# leather cleaner - conditioner for Range Rover



## budd (Jul 4, 2007)

I want something to keep the leather in my Range Rover in tip top condition, it's not dirty as such see pics but cleaning it can only do it good right,


as you can see seats etc are black so shouldn't show the dirt but the roof lining isn't so there's more chance of it getting marked (especially with the kids on board!!)


I mainly want to condition it to keep it from getting grubby, thing is there's a lot of it, seats, dash, roof lining etc lots of cows made the ultimate sacrifice for this interior !!! and I don't want that sacrifice to be in vain so how best protect it? what products should I be looking at? wipes ? or liquid/ cream? also I's like to get the 'new leather' smell back so something that's cleans, conditions and smells nice would be just the ticket any suggestions?


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## sunnydude959 (Jan 3, 2014)

Seeing as it looks like its the new new range rover, I would personally supagaurd it to preserve it.


I think Autoglym do a supagaurd-like thing called "Lifeshine" or something - I don't know which is better, etc.


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## judyb (Sep 7, 2007)

Keep your leather clean by protecting it with a leather protector and then regular cleaning. 
Adding 'conditioners' which generally contain oils and waxes will change the appearance of your leather over time as dirt will build up on the surface and cause a sheen. 

Using the correct care methods and products will not alter the factory finish.

The type of leather you have is 'coated' leather. This is essentially a 'painted' leather 
with a clear coat finish over the top. The leather may or may not be dyed through with 
aniline dyes prior to the finish coating. 

Essentially it is this top coating that needs looking after. 
Cleaning is vitally important as the top coat will wear away if allowed to become dirty. 
Dirt on the surface will also become ground into the finish by constant abrassion.

'Conditioners', balms, feeds etc (traditionally oil and wax based) cannot penetrate this 
finish so are not worth applying - they can also leave behind residues on the finish which will only attract more dirt if allowed to remain. 'Conditioners' will not do any 
protecting on leather even if they say they do as there will not be enough active 
ingredient in them to do anything.

A protector will make the finish easier to clean and also inhibit dye transfer etc 
on pale coloured leathers.

Leather however finished has to remain breathable and it will allow the movement of 
moisture back and forth (transpiration) so the use of water based cleaners and 
protectors will keep the leather correctly hydrated which is essentail to keeping it in 
good condition.

Leather needs a little regular care and attention and this can be done with a maintenance product rather than a deep clean which you would then only need to do once or twice a year depending on usage and colour.
You will find that detergent style cleaners will remove the protection applied so you would need to reprotect each time you clean. 
A maintenance product like Auto Ultra Maintain helps to retain the protection rather than remove it so a reapplication of protector is only required after a deep clean.
Whilst individual products may be effective if they have not been tested together you may find they are counter productive

The routine for correct care should be 

Protect from new Auto Ultra Protect
Maintain with a regular clean or maintenance product Auto Ultra Maintain
Deep clean with a foam cleaner once or twice a year Auto Ultra Foam

Simple steps of cleaning & protecting will prolong the life of the finish on the leather 

Hope this helps
Judyb


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## stangalang (Nov 27, 2009)

Dr leather wipes. Just blast over every month or so. Will stay like new and smelling great


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## Blueberry (Aug 10, 2007)

I use the Furniture Clinic Cleaner and Protector on our Discovery 4. Keeps the leather looking like new and keeps a nice leather smell without being overpowering.

Clean fortnightly and use the Protector every 3 months.

http://www.furnitureclinic.co.uk/Leather_Care_Kit.php


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## budd (Jul 4, 2007)

sunnydude959 said:


> Seeing as it looks like its the new new range rover, I would personally supagaurd it to preserve it.
> 
> I think Autoglym do a supagaurd-like thing called "Lifeshine" or something - I don't know which is better, etc.


it's a new shape RR but not brand new it's just over a 1 yrs old,and was one of the first of the new shape, it was originally a LR demo car so is a nice spec, but wasn't that well cared for by it's previous owner who lived up a farm track so it was pretty grubby I've been having a couple of hours on it for the last few weeks and now it's getting something like tidy I want to keep it that way. I've already used lifeshine on the carpets but I didn't have enough for the leather as it was a part kit I had left over from a previous car, and although I know AG say it's OK on leather I wasn't sure hence asking for advice.


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## budd (Jul 4, 2007)

judyb said:


> Keep your leather clean by protecting it with a leather protector and then regular cleaning.
> Adding 'conditioners' which generally contain oils and waxes will change the appearance of your leather over time as dirt will build up on the surface and cause a sheen.
> 
> Using the correct care methods and products will not alter the factory finish.
> ...


thanked for the comprehensive advice and I can see now with this modern very processed leather how using the wrong product or even cleaning/conditioning it to much could detrimental, I'll have a look at the various products mentioned, but your advice as helped me to realise I don't need to go mad with it just a light clean and occasional application of protector should suffice.


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## judyb (Sep 7, 2007)

Don't forget your DW discount just quote DWMEM10 either at the checkout or over the phone to claim it on any of our products
Cheers
Judyb


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## Davide82 (Sep 17, 2013)

If I were you I'd go for the gliptone twins 

1. Clean with Gliptone cleaner
2. Followed by gliptone conditioner
3. Then cover with Gtechniq L1 leather guard


I'd probably do step 2 twice, about 12 hours apart - that we definitely return the smell of brand new leather, and the L1 will seal everything in and protect it against rubbing, scuffing, stains, water marks, dye transfer etc

L1 will last around 6 months if seats are in constant use

The above keeps my lemon bmw leather in tip top conditioner even after 70K miles


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## DMH-01 (Mar 29, 2011)

Clean with Gliptone Leather Cleaner and protect with Gtechniq L1 :thumb:


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## Suba (Feb 2, 2013)

Another vote for Dr Leather wipes. Very easy and great finish afterwards. And so much easier for regular, child-related dirt!


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## budd (Jul 4, 2007)

I should have mentioned that I have already cleaned the leather using AS leather cleaner and the white terry clothes revealed some worthwhile grime removal (that's if it wasn't black dye !!) and judging by the previous posts (thanks to all those contributing) it seems modern leather is highly processed so rubbing in various oil / creams etc isn't necessary, or even desirable so I'm thinking a the Dr leather wipes sound a good option basically because I can give the seats/trim a quick wipe every few weeks plus the resealable tub allows for convenient storage enabling quick access to react immediately to inevitable sticky fingers or spills, and then every 6 months or so the application of a sealant should keep the trim protected and looking good.


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## Beancounter (Aug 31, 2006)

I use Dr Leather wipes to maintain the leather every other week or so and I give it a good clean/protect every 6 months with the LTT stuff.
The leather looks as good as the day I got it in my cars.


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## realist (May 11, 2011)

You can't beat the good DR:thumb:


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## Melkor (Aug 16, 2012)

Dr leather wipes will keep it go looking great, my manager at work has a range rover and he has being using Dr leather wipes since he got the car, the seats still look great.


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## budd (Jul 4, 2007)

Dr Leather wipes it is then, sounds like the most appropriate solution, regular wiping and protector as necessary, I'll post a update when the wipes arrive


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## MatthewADV (Jan 18, 2012)

You can get the sample packs from Tim at EnvyValeting (look further down on the forum for him) which are handy to keep in the glove box, and if you want to splash the cash a bit more, get the 1 Litre bottle for when you have a bit more time.

I also use the LTT stuff, most times its just what I remember to pack :lol:


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## Demetrios72 (Jun 27, 2011)

Dr Leather Wipes for me :thumb:

Dr Leather spray is great too


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## David C (Feb 23, 2008)

LTT for me, tried most and this one stands head and shoulders above.


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## budd (Jul 4, 2007)

I now have some Dr Leather wipes 


tried them on the seats and dash



opinion, they are fine for spot cleaning and leave a leathery smell but I did notice on the smooth (un-perforated leather) sections like the dash and centre console they left some streaks (you maybe able to see what I mean by enlarging ther second pic ) reapplying removed the streaks but you can't just give it a quick rub around more care then you'd expect is needed in order to get an even finish, I think this is because they seem to dry out quickly or maybe it's just me and I need a better technique, a bit more practice using them, I was a bit pushed for time and intended just a quick wipe over but I think this is the wrong approach I need to take more time,
I'm not yet convinced they are a one stop solution to leather care and while they do a job I think maybe a more traditional cream / lotion is required periodically to complement them and provide a more complete cleaning regime, 
So to sum up a good product but probably best used in conjuction with another more trad product.


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## Suba (Feb 2, 2013)

I find they stay wet for a couple of minutes, which for me is enough time to release the surface dirt. With the leather still wet I wipe over with a microfibre cloth to soak up the moisture and dirt. 

If used regularly they will probably be enough, but you can also use a deeper cleaner occasionally for more persistent soiling. 

If you do use a stronger cleaner then suggest you don't follow with the conditioner given the advice earlier in this thread. It will simply sit on the top layer of the leather and not be absorbed into the main hide. In other words you may end up with leather that attracts more dirt without any real benefit.


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## Blueberry (Aug 10, 2007)

budd, I had the same problem as you when I used them. I only used them once and they left white streaks all over my leather so I never used them again. Dr Leather did get in touch with me and suggested it was because I had used a cleaner and protector on my leather previously. I don't know if you have?

Anyway I went back to using the Furniture Clinic kit that I've always used, without issues.


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## budd (Jul 4, 2007)

not sure if the dealer applied something to it but I've cleaned the seats with AS leather cleaner, I guess it's possible even likely they sprayed some aerosol style cleaner on the dash and trim surfaces, like I said I've cleaned the seats but not the dash and trim I've basically just given that a wipe with a damp MF cloth, I think I need to clean the dash and trim properly and then see how the Dr Leather wipes work, to be fair there's nothing really wrong with them if you take more care I think maybe it's a perception thing, the wipes suggest a quick wipe on wipe off cleaning experience but it's not as simple as that more care is needed, I could do with spending some time and a little more effort on it, ensure there's no silicone cleaner residue left over, just need to find some time


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## organisys (Jan 3, 2012)

Beancounter said:


> I use Dr Leather wipes to maintain the leather every other week or so and I give it a good clean/protect every 6 months with the LTT stuff.
> The leather looks as good as the day I got it in my cars.


This is the way to go IMHO, as although the wipes are very good, they don't offer a deep clean. for that you need a dedicated product.


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## budd (Jul 4, 2007)

organisys said:


> This is the way to go IMHO, as although the wipes are very good, they don't offer a deep clean. for that you need a dedicated product.


yep I think your right, wipes every couple of weeks and kept on hand to deal with grubby finger marks etc and then a dedicated cleaner every 6 months or so, sounds like a plan :thumb:


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