I was reading my owners manual today about cleaning the dash, leather seats etc. Of course the suggestion was always a Jaguar product, the dealers aren't convenient to me. I was just wondering what products have worked best for you?

 

While I'm not yet leaping around, my wife and I have her '02 RX300 and a '95 Mercedes E320.

Neither have had the leather more than wiped down by me, with "leather wipes", and I guarantee none of the previous owners did more than spill stuff on 'em.

Still, not particularly worn, especially my W124, and her Lexus looks good for spending some time in Vegas.

A couple of weekends ago, I finally got after both of them. I cleaned them with Lexol, got it off Amazon, and found heavy-duty paper towels which were wet, not just damp, worked well.

Then I coated the leather surfaces with Leather Honey. This stuff is borderline magic, honestly. Now, it can't fix tears, serious cracks, color problems, but it does turn it back to butter smooth.

Instead of me typing it back out, lemme cut-and-paste the review I did on it for Amazon. I know, it's long, but I wanted people to be aware of what it can and cannot do, 'cause there are fools everywhere thinking it'll turn their rat-infested sofa into a Herendon piece.

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This stuff really is amazing, March 8, 2011

This review is from: Leather Honey Leather Conditioner, the Best Leather Conditioner Since 1968, 8 Oz Bottle

I know the seats in my wife and I's cars have likely been ignored since day 1. They're not abused and we don't have children, but the Mercedes is 16 years old, the Lexus 9. We plan on keeping both until we cannot stand looking at them any longer, and interior condition is a HUGE part of making it feel 'right'. I know for a fact, the second owner of the Mercedes, I'm owner #3, was both a slob AND lazy about upkeep. I've wiped the Lexus's interior down a couple of times with leather 'wipes', but I've never treated them properly.

If you have a car with leather, you know leather vehicle interiors are not at all inexpensive to repair/replace, so it's in your best interest to keep them in good shape from the start rather than trying to save them as they deteriorate. Additionally, the fix is never invisible. It may look the same, but does it FEEL the same? I'd put money on 'no'.

Before diving in, first was a test on my wallet, which I've carried for 4+ years in a back pocket. I have done positively nothing to as it pertains to leather care, other than I do my best to not let it get wet, i.e. drop it in the sink.

Cleaning and Leather Honey...wow! Just...WOW!

After a thorough cleaning with Lexol, to get the dirt out of the leather, I brushed on some Leather Honey. It has an odd feel to it...almost beeswaxy. It's not at all oily or slippery, like it appears. The next day, with my wallet feeling as if it were new...looks are another thing, but I don't care about look as much as feel...the cars were next.

I read about people expecting Leather Honey to 'heal' cracks and restore color. That's not what this is for, and it's not touted as such a product (which would be magic if it could, 'cause cracks are physical damage). Now, had it changed my wallet's leather from the color black to say, fuschia, I'd have an issue. This will not restore color to worn spots nor will it fix existing cracks. That's what dyes and repair guys are for. Additionally, after reading some of the negative reviews, I can't help but wonder what these folks expected. Restoration of worn/weathered anything isn't easy, and it won't turn out identical to the original. Items are new and original one time, and one time only.

Conditioning the cars' seats took some time and plenty of effort, and I wish it were warmer so the Honey may be better absorbed into the leather, but I'll tell you what, the difference in feel is amazing! The seats in my wife's 9 year old Lexus weren't this soft when the car was two years old! They didn't 'moo', but it was close.

Now, be aware, this is NOT a simple brush-on, wipe-off kinda thing. You've *gotta* follow directions, and I think it's better to apply too little rather than too much, as you can't really recover excess, and removal of any excess isn't easy. If using a foam sponge as an applicator, you can squeeze excess out, however. Having done it both ways, light and heavy, I'd MUCH rather go over it a second time than have to remove too much.

Tips: USE A LINT-FREE CLOTH! Heed the advice on the bottle! I thought the rag I was using wouldn't leave lint, but I'll be picking fuzz off the passenger's seat in my car for the next week. Applying with a foam sponge is perfect. Foam paintbrushes aren't sturdy enough, but the material is just right. I think removing with heavy-duty paper towels may be the way to go, too.

Get the 16 ounce bottle. It has no expiration date, and after you use it on a couple of items, you'll be surprised how many leather goods you have which you want to bring back to feeling new. I'm eyeballing our large L-shaped sofa, and while it'll be quite a bit of work, it'll be worth it. If you don't like it, I'd wager you could make the loss very minimal by eBaying the remainder.

Make certain you remove the excess a couple of times. I was tired and in a rush when I wiped down the 16 year old seats in my car, and I can see/feel I didn't remove all of the excess. It takes some arm strength, 'cause this stuff is quite viscous. The seats have a little bit of residue, but it's not oily, like I stated above, it's almost like wax. This is 100% my error. I should have taken more time. The good, no GREAT, thing is, a light leftover residue doesn't appear to stain clothes.

I parked my car in the sun, today, thinking maybe heat may help a bit of the excess soak into the leather. We'll see. In fact, I'll go check, now...

Nope, sunlight/heat (at least a nice late-February day in north Texas (mid-70's) doesn't help.

Let it soak in overnight, if possible. Do NOT rush it. Even with 16 year old car seats which have been in Texas their entire lives, a second coat is unnecessary. I might put a second on my wallet's exterior, just to see if there's a noticeable difference.

One other VERY important thing to remember. If you like 'slippery' leather, DO NOT USE THIS. It makes leather almost a bit 'tacky'. At least initially. After a few days of contact with clothes/skin, it feels pretty normal, but not dried-out and polished like it may have been before proper conditioning. The leather is back to the somewhat "grippy" properties it had, originally.

Update: while this was a review for the 16 oz. bottle, the 8 oz item is identical. After a couple of weeks, my wallet *still* feels great, which is a VERY pleasant surprise. Another thing, no odor with this stuff and no fumes. While I can't claim it's magic, this combo of Lexol and Leather Hones is close. My wife spilled a little bit of water on her car's seat when getting out, and she was amazed at how well the water beaded up and ran right off. It's like Rejex (used on automotive paint/windows, and much better than Rain-X), but for leather.

Any leather item, besides coats/jackets, is getting this treatment from now on. Fight deterioration from minute one.


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Hope this helps.

One of the first things I do with the next car I buy, after transmission oil change, and other mechanical stuff which will I know it needs, if for nothing else, my piece of mind, leather cleaning and then Leather Honey.

 

Good Info "McKelly B", good to know, does seem like a lot of work when done right, but that what it takes. Do you know of any easy way to find this stuff besides the E-Bay way?

 

I just bought a bottle of this stuff at Amazon.com. Bagged free shipping too.

 

Thanks for sharing that, I have been wanting to try Lexol for a long time now, and I'll give the Leather Honey a try as well.

McKellyB, did you used to be on the Mercedes w126 forum? I don't think we ever spoke on there, but I seem to remember you had an accident with the 126? Anyway, small world

 

Yep, that's me. I drive a 124 now, and while I freely admit to missing the W126 420 SEL I had, there were times that car was just too much in parking garages. Plus, it was work to get high-teens MPG out of it with a mostly highway commute.

I can verify, from first-hand experience...my only experience with them, actually, 19 year old SRS systems work.

Oh, and everyone can just call me Kelly. Mckellyb is a nickname I got a couple of decades ago, and I've managed to almost corner the market on screen names/e-mail with it.

 

Amazon.com. Free shipping over $25, and the Lexol and 8 oz. bottle of LH will just get you there, I think.

The pricing they have can't be beat, honestly, after you find out about shipping or even tax, in some cases.

I'm not a cheap *******, but I am thrifty in certain areas. Working an extra few minutes to save cash for auto/computer stuff is always worth it!