Care - Leather Interior

[domane]

Hi,

I recently bought a '04 ES 330 and I completely love it. I like to get some background on what product(s) you recommend to care for the car seats leather. Specifically, would you recommend mink oil or saddle soap? How often would you use this/these product(s)?

Thank you.

[pj8708]

Hi,

I recently bought a '04 ES 330 and I completely love it. I like to get some background on what product(s) you recommend to care for the car seats leather. Specifically, would you recommend mink oil or saddle soap? How often would you use this/these product(s)?

Thank you.

Hi Domane and welcome to the Lexus Owners Club..

I'm going to suggest you go to the "Car care and Detailing" forum towards the end of the Forums page. There, you will find threads on all types of detailing including leather seats. You will find there is no aggrement on no one perfect way to go about it.

Also, please do a search through our database and you will probably find a lot of information possible.I will also forward your post to anoother member of the club who is an expert is this field. If he has time away from work and obligation, he may be able to get back to you

http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=73733.

Let us know how you do,

Paul

[Steve]

i am pretty sure Lexus only recommend a damp cloth... but i have used conditioners afterwards, there are many on the market. Meguiars is a good place to start

[1990LS400]

Lexus leather or almost any leather used in cars requires very little maintenance. Here is the relevant page from your owners manual.

"5% solution of neutral detergent for wool" refers to products like Woolite. Instead I use Lexol leather cleaner maybe twice a year - a mild cleaner originally available only at saddle shops and now available at auto parts and discount stores. I follow up with Lexol leather conditioner but that may be unnecessary. Your Lexus dealer also has appropriate products.

Stay away from mink oil and saddle soap - not appropriate for car leather. The last thing you want to do is saturate the leather and cause it to break down. You only want to gently clean the surface. Do not try to "soften" the leather - I tried doing that back in the 60's when I was a clueless teenager and completely trashed some worn but serviceable Mercedes SL seats.

[domane]

Greetings,

Thank you very much for guidance! Especially thanks to 1990LS400 who took the time to scan a section of the manual, specifically addressing this topic. Car is awesome.. I enjoy it more and more as I am driving it around.

Best,

[cduluk]

I'm concerned with the instructions in the Lexus manual, and in my experience Lexus leather requires a lot of care. The leather used in the 02-06 ES is VERY sensitive and will crease and crack quite easily without proper care.

I used Lexol leather conditioner in my '03 RX300 (which is the same leather in the 02-06 ES) and i believe it made things worse. Come to find out, Lexol can be damaging to the dyes used on Lexus leather, and i swear it caused my leather to crack prematurely.

At one point i replaced the leather in my Rx300 and switched to Leatherique's leather "rejuvenator" (conditioner) followed by Leatherique's "Prestine Clean" (cleaner). Note the cleaner is applied after the conditioner. This product is rather expensive, but it works VERY well. I've been using it for several years with perfect results. And unlike most other conditioners which leave the leather slimy and shiny, the Leatherique leaves the matte finish to the leather like it's supposed to. It also removes the dirt from any creases in the leather unlike any other conditioner i've used. Another notable difference is how soft the Leatherique makes the leather- i didn't understand the name "rejuvenator" until i used it!

Note that you should only clean/condition the leather 3-4 times a year (i do mine in April, Aug, Jan) and no more frequently. Conditioning the leather too often can damage the stitching. However, if you live in a southern state with hot summers and warm winters, you should condition on the 4x a year end. It's heat and UV that deteriorates the leather and causes it to dry out.

Enjoy your new ride!

[domane]

Thanks for your feedback, cduluk. I will keep in mind the Leatherique products, as well.