Caring for Leather Seats

[01HDtahoeNJN]

Do NOT use Armorall on anything in your truck! Leatherique is one of the best for leather care. Autogeek.net has it.

I said armorall LIKE applications never suggested armorall

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[dwmmatt23]

I am leery of the long term affects of this. I can def. see the soap doing a good job cleaning, b/c it is soap after all... but isn't pledge for wood?

...
just found this with a quick google search!!!!!
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Pledge and furniture polish contains silicones that will seal the finish on the leather which will cause long term damage and so should be avoided at all costs.

Using household products and 'old wives' remedies are very short sighted when it comes to cleaning and caring for leather and can become very costly in the long run as problems they generally cause will be costly to put right. (although it does keep people like ourselves busy as we rush round fixing problems caused by using the wrong things!!!)

From here: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090113120352AAxg9mX

Well I'll let you know how long they hold up when I do it. That link sounds like its referring to high end leather furniture and saying never to use auto cleaners or such which I'm sure most people have been using since there cars were new. The dove soap is more of a moisturizer for the leather, don't see anyway that could be harmful. The pledge I would be Leary about too but after 100k miles on my hoe and seats cracked to hell I don't think much more can hurt them so after trying all conventional forms of cleaning and caring for my seats I'm going to give this a try

 

[PirateLowRider]

Well I'll let you know how long they hold up when I do it. That link sounds like its referring to high end leather furniture and saying never to use auto cleaners or such which I'm sure most people have been using since there cars were new. The dove soap is more of a moisturizer for the leather, don't see anyway that could be harmful. The pledge I would be Leary about too but after 100k miles on my hoe and seats cracked to hell I don't think much more can hurt them so after trying all conventional forms of cleaning and caring for my seats I'm going to give this a try

Why not just try something that is actually made for leather? Lexol is really not that expensive, for $20 you can get a set with the cleaner, conditioner, and vinyl treatment on amazon.

Soap is not a moisturizer actually. If you wash your hands, they come out dry because it removes the natural oils. You want to retain those oils! It's your leather but when the cost is so minimal to use something that will at least not destroy your leather vs something that clearly will, it seems like a no-brainer!

 

[dwmmatt23]

Why not just try something that is actually made for leather? Lexol is really not that expensive, for $20 you can get a set with the cleaner, conditioner, and vinyl treatment on amazon.

Soap is not a moisturizer actually. If you wash your hands, they come out dry because it removes the natural oils. You want to retain those oils! It's your leather but when the cost is so minimal to use something that will at least not destroy your leather vs something that clearly will, it seems like a no-brainer!

I've used lexol and I have zymol which is good stuff as well but doesn't seem to condition my old leather at all. Regular soap I see that happening but that's they use dove, not quite like regular soap. I was just throwing out an option that I have read many Cadillac owners use on the new cars as well as many GM owners so it's not used on cheap seats. I've tried almost everything else so I'll be the test dummy on this and let people on this site know how it works and if it lasts or ruins it down the line. My next step is recovering the seats anyways

 

[PirateLowRider]

I've used lexol and I have zymol which is good stuff as well but doesn't seem to condition my old leather at all. Regular soap I see that happening but that's they use dove, not quite like regular soap. I was just throwing out an option that I have read many Cadillac owners use on the new cars as well as many GM owners so it's not used on cheap seats. I've tried almost everything else so I'll be the test dummy on this and let people on this site know how it works and if it lasts or ruins it down the line. My next step is recovering the seats anyways

Sounds good, be sure to take some before/afters. Luckily my seats are nice except the outer bottom section of my driver's seat. It's got some lines that look like they might turn to cracks in the future.

 

[Bigcat]

need to start doing this now in my 03".... front seats could use some love

 

[indian mark]

This has been around for a while, but it's good leather seat info, and I figure some of you guys may have not seen it.
http://tahoeyukonforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=16126

 

[2005yukonxl]

I've used lexol and I have zymol which is good stuff as well but doesn't seem to condition my old leather at all. Regular soap I see that happening but that's they use dove, not quite like regular soap. I was just throwing out an option that I have read many Cadillac owners use on the new cars as well as many GM owners so it's not used on cheap seats. I've tried almost everything else so I'll be the test dummy on this and let people on this site know how it works and if it lasts or ruins it down the line. My next step is recovering the seats anyways

u do realize caddy and GM are the same leather...and GM leather is one of the worst as far as holding up without wrinkling or cracking? its always been that way. its just really low grade leather.

as far as comparing leather seats in a car vs leather in a home, the one thing people dont seem to remember is the leather in a car is subjected to way more than leather in a home. lots more UV, lots of temperature extremes- hot then cold...the hot sitting in a hot car in the summer is what does it mostly....your sofa at home never sits in 120 degree closed up glass box for hours every day....so the auto specific cleaners and conditioners are forumlated more for that environment...

also, once a seat is old its hard to bring it back to new...prior owners or just neglect do damage that cannot be reversed no matter how good the cleaner or conditioner. and to top it off, leather like what GM uses jsut doesnt last for years and years and years....and its not just GM...but all GMs leather i've had in the family has sucked after a few years (2 C5 corvettes, cadillac, suburban, HHR, etc) but the leather in the mercedes we had as well as the leather in my tundra hold up perfect. both of them are a thicker, stiffer type of leather....not super fast to wear out but super soft and smooth...so its kinda a trade off....factory installed leather on the tundras is closer to GM smooth thin leather but mine is a port installed accessory (still made by Toyota) but is thicker and shows now wear whatsover while the seats in my parents 06 HHR they jsut traded with 60k on it looked like crack and wrinkle city...

also, alot of it has to to with how you get in and out. sculpted seats and side bolsters wear out super fast when people dont have or use the runnign boards or lift them etc...the idea is to not rub across there or pivot on it getting in or out. get in by going over the outer edge and then sit down and it'll last alot longer.

 

[dwmmatt23]

This has been around for a while, but it's good leather seat info, and I figure some of you guys may have not seen it.
http://tahoeyukonforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=16126

Yea I have that stuff in my garage. I tried on a small section and it wore off pretty fast, but it did look good and filled in the small cracks well

 

[00yukonxl]

i use Lexol cleaner.. miracle stuff for some of the stains I had. McGuires Leather Conditioner. Trying to preserve mine, get them to last as long as possible and bring some life back. Have cracks already. ah well.