GOLFMK8
GOLFMK7
GOLFMK6
GOLFMKV

How are you maintaining your leather seats?

JD-1

Ready to race!
Location
06468
I just picked up my car last week, so far its great. I have a good plan for the exterior but I've never had leather seats. I wanted to put a ceramic coating on the leather seats but I'm curious what others are doing to product them first.

Thanks!
 

c72k

Go Kart Champion
Location
CA
Car(s)
BMW
I know that Carpro and also Gyeon offer coatings, etc. My personal favorite is the AMMO NYC regimen. You need to agitate dirt from pores etc with a leather cleaner, before applying conditioner. Their products are not cheap, but are very well worth it
 

JD-1

Ready to race!
Location
06468
I know that Carpro and also Gyeon offer coatings, etc. My personal favorite is the AMMO NYC regimen. You need to agitate dirt from pores etc with a leather cleaner, before applying conditioner. Their products are not cheap, but are very well worth it

Yeah I actually bought gyeon leather coat but I'm sure what kind of protection you really get from getting in and out of the car. We'll see!
 

EmptyHeaded

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
enSUNitas
Yeah I actually bought gyeon leather coat but I'm sure what kind of protection you really get from getting in and out of the car. We'll see!
Wear and tear of leather is generally related to how supple the actual leather is. If the leather is clean and well moisturized it will stretch and move under you more naturally, resist (and even self heal) minor abrasions, and will look less worn over time. That said, most modern cars use coated leather, which has a semi permeable membrane designed to mimic the qualities of uncoated leather, but also works to protect the dyed leather beneath it. While coated leather does offer increased protection, it is still prone to the same attacks from dirt, abrasion, UV, staining and everything else that uncoated leather would be prone to.

My regimen is simple. Every time I wash my car, I use one of the moist (to wet) microfiber towels that I used to dry with on the seats. I wipe each seat down completely, allowing the moisture to dwell while I wipe the remaining seats down. I then come back with a dry microfiber towel and 303 Aerospace Protectant. I firmly wipe any remaining moisture off of the seats and spray a single spray of protectant onto the towel to wipe down each seat. I've continued to use this technique for coated leather seats in other vehicles and I always get compliments on how the seats appear to look brand new well after purchase.

No real world comments on ceramic coating leather, but to me it seems gimicky and possibly even detrimental to the long term wear. I'm all for exterior ceramic coatings, so I'm not a detractor of the technology, but putting a coating over something that already has a coating that has been specifically engineered for protecting the leather seems redundant. I dunno... maybe need to read up on it more.
 

JD-1

Ready to race!
Location
06468
Wear and tear of leather is generally related to how supple the actual leather is. If the leather is clean and well moisturized it will stretch and move under you more naturally, resist (and even self heal) minor abrasions, and will look less worn over time. That said, most modern cars use coated leather, which has a semi permeable membrane designed to mimic the qualities of uncoated leather, but also works to protect the dyed leather beneath it. While coated leather does offer increased protection, it is still prone to the same attacks from dirt, abrasion, UV, staining and everything else that uncoated leather would be prone to.

My regimen is simple. Every time I wash my car, I use one of the moist (to wet) microfiber towels that I used to dry with on the seats. I wipe each seat down completely, allowing the moisture to dwell while I wipe the remaining seats down. I then come back with a dry microfiber towel and 303 Aerospace Protectant. I firmly wipe any remaining moisture off of the seats and spray a single spray of protectant onto the towel to wipe down each seat. I've continued to use this technique for coated leather seats in other vehicles and I always get compliments on how the seats appear to look brand new well after purchase.

No real world comments on ceramic coating leather, but to me it seems gimicky and possibly even detrimental to the long term wear. I'm all for exterior ceramic coatings, so I'm not a detractor of the technology, but putting a coating over something that already has a coating that has been specifically engineered for protecting the leather seems redundant. I dunno... maybe need to read up on it more.

Thanks man!
 

IceBerg4k1

Ready to race!
Location
Chicago, IL
Car(s)
2015 GTI
All my interior surfaces are protected with Ultima Interior Guard +. I use Ultima Waterless Wash + at the 42:1 detail spray dilution for general interior wipe down or dusting. When surfaces like the steering wheel, shift knob or drivers seat start getting that oily shine, I wipe down with 10:1 Power Clean then reapply the Interior Guard +. Everything still looks fantastic after 3 years of this regimen.
 

The Fed

Old Guys Rule
Location
Florida
Vacuum them carefully first. Use one of top products to clean and condition. I only do mine twice per year because I don't put on a lot of miles and have a garage.
 

Golfs everyday

Autocross Newbie
Location
USA
My MK7 sat 24/7 outdoors for 2yrs as I don't have enough garage space for my cars. The best thing you can do for leather is get ceramic tint on the glass (I run Llumar Pinnacle) and clean the surface often with a MF towel (just moisten it with water) or vacuum.

I only dressed the leather twice in the 2yrs of ownership and the leather looked pretty much new. I use Griot's Leather Care Spray. It is a very easy product to use and dries matte.
 

Navi

Autocross Champion
Location
BK/NYC/Hamptons
i like zaino leather protector. It leaves a nice finish with no hot spots. You can buff the satin finish into a matte finish if you prefer. Easy to work with and goes a long way. I haven't found a leather product that leaves a better scent either. I sadly just ran out and will be testing leather honey leather conditioner. Also, to clean I only use woolite diluted 12:1. Haven't found a better leather cleaner than that. I've tried many products also, as I used to have a professional detailing company.
 
Top