Welcome to the updated version that has the properly edited version of the previous video on car leather. Thanks for tuning in. I also make plenty of mistakes...
There may be a coating, but it doesn’t mean is completely stopping things from getting through it. Lots of people have issues with dash leather on expensive cars shrinking and coming off from being too dried out. Not saying it’s not coated, but a coating doesn’t mean it’s a waste of time to condition if some can get through. There are lots of examples out there of the Leatherique system keeping seats looking incredible over long periods. There has to be something to it.
Hi Darren, could you do a complete detailed video on dressing tires . Ive seen the turtleback sponge video and ive got the sponge. Could you show your exact procedure on how to do this ? Thank you, been watching your videos for a couple yrs now.
@autofetishdetail so how do we maintain our new car that has leather after time goes by. The leather coating will wear after time right? Is there a point where we will have to use dedicated leather cleaners and conditioners on leather that had a coating? Or not needed at all because the car came from the factory with the coating. Just clean with an all purpose cleaner that's it? Confused
I can tell you what I have done for both my cars and my customers cars: just keep it clean w/ your choice in a cleaner. Of course you can use a dedicated leather cleaner, but the point is that you don’t have to. You can use a cleaner you already have like an all-purpose cleaner or an upholstery shampoo. I have used NOTHING but all-purpose cleaners for decades. And I have used them on my customers cars on a weekly or monthly basis and have done so for years on the same vehicle. The clear coating has never worn off from cleaning. Sure, the customer has worn the edges off their seating from dragging their butt across the edge of the seat getting in and out, but that’s a very different discussion. I also never used any conditioners or dressings on their leather since they all preferred their leather to just be clean without any shine to it. I only used a dressing in the event that I couldn’t create a perfectly uniform appearance to the leather after cleaning the leather (generally this is only on black leather). Hope this adds some clarity for you.
You illustrate the point: if the car leather had the ability to absorb the conditioner like we are taught to believe, you wouldn’t have to come back later and remove the residue.
It’s not about denying, it’s about the fact that people don’t either know this, or understand that this one fact does change everything when it comes to cleaning product choice and conditioners. Specifically: you don’t have to follow what the industry continues to teach that allows the industry to continue to sell products that really aren’t required of the consumer.
First, ALL leather coatings are permeable. That, alone, kills your argument. MOST, if not all, leather coatings do not need to be conditioned for several years when fresh from the factory. Because of the type of coating put on leather now days, it takes time for “leather specific” products to penetrate it. That’s why you can get away with spilling coffee on your leather by just wiping it up quickly … but if you let it soak in, you will stain the leather. You’re not staining the coating. Use leather detailing products. Don’t use leather detailing products. Both are correct … kind of. Leather manufacturers recommend mild soap and water for cleaning. But they also recommend after 3 years to use leather conditioner. So … why would they recommend that if the leather coating is supposedly impenetrable? 😊😊😊
I was making a direct comparison to uncoated leathers that will pretty instantly show that any liquid is "penetrating" into the leather, whereas coated leather doesn't allow liquids to immediately "penetrate" into the material and can easily be wiped up. You illustrate a more nuanced debate which I don't disagree with. And as a whole; RU-vid viewers don't really do nuance. Just read the endless comments where I discuss the nuances of most topics that irritate the TLDR viewers of today's era.
@@autofetishdetailI’m not going to argue your logic, especially when I mostly agree with it. New leather doesn’t really need to be cleaned or conditioned for years on end … that is, unless something extreme happens. I’m just pointing out that, over time, the leather coating will start to weaken. At some point it will need to be cleaned and eventually conditioned. In some cases, the coating will need to be re-applied. A professional with a fair bit of knowledge and common sense will be able to determine when and why. When you do have to clean leather, scrubbing aggressively and/or using aggressive tools is still NOT recommended. Yes, the coatings are tough and flexible. But they are not bulletproof and can get micro-abrasions built up over time … like paint clear coats do. Can you scrub a dub all willy-nilly? Sure, you can … doesn’t mean you should. Almost any mild cleaner works, like; diluted OnR, diluted P&S Xpress, diluted SP Fire Power, diluted Dawn, whatever… the point is, don’t use undiluted Super Clean with a wire brush to clean leather. You CAN, but you won’t be happy with the results and neither will your client. Are leather care products ultimately pointless? From my point of view, I would say they’re very rarely needed. Yes, you can still use them but they’re not doing anything more than the others I mentioned above. Leather conditioner? Sure, when it’s needed … but, again, it will be rare. I don’t really have a point here, just rambling. 😊😊😊
Although I understand and agree with your arguments, I have real life dillema/question: it's the sweaty butt test (no, I am not kidding). How come that in the same conditions, temperature etc. if car seats are made of fake leather (also known as "plastic") my butt sweats in a matter of tens of minutes of driving....but, if I'm driving a car with the inpenetrable coating over a real leather seats I can litteraly drive thousands of kilometers without sweating. Shouldn't both materials fake leather and leather have (the same kind of?) coating anyways? Or is it nuanced in a way you guys talk in comments down below: is it inpenetrable enough that "leather products" are a waste of time/money, but just not inpenetrable enough so my butt can "breathe", hence not sweat? I am asking an honest question here...
You ARE asking an honest question and to me, it is about the nuances. Meaning: not all vinyl is created equal, just as not all "clear coating" on real leather is created equal. I should have clarified that when I say impervious, I am making a direct comparison to leather that is NOT coated to leather that IS coated. un-coated leather will very quickly begin to "darken" when any liquid is spilled on it. Coated leather does not do this and can quickly be wiped up with no visible sign that a liquid was spilled on it. This does not mean that the coated leather cannot be "penetrated" with anything...and this is part of the nuanced moment: how do we qualify/quantify what is meant by "impervious"? The same holds true with cleaners and conditioners: they are ALL unique in their chemistry. And some of these can "penetrate" somewhat, or not all all into coated leather. Once again, there are many factors from every angle: the cleaner, the conditioner, the type of coated leather, etc. It is indeed a nuanced topic like every other topic of life and detailing. The problem is that most people don't have the attention span nor the incentive to take the time to understand the nuances of any given topic. We are all being trained to operate off headlines, memes, or bullet point lists with any real substance of understanding dismissed due to our lack of attention span. A real problem to me.... To answer your question, I am of the opinion that true vinyl will provide zero ventilation when making a direct comparison to coated leather. But for example; are we talking about perforated vinyl/coated leather versus non-perforated vinyl/leather? I only add this to demonstrate a nuanced moment, yet again. Thank you for your valid question.
I agree with Darren on this one. Why? Let me explain: There are MANY automotive leather manufacturers. Of those manufacturers, the grades and quality of leather varies wildly. There is solid, patchwork, perforated and suede leathers. Most of the automotive leathers are coated, some are not. The same is true for pleather, vinyl and alcantara. NO material used for upholstery is impenetrable. However, some (coated) resist liquids better than others. That means with quick clean up, no staining occurs. With prolonged exposure, liquids will eventually penetrate and soil/stain the material underneath the coating. 😊😊😊
