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Leather cleaning product too strong?


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Good morning from NL,

A 1988 TE HC has joined my 1999 Esprit GT3 last friday. Hopefully for now only several cosmetic things need to be addressed. Only 39.000 km and leather undamaged and luckily not very dried out.

I tried a simple cleaner and conditioner from Meguiars on the armrest: great result (see picture for part treated armrest) but it seems a lot of the leather paint comes off (see cloth on picture). Should I better try other products?

IMG_9893.jpg.ae0174636095e2034b15a3aca0e9e986.jpgBBFB2449-5383-4386-9E8C-0807D5D9A87F.JPG.117f22c01b4b98d5dd7bc4831aee5609.JPG

Kind regards

 

Marc

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Be careful.  Automotive leather is tricky. Modern leathers are sealed and cannot be fed. Cleaning is via warm water and cloth, handbooks usually are specific on instructions.  

Older cars, as sealed leather became mainstream in the mid-90s, best know what you've got and tread carefully.  Read the handbook and chat to a trimmer or specialist who knows best. 

On my 1986 Excel, I used saddle feed or similar, I'll need to check exactly. It cleaned off dirt and added a pleasant shine. Blue leather that wasn't dirty though. 

Justin 

PS. Good to see the Workmate, Lotus connection 👍 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks for the replies; here and elsewhere different suggestions. I guess we all have our own ways and products for doing things; soon I will remove the chairs (there the leather is 'used' the most) and try some products.

 

 

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I like Leatherique products for our cars.  I've restored several interiors of G-bodied cars with outstanding results.  It's pretty surprising how far older leather can be brought back.  Their Rejuvenator oil and Prestine (sic) Clean cleaner are formulated for the types of leather used in our cars.  Use as directed.  Zymol is good too. 

I can't say for sure what is on your rag, but the darker section of leather in your photo looks plenty dirty.  You may just be seeing decades worth of sweat, body oils, smoke, cleaning products, and protectants getting removed from the surface of the leather.

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Mike - '83 Esprit Turbo, Turbo St. Tropez,  '87 Esprit Turbo  (FrankEnSPRIT), '05 Elise

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  • 5 weeks later...

Definitely be careful if that's the original coloring (which it looks like it is) on your leather.  Unfortunately, the experience I have had anything strong enough to truly clean the factory leather on Esprits (1980s to early '90s) also softens and removes the dye.

The best compromise of gentle + effective I have found is Gliptone.  It gets some of the dirt and grime out, and you have to be aggressive with it to remove dye.


When Gliptone isn't getting the job done, I use Leatherique.  A little more aggressive of a cleaner, but gets more dirt out.  However, I've had Leatherique turn the dye sticky (on my 1991 Esprit SE), which took weeks, ultimately months, to get back to normal.  There is also a spot where it took the dye right off.  Leatherique is a bit of a paradox for me, because on some leathers it restored it to amazing supple condition (especially aniline dyed, "natural look" leathers), and it usually cleans well;  whereas others it crashed and burned (another example was on a Mercedes SLC, where it turned stiff leather soft, but then after several weeks it became so dry and stiff that it crumbled).

No matter what product you use, I think cleaning without removing the color will require care and attention.

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Tony K. :)

 

Esprit S1s #355H & 454H

Esprit S2.2  #324J

1991 Esprit SE

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