Leather cleaning and conditioning?

GazWeavs

GazWeavs

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Firstly, sorry if this topic has been covered previously but I can't find anything on the subject in previous threads so I'm gonna ask?
I've noticed my Lunar Silver leather in my A7 is looking decidedly grotty, especially on the driver's seat and I have tried several 'products' to try and bring it back to its former glory but nothing to date has worked.
Can anyone please recommend a product or products and methods to help clean the leather and then condition and protect?
Any suggestions appreciated as I want to get the leather clean because it looks just plain horrible .
Cheers, Gaz.
 
Wholeheartedly recommend dodo Juice Supernatural leather cleaner and sealant. Has won autocar leather cleaner award for last 3 or 4 years.
Brings my seats up really well, deep cleans as you can see it removes the dye transfer from jeans and items like that.

Personal preference but this is my go to and will always use it.

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A few pics if when I cleaned and coated my S5 seats
873de3116691a0994ea21e9f1429c75b.jpg
a0d7b0d6cd2919dd181396f903911cdc.jpg


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Thank you for your reply Adam. It sounds like you rate this so I'll give it a go. My leather is suffering from dye transfer amongst other contaminants and it doesn't help that the leather colour is very light.
I'll give it a go and report back on the outcome.
Thanks again, Gaz.
 
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A leather brush to apply the cleaner with but you having ingrained dirt...on the leather?personally l would opt for Colourlock strong leather cleaner
 
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Cleaned mine and all the colour came out of the seat (2015 rs3) :-(


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jassyo06 said:
A leather brush to apply the cleaner with but you having ingrained dirt...on the leather?personally l would opt for Colourlock strong leather cleaner
Click to expand...

This stuff is honestly the dogs doodahs!
But as Adam says, Dodo Juice is a good one too, but I personally prefer this one, and use the DJ on leather sofas
 
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A good plan, whatever product you go for is to use nitrile gloves and massage direct into the leather.
Obviously when the surface is clean of debris
A little bit kinky
But works right into the stitching etc
Then buff off
 
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Thanks for the responses guys, much appreciated and it is always best to ask those that have tried and tested products. I have ordered some DJ as recommended by Adam14 but if that doesn't lift the ingrained dirt then I'll try something else.
What I really want to avoid of course is taking the colour out of the leather completely as this will give me sleepless nights!!!
The Lunar Silver of my leather is very light and I am worried I'll mess up somehow . Gaz
 
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Dove soap, warm water and a squirt of lemon juice followed by E45 cream left over night and buffed off the next day as used by Aston Martin restorers :highly amused:
 
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GazWeavs said:
Thanks for the responses guys, much appreciated and it is always best to ask those that have tried and tested products. I have ordered some DJ as recommended by Adam14 but if that doesn't lift the ingrained dirt then I'll try something else.
What I really want to avoid of course is taking the colour out of the leather completely as this will give me sleepless nights!!!
The Lunar Silver of my leather is very light and I am worried I'll mess up somehow . Gaz
Click to expand...
My last car had lunar silver leather,l had no problems with quality leather cleaners
 
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Thanks jassyo06, I think I'll order some Colourlock strong leather cleaner as well as the DJ already ordered.
Thanks for the recommendation .
 
GazWeavs said:
Thanks for the responses guys, much appreciated and it is always best to ask those that have tried and tested products. I have ordered some DJ as recommended by Adam14 but if that doesn't lift the ingrained dirt then I'll try something else.
What I really want to avoid of course is taking the colour out of the leather completely as this will give me sleepless nights!!!
The Lunar Silver of my leather is very light and I am worried I'll mess up somehow . Gaz
Click to expand...

With any product, just follow the instructions. 1st time I did it on my Q5 I was a bit worried, but no need.

A good brush, dipped in warm water, shaken out and then product applied not too liberally. Brush small areas and have clean micro fibre ready to then wipe off.

I use valet Pro Leather soap, and Colourlock leather shield (brilliant stuff that is just wiped on with M/F)

I obviously used Alcantara cleaner on those bits.

Worth mentioning that it is also worth getting a sealer once you have cleaned the leather as that prevents dye transfer or at least helps.

aea6c40b1bd346e5f2aabcf9c73fcde9.jpg
a8d601157bcff66a57cac1a60ba2e356.jpg
caed966df3e022f284205735a98e48e0.jpg
280bc8aaec7d42466269b764e722c56a.jpg
 
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GazWeavs said:
Thanks for the responses guys, much appreciated and it is always best to ask those that have tried and tested products. I have ordered some DJ as recommended by Adam14 but if that doesn't lift the ingrained dirt then I'll try something else.
What I really want to avoid of course is taking the colour out of the leather completely as this will give me sleepless nights!!!
The Lunar Silver of my leather is very light and I am worried I'll mess up somehow . Gaz
Click to expand...
As others have said, follow the instructions and you'll be fine.

When I done my S5 seats for the first time the cloth came out blue and I was worried it was rubbing off the black of the leather but was purely dye transfer from people's jeans.

Ingrained dirt you'll probably need a soft bristled brush but I've had good success with a MF cloth and a clean/dry to buff off.

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Adam14 said:
As others have said, follow the instructions and you'll be fine.

When I done my S5 seats for the first time the cloth came out blue and I was worried it was rubbing off the black of the leather but was purely dye transfer from people's jeans.

Ingrained dirt you'll probably need a soft bristled brush but I've had good success with a MF cloth and a clean/dry to buff off.

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Agree, the dirt that can come off onto MF can be staggering
 
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X3man said:
With any product, just follow the instructions. 1st time I did it on my Q5 I was a bit worried, but no need.

A good brush, dipped in warm water, shaken out and then product applied not too liberally. Brush small areas and have clean micro fibre ready to then wipe off.

I use valet Pro Leather soap, and Colourlock leather shield (brilliant stuff that is just wiped on with M/F)

I obviously used Alcantara cleaner on those bits.

Worth mentioning that it is also worth getting a sealer once you have cleaned the leather as that prevents dye transfer or at least helps.

aea6c40b1bd346e5f2aabcf9c73fcde9.jpg
a8d601157bcff66a57cac1a60ba2e356.jpg
caed966df3e022f284205735a98e48e0.jpg
280bc8aaec7d42466269b764e722c56a.jpg
Click to expand...

What alcantara cleaner did you use mate? I don't have a dedicated cleaner for the stuff
 
Well, I got back off the family hols today and having been driving a Ford Tourneo 9 seat minibus all week (yep too many kids etc) it was bliss to see the A7 sat on the drive waiting for me. Anyway, the Dodo Juice leather cleaner ordered yesterday was delivered about half an hour after getting home and so I had to abandon the unpacking (left to the wife) and give the cleaner a go on my driver's seat.
I am extremely impressed with first attempt result just using a MF cloth to wipe over and then wiping off with a damp cloth after. The amount of ***** on the MF cloth was incredible and most appeared to be blue so suspect the dreaded jean dye is the main culprit.
Some of the more ingrained marks haven't been completely removed but I suspect I'll need to give these areas a more thorough going over and have ordered a leather cleaning brush along with some DJ sealer/protector to finish the job off properly.
All should be delivered tomorrow so that's my Sunday planned!
Thanks for everyone's advice and recommendations to date, I'll give a final verdict on the DJ products when I've had a good go on Sunday.
Cheers, Gaz.
 
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GazWeavs said:
Well, I got back off the family hols today and having been driving a Ford Tourneo 9 seat minibus all week (yep too many kids etc) it was bliss to see the A7 sat on the drive waiting for me. Anyway, the Dodo Juice leather cleaner ordered yesterday was delivered about half an hour after getting home and so I had to abandon the unpacking (left to the wife) and give the cleaner a go on my driver's seat.
I am extremely impressed with first attempt result just using a MF cloth to wipe over and then wiping off with a damp cloth after. The amount of ***** on the MF cloth was incredible and most appeared to be blue so suspect the dreaded jean dye is the main culprit.
Some of the more ingrained marks haven't been completely removed but I suspect I'll need to give these areas a more thorough going over and have ordered a leather cleaning brush along with some DJ sealer/protector to finish the job off properly.
All should be delivered tomorrow so that's my Sunday planned!
Thanks for everyone's advice and recommendations to date, I'll give a final verdict on the DJ products when I've had a good go on Sunday.
Cheers, Gaz.
Click to expand...
Glad to hear your initial impressions are similar to mine! Yes blue will be the jeans.

Look forward to your final feedback

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GazWeavs said:
Well, I got back off the family hols today and having been driving a Ford Tourneo 9 seat minibus all week (yep too many kids etc) it was bliss to see the A7 sat on the drive waiting for me. Anyway, the Dodo Juice leather cleaner ordered yesterday was delivered about half an hour after getting home and so I had to abandon the unpacking (left to the wife) and give the cleaner a go on my driver's seat.
I am extremely impressed with first attempt result just using a MF cloth to wipe over and then wiping off with a damp cloth after. The amount of ***** on the MF cloth was incredible and most appeared to be blue so suspect the dreaded jean dye is the main culprit.
Some of the more ingrained marks haven't been completely removed but I suspect I'll need to give these areas a more thorough going over and have ordered a leather cleaning brush along with some DJ sealer/protector to finish the job off properly.
All should be delivered tomorrow so that's my Sunday planned!
Thanks for everyone's advice and recommendations to date, I'll give a final verdict on the DJ products when I've had a good go on Sunday.
Cheers, Gaz.
Click to expand...

Good to hear you are impressed, brush will he’ll get the more stubborn dirt off, please post some pics
 
X3man said:
Think he used an APC, probably too strong a mix in pre pro detailer days
Click to expand...

Hahaha! Yes it was. Diluted 10:1 though. All the other seats are fine though. I did contact Audi uk who were very concerned and told me to take it to my local Audi but I just haven’t had time because of work.


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RS03_SEN said:
Hahaha! Yes it was. Diluted 10:1 though. All the other seats are fine though. I did contact Audi uk who were very concerned and told me to take it to my local Audi but I just haven’t had time because of work.


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Click to expand...

Hopefully when you get a chance they sort it for you
 
I use valet pro leather cleaner and brush and colourlock shield from advice on here. I do find I’m left with streaks after following the method though. Probably nothing a damp mf won’t solve tbf but still.
 
Pook said:
I use valet pro leather cleaner and brush and colourlock shield from advice on here. I do find I’m left with streaks after following the method though. Probably nothing a damp mf won’t solve tbf but still.
Click to expand...

Oh really? That is the combo I use. Used on Q5 and now on X3 with no issues.

I apply with the brush and then wipe off with MF, then apply colour shield with MF and leave to dry
 
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X3man said:
Oh really? That is the combo I use. Used on Q5 and now on X3 with no issues.

I apply with the brush and then wipe off with MF, then apply colour shield with MF and leave to dry
Click to expand...
Yea pretty much what I do, its like either the shampoo or the shield doesn’t dry clear. It’s not terrible but in certain lights it is noticeable. Like I say maybe just a damp cloth will sort it.
 
Pook said:
Yea pretty much what I do, its like either the shampoo or the shield doesn’t dry clear. It’s not terrible but in certain lights it is noticeable. Like I say maybe just a damp cloth will sort it.
Click to expand...
Just used these two today with no issue, not used colourlock before but left a great finish for me. Maybe a dodgy batch you have?
 
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josul said:
Just used these two today with no issue, not used colourlock before but left a great finish for me. Maybe a dodgy batch you have?
Click to expand...
Always possible I guess. I think maybe I use too much shampoo, it’s like what you might think would be left if you cleaned something with a soap and didn’t rinse it. Next time I’ll try wiping it all down with a damp cloth to remove more of the shampoo and then dry it after that.
 
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Pook said:
Yea pretty much what I do, its like either the shampoo or the shield doesn’t dry clear. It’s not terrible but in certain lights it is noticeable. Like I say maybe just a damp cloth will sort it.
Click to expand...
Too much leather shield as you say a slightly dampened cloth will fix it,its all too easy to apply too much leather shield
 
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Pook said:
Always possible I guess. I think maybe I use too much shampoo, it’s like what you might think would be left if you cleaned something with a soap and didn’t rinse it. Next time I’ll try wiping it all down with a damp cloth to remove more of the shampoo and then dry it after that.
Click to expand...
Yep, don't need to use too much of either (shampoo or leather shield). I still have my original bottle of shampoo, and the shield was only recently replaced having done full seats and other leather bits probably a few times
 
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Just a brief update on my recent leather cleaning exploits.
Bit of a bitter sweet experience with the Dodo Juice supernatural leather cleaner really. I proceeded to use the cleaner with purchased cleaning brush and MF cloths on Sunday. The stains disappeared a treat but I was also left with colour removal on most of the seat!
If I had been over active with the cleaner and brush action I could somewhat understand why this might have happened but I barely used any cleaner or brushing action. My suspicion is that the seats have been leather dye coated previously and my 'cleaning' therefore simply removed this? It may well have been the Audi dealer prior to my purchase in an attempt to make good before sale but I definitely suspect some previous dying as both the brush used and MF clothes where a milky white colour which I wouldn't expect from just cleaning off dirt.
Anyway, I've ordered some Lunar Silver leather dye and plan to apply some of this over the weekend. I have thankfully only attempted cleaning the driver's seat to date and want to be happy with the finish of the new dye before tackling the other seats just incase I have the same result when I clean them!
I haven't posted any pics yet as I promised but will take some before and after pictures the weekend when I next get to try and remedy the issue. In the meantime, I've a seat cover over the driver's seat to hide the hideous sight!!!
Anyone else experienced dye removal from leather seats and if so how and what where the outcomes?
Cheers, Gaz.
 
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I would have expected dirt (denim dye transfer) etc, but not dye :wtf:
 
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WTF indeed.......that was my reaction when I saw it lol!
Like I say, I very much suspect previous 'repairs' have simply been taken off by me cleaning the seat. I just hope that the dye I've purchased is a good to perfect match otherwise I'm gonna cry !
 
What would you guys recommend for a 59 plate S3, got full leather interior and I clean, treat then buff the leather and it’s in a great condition, except for the drivers seat doorside bolsters, there is a slight cracking of the leather that’s bugging me...
Any ideas what products could remedy the cracking?
19448da707943c03837816652e17bbca.jpg

b8c88db99aedc8ebab2d81c21e841ac8.jpg

PS first photo looks 100x worse than it really is
 
Soooooo,
Not very good this dodo juice stuff then eh?
www.liquidleather.co.uk
I use there gliptone stuff, recommended to me years ago on detailing world.
I won't use anything else.
2 bottles, 1 cleaner, 1 conditioner, smells of leather.
Leaves a mat finish.
Done
They also do dyes
Try that.
 
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