Best deep clean product for Volvo leather

Post by **SonicAdventure** » 17 May 2017, 05:38

After 2 years of ownership and several major repairs / maintenance, I'm finally getting around to trying to clean this car up. The PO smoked like a chimney and there are nicotine stains and similar soot all throughout the car.

Last night I used that LA Totally Awesome yellow degreaser spray to clean all the door panels and I was amazed at how well it did. The rags I used were almost black with old soot and stains. It was actually pretty gross that I have been riding around in such a dirty car these last 2 years. I've cleaned the seats before with leather conditioner to soften them up, but I only really did the leather seating surfaces. I assume the back and sides to these seats are probably not leather, but I wasn't sure. I think the degreaser is too harsh for the seats, but windex and similar sprays do nothing to get the blackish soot stains off the sides of the seats the back of the headrests and the back area of the seats where the map pockets are.

What have you had good luck with? Thanks.

Post by **misha** » 17 May 2017, 06:51

Leather seats are leather seats.
They can be all the same leather or mixed with alcantara & leather....but you would see the difference for the other type.

Post by **Winnebago** » 17 May 2017, 07:56

i like the bathroom scrubbing bubbles. I was looking at seat covers a while back and ran across this. i put lexol leather conditioner on after.

^^ around 7:15 in the video

i have a gallon of meguiar's suer duty degreaser but haven't used it yet:
http://www.best-auto-detailing-tips.com ... -seat.html

Post by **Clemens** » 17 May 2017, 16:09

I think all p80 Volvos have fake leather on the backside of the seat. Even the R seats.

Post by **misha** » 17 May 2017, 16:53

No they don't

It's a real leather on whole seats...front and backside.

Post by **mrbrian200** » 18 May 2017, 00:13

Most automotive and low-mid price home leather upholstery is real leather but for durability it is treated with a vinyl sealer coating. Volvo leather is no exception. The leather underneath is well protected /tanning oils locked in underneath the vinyl. Use products suitable for conditioning vinyl, as that top coating is really what you're taking care of.
In my experience most conditioners including lexol formulated for fine leather (ie clothing and shoes) does nothing for vinyl coated leather, and may even damage it, making the vinyl coating stiff and more prone to cracking and damage. The product I've discovered that should be readily available in most places and actually works on automotive leather is Mothers VLR. Turtle wax leather care also seems to properly condition automotive vinyl coated leather.

Post by **Clemens** » 18 May 2017, 12:43

Misha, are you sure? My 96 R seat has a tiny rip on the backside and it sure looks like ripped fake leather.

Mrbrian, interesting to read that info on the coating. Would make sejse, i guess.

Post by **mrbrian200** » 18 May 2017, 14:33

Clemens wrote: 18 May 2017, 12:43 Mrbrian, interesting to read that info on the coating. Would make sejse, i guess.

Doesn't seem to be common knowledge. I wasn't even aware until about a year ago when I tried conditioning the leather seats in my S60 with lexol and observed effects to the opposite than I was expecting: seats were getting stiffer with repeated applications. Also the lexol would just sit on top and not absorb into the leather, which didn't seem right as when I condition my leather jackets with lexol the leather soaks it up like a sponge. So long as you stick to products made specifically by companies that specialize in car care I think you'll be ok. They seem to know the gig. Very high end model class like Lambo/Bentley/Rolls will use straight untreated leather. But 'affordable' range luxury and base models use vinyl coated leather.

Post by **misha** » 18 May 2017, 17:00

Clemens wrote: 18 May 2017, 12:43 Misha, are you sure?

Yes.
@ mrbrian200
https://www.media.volvocars.com/global/ ... ases/18646
Don't mix leather for jackets or clothes with leather for furniture or car interior.They are totally different types of leather.
About leather cleaner & conditioners i use Turtle wax product from the beginning,since the car was new.I use it about once or twice a year,usually before summer & before winter.
On the back of the bottle,it says NOT to be used on clothes or jackets.It is just for leather upholstery/furniture and seats.
I have seen few other brands of leather conditioners like Wurth,Sonax or Emsal which have the same warning like Turtle Wax.

Post by **mrbrian200** » 18 May 2017, 17:53

@misha After realizing Lexol was a mistake I researched for a few hours and decided to give VLR a try. It softened/conditioned the seats back up nicely. I've become a fan of the stuff. It soaks in/conditions and doesn't leave a slippery reflective slick that runs when it gets wet on things like the dash and door panels etc. Rubber door seals look and feel like they're factory new.