2 questions: Leather cleaner/magnetised fastener -

varunsharma · February 12, 2019

Hi! Me again! Sorry to be a pain ... BUT

1) I have cream leather and it's a wee grubby. Is there a product that will bring the shine back?

2) does anyone know where i can source a "gold" coloured magnetised fastener for my rear seatbelts ... one is missing and is the "loose" seat belt is driving me CRAZY!

thank you x 2!

Varun

NemesisUK · February 12, 2019

1 hour ago, varunsharma said:

1) I have cream leather and it's a wee grubby. Is there a product that will bring the shine back?

Mild (wool) soap solution in warm water applied with a damp (not wet) soft cloth will remove most contamination. Very grubby/ingrained dirt might need a little agitation with a soft nail brush. Wipe over with clean damp cloth, job done.

Or you can buy the Lexus leather cleaner kit ...

Herbie · February 12, 2019

First of all, leather isn't meant to be shiny. Just look at any Youtube video on car detailing and they'll all show a matt finish after cleaning.

I use Dodo Juice Supernatural leather cleaner and also the sealant:

normski2 · February 12, 2019

+1 for the Dodo juice kit. I have cream coloured leather too. A stiffish nail brush bets the best results as it gets right in and removes the dirt.

You can also use the wool detergent method as that works well too.

As has been said the final finish should look matt and not feel slippery (as shiny tends to)

Do it on a nice warm day in the summer. Pull the seat belts right out and anchor/tie it back somewhere and give them a right good scrub too. They can come up a treat. Do them first and they'll be virtually dry by the time you've done the seats.

olliesgrandad · February 12, 2019

I use chemical Guys leather cleaner. Gliptone is also very good

PCM · February 12, 2019

I used Autoglym cleaner ( wow, what a difference it made ), then Autoglym conditioner ...

Neil E · February 13, 2019

I can deal with the leather even to the point of matching the dye but what do you guys recommend for seat-belts? The beige belts are particularly hard to get clean.

I've tried interior cleaner, neat TFR and various other sauces with limited success.

mr2lad · February 13, 2019

You can get the magnet fasteners off amazon, ive a big tub of them

olliesgrandad · February 13, 2019

6 hours ago, Neil E said:

I can deal with the leather even to the point of matching the dye but what do you guys recommend for seat-belts? The beige belts are particularly hard to get clean.

I've tried interior cleaner, neat TFR and various other sauces with limited success.

Good point. I haven't tried to clean mine yet but will do so when the weather warms up. I have got Maguires APC and also Chemical Guys Fabric Cleaner. The CG fabric cleaner is great on carpets both car and house so will probably try that first as it isn't as harsh as the APC.

All other suggestions welcome.

mr2lad · February 13, 2019

@Neil E i used a normal detergent and soaked belts in a basin (in situ) for a hour then scrubbed with nail brush and came up okayish and passable but seen a trick on a you tube site so then got a piece of plastic piping about 8’’ long and cut it from the side end about 3-4’’ And placed belt thru it and clamped it tight with hand and dragged it down belt, oh my god the gunk thats in the belt you dont see is horrific,

so repeated the soaking and used piping again a couple of times and belt came out bright and looking damned near new,

then month later ripped them out and got red ones installed lol

varunsharma · February 13, 2019

You guys are all awesome!
I am having my blue with cream interior SC looked at by Lexus Exeter in the morning! Just a good once over .. then ... happy driving with top down!

YAY!

regards, Varun

Neil E · February 13, 2019

12 hours ago, mr2lad said:

@Neil E i used a normal detergent and soaked belts in a basin (in situ) for a hour then scrubbed with nail brush and came up okayish and passable but seen a trick on a you tube site so then got a piece of plastic piping about 8’’ long and cut it from the side end about 3-4’’ And placed belt thru it and clamped it tight with hand and dragged it down belt, oh my god the gunk thats in the belt you dont see is horrific,

so repeated the soaking and used piping again a couple of times and belt came out bright and looking damned near new,

then month later ripped them out and got red ones installed lol

Thanks Graham I'll give it go.

Linas.P · February 13, 2019

+2 for Dodo juice. Clean leather has to be matte not shiny... and please please... do not use conditioners - they do not work on sealed leather!

i-s · February 13, 2019

4 minutes ago, Linas.P said:

+2 for Dodo juice. Clean leather has to be matte not shiny... and please please... do not use conditioners - they do not work on sealed leather!

Maybe they don't. However, Lexus use a number of unsealed leathers in their vehicles - for example, the semi-aniline leather in our GS Premier is not sealed (and this was evidenced by a patch of spew (look it up) that was occuring where a previous occupant's oily hair product had got on a headrest).

This should be regarded as a benefit, because unsealed leather that can be fed can be maintained indefinitely - sealed leather will dry out and crack.

Lexus themselves recommend the use of a conditioner:

NemesisUK · February 14, 2019

Use the water drop test to check if leather is sealed/coated. If the droplet is absorbed, unsealed. If the droplet just sits on the surface, sealed/coated.

Oil or grease can stain even coated leather.

It would be very unusual for automotive leather to be uncoated ....

Linas.P · February 14, 2019

I am not some sort of expert, but I do like detailing my car and spend some considerable time researching best products and techniques.

Unsealed leather doesn't really exists in modern cars (I am sure there are exceptions), Lexus semi-aniline leather is still type of sealed leather. Yes it is not heavily sealed leather of 80s and 90s where you could literally peel layer of lacquer, but it is still sealed. Unsealed leather is actually very very absorbent (think Chamois), you drop water on it and it will absorb it within seconds. This is something I found quickly just to illustrate the point https://www.paulfordleatherproducts.co.nz/identifying-leather.html

Now I think it is worth clarifying terminology - Conditioner is a product based on organic or mineral oil, which works by being absorbed into say leather. If you apply this on sealed leather heavy enough and leave it long enough you likely going to ruin it. It will absorb more in to little wrinkles, seams and perforations and will give "cloudy"/dirty looks which you will never get out of it. Well that is unless "vintage looks" is your sort of thing.

Sealant - is usually a spray, which contains some sort of solids which seals by bonding to leather and sitting on top. That is what is best to use on any modern leather or vinyl.

I have seen several products called conditioners (mostly dirty cheap kind junk), but they are not - they look conditioner "like", but often contains silicone and works like a sealant leaving leaving layer of silicone on top. This is kind of lazy marketing, instead of educating consumer, they simply slap the name which ignorant consumers expects... "conditioner". Autoglym is one of those products, they call it "balm" - "feeds and protects"... I call it BS. They as well say it contains "natural" oils, but product doesn't have ingredients label so hell knows what is in it, if it has oils then very very little - I mean 0.5% maybe, because Autoglym not entirely stupid, they know that if they product would contain a lot of oil it would ruin most of seats.

Anyhow - it is best for modern leather to keep it only sealed, leaving any sort of conditioner (be it fake one which cannot penetrate and ruin it) only going to work like springboard for dirt to stick, accumulate and wear down the leather prematurely.

i-s · February 14, 2019

Yet the very site you link suggests that semi-aniline leathers benefit from the use of conditioners.

I also like detailing my car and do similar research. I also have my own experience.

For example, here's some seats in my father's BMW when it was 21 years old and over 140k miles.

I was the primary detailer for that car and there's a reason that the leather was still pristine and supple at 21 years.

Linas.P · February 14, 2019

If I may... I would like to avoid commenting on the looks of you car interior. I think as long as it makes you happy that is what matters....

Neil E · February 14, 2019

Okay thanks for the advice, maybe I'll look into changing the leather seats for cloth instead.🤣

Bob King · February 16, 2019

On 2/12/2019 at 1:55 PM, varunsharma said:

Hi! Me again! Sorry to be a pain ... BUT

1) I have cream leather and it's a wee grubby. Is there a product that will bring the shine back?

2) does anyone know where i can source a "gold" coloured magnetised fastener for my rear seatbelts ... one is missing and is the "loose" seat belt is driving me CRAZY!

thank you x 2!

Varun

Out of interest do your seats look as bad as this from my first SC430 ?

mr2lad · February 17, 2019

@varunsharma.... this is the box of magnetic fastners i bought

varunsharma · February 17, 2019

13 hours ago, Bob King said:

Out of interest do your seats look as bad as this from my first SC430 ?

actually - i am "pleased" to say, it's MUCH MUCH MUCH MUCH cleaner ... !

and less - marked - ....

V

varunsharma · February 17, 2019

7 hours ago, mr2lad said:

@varunsharma.... this is the box of magnetic fastners i bought

I did buy some ... now I have to get someone to affix one of them!!!

🙂

Bob King · March 4, 2019

Well above is how bad the Lexus seats can get and here’s is the improvement after added some liquid dye ...this was the results a couple of hours later and 24 hours later .