 1
    Hello All,

    I've been looking for leather car seat covers, and I was interested in knowing if any of you had come across any seat cover from Trimcar ?
    It looks good I think - but I'd like to hear if anyone else has tried it? :confuse:
    The link : http://www.trimcar.com

    thanks,

    Wil
  • kyle8kyle8 Member Posts: 1
    My friend left a bottle of red wine on my back seat and it leaked. I'm wondering what I should try to clean it without damaging the leather.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    that's going to be very tough...I think you should consult a professional on that one....
  • div2div2 Member Posts: 2,580
    If I were in your position I'd be contemplating damaging your "friend".
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
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  • ahightowerahightower Member Posts: 539
    Just though I would share a positive product experience with y'all.

    I applied Lexol cleaner and conditioner to the light tan leather in my 2005 Yukon XL today. I have been reading the car care forums and some other websites, and this was recommended by a lot of people. I like it very much. Until now, I have only used Maguiar's quick wipes, and while they do remove a lot of dirt quickly, they tend to leave a slick residue even after drying. Not terribly greasy, but not ideal. In my opinion, the Lexol cleaner is not highly potent. The seats were not all that dirty to begin with, but I had to rub for quite a while to remove a few scuff marks. However, in combination with the conditioner, I am very pleased. The seats are left feeling very soft and supple, and not at all slick or greasy. Some other members in the car care forums have suggested that the Lexol conditioner may darken or discolor very light leather, in fact the back of the bottle says so too. So I tried just a spot on the back seat to be safe. No discoloration at all, as far as I can tell.

    BTW, I have not tried it before because I never saw it for sale. Bought it today inside a full service car wash (for my company car - of course I would never take my own new black vehicle into one of those things! Only hand washing for me!)

    The seats have started to develop "character lines" or "stretch marks" after 6 months and 8,000 miles. Not cracks or creases, but the type of "breaking in" you see on a leather jacket. I was hoping they would stay taught and smooth for life, but I have read elsewhere that this type of breaking in is normal. Not a problem, I guess, as long as the Lexol keeps them soft. I may still use the Maguair's now and then for intermediate cleanings, you could really see the dirt being picked up on the wipe. But I will continue to do the Lexol regimen every couple of months.

    My next project, maybe this weekend if it still feels like June outside, will be to wax it again and apply Rainex to the glass and get new wipers.

    Happy motoring to you all!
  • tallman1tallman1 Member Posts: 1,874
    I've been reading all the messages here, having just bought a new car w/leather. It has been a long time since I've had a leather interior and I was wondering about newer products.

    It looks like Leather Master and Lexol seem to be the high-end favorite. I'll have to do some searching for retail outlets now.
  • sam818sam818 Member Posts: 127
    Is there a leather cleaner and/or conditioner which stays MATT and does NOT leave a shiny or silky film?
    I want my leather, especially the steering wheel, to stay MATT finish and not become shiny.
    The top of my dash is also leather, and it is very important that it stay matt, but I want to add some UV protection.
  • royalhroyalh Member Posts: 4
    My new expedition has light tan leather seats and I wear black jeans which transfer color to the leather. I have cleaned the black (looks blue) color off several times with leather cleaner but within a short period of time more appears. Is there anything that will seal the leather so the jeans color will not transfer to the leather?. These are jeans that have been washed many times but the problem continues. :cry:
  • ahightowerahightower Member Posts: 539
    Lexol does not leave any slick residue at all. I don't know how it does for UV protection, but I'd think as long as you condition it often, and use a sunshade when parked, it would be okay.
  • tallman1tallman1 Member Posts: 1,874
    I ended up buying the Leather Master kit and it does not leave the leather shiny at all. I discovered Griot's Garage after buying the Leather Master and would have bought their product to see how it works.
  • megmcq1megmcq1 Member Posts: 1
    My mother just did that to me. Any suggestions?
  • adloganadlogan Member Posts: 1
    I have a friend who has tan leather seats in her car. She placed a Michelin tire on her backseat for a couple of days when the weather was warm. When she removed the tire, the Michelin name was permanently imprinted into her leather seat. Is there anyway that this imprint can be removed? :cry:
  • goldygirlgoldygirl Member Posts: 11
    I have a cigarette burn in the drivers seat, my seat is tan cloth in 2006 Hyundai Elantra.
    Please advise me how to fix this.
    Thanks,
    Goldygirl
  • bolivarbolivar Member Posts: 2,316
    There are vinyl/leather patch/repair kits sold in Walmart and auto parts stores. Very reasonable price - $10 or so.

    There are several colors in each kit. You will have to mix and attempt to come to a match for your interior.

    These kits work pretty well.
  • goldygirlgoldygirl Member Posts: 11
    Will they work on cloth interiors?
    Thanks,
    Goldygirl
  • tallman1tallman1 Member Posts: 1,874
    I don't think that will work on cloth.
  • bolivarbolivar Member Posts: 2,316
    Sorry, I missed the part in the title that said 'cloth'.

    No, I agree that these repair kits will not work on cloth.
  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 19,251
    buy a no-name tire and put in on the seat? sorry, couldn't resist. :)
    2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
  • dkipferdkipfer Member Posts: 3
    My front driver's seat has what appears to be 'scorch' marks in the leather from the seat heater. I find it hard to believe that that is what it is--- I'm thinking it is more of a dye transfer from clothing or something. Has anyone had experience with this and how do I best go about removing it?
  • tallman1tallman1 Member Posts: 1,874
    You must have a light colored leather. I find it hard to believe it would be the heater too. Try some saddle soap or a good leather cleaner.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Could also be sun damage--rare but possible. I tend to think the dye transfer theory is correct.
  • dkipferdkipfer Member Posts: 3
    It is light beige or tan and the marks are dark brown or blackish. How aggressive can you be trying to clean a mark like that without making the cleaned area stand out from the rest of the seat?
  • tallman1tallman1 Member Posts: 1,874
    Well, as they always say... test it in an inconspicuous area first. Of course, that doesn't do much good if the discoloration isn't there!

    I've never had to clean anything like that so I'm not much help. Saddle soap shouldn't do any damage though. You can always take it to a reputable detail shop and ask for their advice.
  • mmkatmmkat Member Posts: 1
    hi.. can anyone help me..? does anyone know who can *actually* clean and repair leather seats..? i have an Acura TSX and i hired some people who *knew* how to clean leather seats... and guess what happened.
    please.. it´s so urgent. the seats are 'sticky' and i dont know what to do. thanks!! :-) :blush:
  • jacky123jacky123 Member Posts: 1
    Hi,

    I have this problem few time, it's that when I try to start the car, the ignition key, the steering wheel and the shift got locked up, I cannot move any of them into a different position?

    Does anyone has any clues about this problem.
    For the last few time, I tried to keep moving things around, and then it will fix the problem.

    Thanks for any input.
  • smokey75smokey75 Member Posts: 434
    Just out of curiosity, why are you posting this in "cleaning cloth/leather interiors?"
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    hi Jacky,

    you need to cut and paste your question into this link:

    Rav4 Repair and Maintenance Topic

    MrShiftright
    Host
    Carspace.com Forums
  • dkipferdkipfer Member Posts: 3
    This can happen easily if your wheels are turned at an angle when the engine is shut down. The pressure has to be relieved off the steering wheel before the ignition can be turned. Try turning the wheel until you feel some resistance and then turn it a little harder-- while you are holding the wheel tightly turned, the ignition should turn freely and once the engine starts you will feel the wheel relax as the power steering kicks in.
  • sunshine20sunshine20 Member Posts: 20
    I'm about to pull the triger on a 07 Honda EXL V-6 Accord and am wondering if I should go with Gray or Ivory Leather for the interior?? I've never had leather in a vehicle before and LOVE the look of the ivory, but am afraid it won't be practical?? Any thoughts, thanks!
  • tallman1tallman1 Member Posts: 1,874
    Go with whatever makes you happy. Personally, I much prefer gray over ivory... the darker, the better for me. However, if you "LOVE" the ivory, go for it. There are many products on the market for protecting and cleaning the leather so don't let that be a concern. Don't you want to be happy every time you climb inside? :)

    What color is the outside?
  • sunshine20sunshine20 Member Posts: 20
    I can't agree with you more. So I will be driving my Honda this thursday that is glack with ivory leather interior. I figure I'm pretty safe as it will be garage kept, no kids, just a dog - no bigee as I can cover the seats.
    Thanks!
  • tallman1tallman1 Member Posts: 1,874
    Great... Congrats! You will love the car.
  • jlawrence01jlawrence01 Member Posts: 1,757
    There is a 2004 Jeep Liberty in my fleet. The driver was a heavy chain smoker and the cloth interior completely reeks of cigarette smoke. Does anyone have any good ideas as to how to minimize the smoke smell before sending off to auction or selling privately?
  • tallman1tallman1 Member Posts: 1,874
    I'm sure you would want to clean all the cloth, carpet, headliner, etc. first. Then you might try this product: Odor Absorber Tub

    I've never used it but you can call their 800 number and see what they say. Their Interior Cleaner is great.
  • blackrose1109blackrose1109 Member Posts: 2
    Try www.autopartsway.com. They have tons of Oldsmobile accessories. I've used them in the past, and was always happy with their products.
  • tallman1tallman1 Member Posts: 1,874
    Wow! That post is over three years old. I wonder if he still has the car. :D
  • mirde98mirde98 Member Posts: 95
    Hello there. I have a 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer SE with a combination of Alcantara fabric and vinyl sides. I've look for Alcantara cleaners but no luck. All other products will damage Alcantara. What can i use? Thanks!!!!
  • tallman1tallman1 Member Posts: 1,874
    I've never heard of Alcantara but a quick search gave me this: world.alcantara.com

    There is a section that talks about maintenance and stain removal. You can read my previous posts about my favorite interior cleaner. I have no idea if it will damage the Alcantara but you can call and find out.
  • mirde98mirde98 Member Posts: 95
    Thanks alot for the link. Very good. Yeah Alcantara is used on some luxury vehicles and high performance cars like Mitsubishi Evolution for example. It came on the Special Edition version on the 06 Lancer. I used a damp clean towel and let it dry. I though i had to use some special cleaner.... since Alcantara is suede like, cleaners like Tuff Stuff will damage Alcantara/Suede fabrics.
  • gmar2gmar2 Member Posts: 3
    I have a 01 Expedtion with cloth seats. I have water stains on them, mostly from rain when the door is open. I have tried all kinds of cleaners but nothing works. I talked to a Ford dealer and they admitted they have a problem with water stains on cloth seats. Has anyone run across this and removed the stains? Thanks for the help.
  • gypsystargypsystar Member Posts: 8
    Hi, I just bought a '07 Santa Fe SE AWD with light gray cloth interior. Unfortunately, I didn't realize how "light" the gray on the seats and carpet was until I brought it home. I don't have kids or pets, but I still eat, drink, etc in my car and am bound to drop or spill something several times while I own this car. Thus, I've come up with a few ideas about how to approach this. If anyone has any information, ideas or recommendations, it would be greatly appreciated.

    1) Buying a can of scotch guard and spraying seats, carpets, and all parts of my cloth interior (I've actually already done this, but the question is whether I need to do something more).

    2) Going to the dealer and having them apply a fabric protector It has a 5 yr warranty; if there is a stain that I can't remove, they will either get it out or replace the fabric as necessary. This basically sounds like an insurance policy to me. And, frankly, it would buy me piece of mind to spill and drop as much as I wanted. I've talked to people at 3 different dealers and have gotten quotes between $300 - $500. They each offer a different product: Xzilon, Resistol, and another. So basically, my question is: should I do this, if so, what are the best products and what's a good price?

    3) Re-dye the cloth and carpet a darker (charcoal gray) color. Is this possible? Does anyone know if this works? I would really like the seats to be darker. It seems like it would make things a lot easier.

    4) Getting seat covers - I have side air bags and Hyundai does not recommend that I cover the seats. I have found places that make custom seat covers and claim that they are compatible with airbags, but Hyundai recommended not to do it and it may not be a good idea to play around with something like that.

    Thanks much for any thoughts, ideas or comments :)
  • tallman1tallman1 Member Posts: 1,874
    I think the Scotch Guard was a good idea but I haven't used it in years so I can't say. I thought they had to reformulate it a few years ago.

    I've never heard anyone say the dealer fabric protectant is a good investment, except for the dealers, of course. ;)

    I have no idea about dying it a darker shade. You are far braver than me if you choose to go this route.

    I've heard about the danger with seat covers. I guess you would have to see what they cover so that you would know if the air bag was available to deploy.

    I may sound like a broken record to some, but you can search past messages from me here about how great the Interior Cleaner from Griot's Garage is. My son drives my old 95 Accord with the tan/beige interior and I was amazed how well this stuff works. You have to use the brush on tough stains (you can buy a kit that includes one but you can use any brush) and I haven't found too many stains that it can't get out... in fact, none on my Accord but a friend who NEVER cleaned her minivan had a couple that were very tough. :)
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  • jabrams235jabrams235 Member Posts: 2
    I have the very same question -- am about to buy a Rav4 and don't want to spend $1500+ on leather just to avoid stains. Did you ever get a satisfactory answer to your question? Can you offer any recommendations on where to look for seat covers and what kind make sense (safety, comfort, aesthetics, etc.)?
  • thursty_turtlethursty_turtle Member Posts: 9
    Hello all,I might be in the wrong place but i was wondering if anybody could tell me if there is a company that makes exact replicas of original seat covers for cars any help is greatly appreciated thank you
  • jabrams235jabrams235 Member Posts: 2
    Not sure about exact replicas, but CoverKing makes a number of different seat covers. I understand from my dealer that the Rav4 (and perhaps many other cars) have airbags inside the seats and that one has to be very careful about selecting covers that don't interfere with the deployment of the airbags.
  • thursty_turtlethursty_turtle Member Posts: 9
    thanks 4 replying if this helps its a 93 ford thunderbird and i like the original interior very much plus the back seat is perfect so i would really like exact copies if possible thanks again tho
  • ahightowerahightower Member Posts: 539
    You might just have to check out some junk yards.
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