Leather Conditioners Evaporating

True, but supposedly coated leather isnt very porous either.

 

Thanks for providing such great info. This truly was a helpful thread.

 

Just as a clear coat doesn’t ’seal’ colour coat paint per es nor does a protective polyurethane covering.Water molecules are smaller than the molecules of the polythene and therefore a water-based product can penetrate, unlike oil whose molecules are larger. Constant flexing of a polymer will tend to open micro fissures allowing ingress (the same goes for the pigmented (painted) leather. Oil that gets between the covering and the paint surface compromises the adhesion and will tend to enlarge the fissures causing what look like cracks n the covering

It has always been my contention that solvents are use to help penetrate the protective polyurethane covering.

D & D Auto Detailing - great test and some interesting responses both here and other forums.


Another take on oil-based products (Leatherequi) -

First you apply the Rejuvenator Oil which is absorbed into the leather, to restore suppleness to dried leather; this process also loosens dirt, which migrates to the surface. This is then removed when wiping it with Pristine Clean.

Question – How is it that the soil / dirt migrate to the surface but the oils don’t?

 

Thank you! And that is a very good question!

 

"That is the design of the formula for Prestine Clean. It removes just the dirt and not the Rejuvinator Oil. Never use a cleaner first since that will emulsify the dirt and drive it into the leather".

According to this answer from Leatherequi - it defies the normal physics of cleaning or as stated earlier 'it's magic

 

just got back to new orleans after a 10 day trip. Lexus has been in the southern sun for 10 or so days now after i conditioned it and left. I used CG cleaner and conditioner, seats are still more subtle than before I applied it..... Now that tells me that there is a lot more going on that we can see and that our leathers are more porus than we think....

just mho

 

Could the sun have softened up the leather?

On a side note, I recently worked on an 02 Lexus and the seats had never been conditioned. The leather was in great condition besides being dirty. Also, if you do enough research, car manufacturers will say its not necessary to condition the seats if its protected leather.

If you think about it, you can imagine why its going to be so hard for people to stop conditioning their protected leather. Look at all those conditioner companies out there.

 

Interesting isn't it :thinking:

 

Take car manufacturer's recommendations with a bit of salt. Toyota especially. Most automakers are AWOL in paint care. We know M-B uses Menzerma, but M-B will probably sue to get that information retracted. Toyota is notorious for un-communication with their customers. They offically recommend against installing any aftermarket stereo system in Toyota automobiles. Toyota Help

Once your car is 5 years old, they don't give a rip about it's condition.

Some automakers are better about the long-term owner satisfaction of their cars, but Toyota isn't one of them. I've owned numerous Yotas (Supras, Cressidas, etc.) and although what they did at the factory was great, once they hit out shores, we're left to the dealer network. I could rag all day on Toyota even though I generally like the cars. But my main point is that you'll be lucky to get any information directly from automakers. All leather nowdays is spray dyed and whatever differences are between them are treated like trade secrets.

I've been looking into leather care products for about two years now and have tried many products including Leatherique. Shortly, I'll do an info-dump of what I've learned.

 

Look forward to the info :applause2: :applause2: opcorn: opcorn: :chips:

 

Sun softened the leather like D & D said, and that opened the pores more. I tend to agree there is something going on. How much, I'm not sure. It's funny, some people/experts say nothing at all (as far as conditioners go) can get through coated leather, but then the same people say make sure to clean with dedicated leather cleaners so you don't harm the leather. Seems to be a bit of a contradiction.

 

I think cleaning and conditioning is two different things though. Im sure some cleaners can be harmful for the top coat. Its also been said that heat cannot open the pores on the top coat.

 

I still fail to see how an oil based leather onditioner permeates the verious coatings applied to an automotive leather. On a microscopic level oil molacules are larger then water molcules so how would they even permeate the polyurathene covering (with the help of solvents? now that I might subscibe too, perhaps that's why you are experiencing evapouration in your testing)

3. Finishing:

a)Dyeing process
Depending on the desired product, the hides then go through a dyeing process, which also involves adding moisture back into the skin. Hides which have been vegetable tanned are bleached and them soaked with oils, soaps, greases and waxes to make them more pliable.

b)Rolling
Rolling leather running the skins through a machine, which works to firm the leather and make it stronger. After the rolling process has finished, leathers are stretched, where they dry out in a heat controlled room.

c)Surface coating
Once trimmed, dependent on customer requirements, the initial application of surface water-based pigment is applied by machine roller coating. The final protective coats are applied by machine spraying.

d)Finishing (application)
A water-based pigmented finish is applied to give a uniform covering of colour. A concentrated pigment would not cover leather and so it is dispersed into a base solution of acrylic polymer, which contains binders to adhere to the leather. The pigment can be applied to leather in three ways;

•Sprayed on by hand using an airgun.
•Sprayed on by a machine on a conveyor belt.
• Often a combination of a base coat and a top coat are used.

Finished Leathers are drum-dyed using transparent aniline dyes, then enhanced with clear and pigmented finishes for protection and colour uniformity. These finishes are soft and breathable yet highly durable, and help reduce spotting, staining and colour fading. After applying the pigment polyurethane is then applied to seal the colour, to provide protection and durability, the polyurethane is also used to adjust the gloss level of the leather.

Information resource - Leather tanning information