Interior Cleaning - All the different materials

[MrPotato]

Greetings,

I'm struggling with putting together a quality (and importantly, safest) interior cleaning process. With there being so many different types of materials, and suggestions being all over the board, here is what I've gathered. Am I on the right track?


-- "Leather" Seats
First, I know to be sure to use a water-based cleaner/conditioner and not solvent-based cleaner/conditioners. This is due to the fact that most modern automotive leather has a clear protective coating which can/will be damaged by solvent-based products.

Start with a quality leather cleaner (anything marketed as such, like the Adams cleaner, Griots, CG, Lexol, etc). However, the seats are not all leather! They are partial leather. Leather, leatherette, vinyl, coated/uncoated... and so forth... does each section need a different product?? Does the stitching need to be avoided?

The jury is out on whether conditioner is even necessary--some claim it just sits on the coating and does nothing.


-- "Leather" accents (such as on the doors, steering wheel, shifter)
Same treatment as above


-- Dash and door areas (squishy plasticy/rubbery surfaces)
Use an all-purpose cleaner, or interior detailer. Wipes or spray from Mothers, Meguiars, Adams, CG, etc. Do not use armor-all. Can also use Aerospace 303 on these areas.


-- Hard plastic areas, and silvery plastic/aluminum areas
Same as the squishy areas.


-- Screens and gauges
Use a glass cleaning product, like invisible glass.


I'm very concerned about using something where it doesn't belong, either staining something, drying/cracking something, or ruining something by making it shiny and gross. How did I do?


Thanks!

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[mvp90805]

i use Adam's interior detail

it works on everything!

i use it on everything inside( not glass tho)

and its leaves it dry to the touch which i love

 

[MrPotato]

i use Adam's interior detail

it works on everything!

i use it on everything inside( not glass tho)

and its leaves it dry to the touch which i love

You even use it on the leather (or simulated leather) parts?

 

[mvp90805]

You even use it on the leather (or simulated leather) parts?

yes i use it to wipe the leather (seats ,doors dash) clean it up a little before putting on the leather condition

 

[MrPotato]

yes i use it to wipe the leather (seats ,doors dash) clean it up a little before putting on the leather condition

So you subscribe to the notion that the conditioner actually does something regardless of the seats being coated?

 

[mvp90805]

So you subscribe to the notion that the conditioner actually does something regardless of the seats being coated?

well

1) it makes the interior look better and

2) i never condition the dash and the steering wheel of my lancer, had the car for about a year and a half and it was stating to crack and get f up

i always think its better to be safe than sorry , its like putting sealer on the exterior

 

[WhiteMuscle]

I got a sticky solid substance in my cup holder. It probably came from a soft drink dripping off the side of the cup. I was horrified when I discovered it. How can I get the sticky piece off and out of the cup holder?

 

[ELPYBOOST]

My leather is starting to get dye stains from my jeans. I Always wear jeans everyday and this Car is a DD. What should I use to get rid of the stains and also condition and protect the leather?

 

[Brian V]

Sit on a T Shirt . Wallah no more Denim color leaching yer leather seats !

 

[ELPYBOOST]

Sit on a T Shirt . Wallah no more Denim color leaching yer leather seats !

I was thinking the same thing. My question is how do you get rid off the existing stains. What products are best to use?

 

[mvp90805]

My leather is starting to get dye stains from my jeans. I Always wear jeans everyday and this Car is a DD. What should I use to get rid of the stains and also condition and protect the leather?

adams leather cleaner/ interior detail

and condition it with the leather condition once a month still have my seats looking flawless also wear jeans alot

 

[stevnoof]

What do you recommend for all the cloth parts like the doors and seats for us non leather folk. I noticed it's all turnin white with dust and crap.

 

[njarmstrong]

I try and keep it pretty simple, 3 products.

Leather surfaces - Leather cleaner/conditioner (any of the types you mentioned, I have tried a few and normally try a new kind when one is out) I only condition maybe a couple times a year, doesn't need it every time.

Carpet - I just use a basic upholstery cleaner - cheap and effective is the product by Auto Glym, but there are others out there. If needed a heavily diluted APC like Meguiars or 1Z Blitz for those heavily stained areas.

Everything else - 1Z Cockpit

This doesn't count glass of course which gets glass product.

 

[markology]

I try and keep it pretty simple, 3 products.

Leather surfaces - Leather cleaner/conditioner (any of the types you mentioned, I have tried a few and normally try a new kind when one is out) I only condition maybe a couple times a year, doesn't need it every time.

Carpet - I just use a basic upholstery cleaner - cheap and effective is the product by Auto Glym, but there are others out there. If needed a heavily diluted APC like Meguiars or 1Z Blitz for those heavily stained areas.

Everything else - 1Z Cockpit

This doesn't count glass of course which gets glass product.

For the leather surfaces, do you use a cleaner and conditioner combination? Or is there no such thing?

 

[Tamadrummer88]

For the leather surfaces, do you use a cleaner and conditioner combination? Or is there no such thing?

I believe there is, just have to search.

For leather, on my old car i used the Lexol Cleaner and then followed up with the Conditioner. But this time I'm willing to try something new.

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