Products for interior maintenance?

[kdkrone]

There is a current thread dealing with exterior maintenance products. What do people use for the leather and non-leather portions of their interiors, especially the naugahyde?

ThanksKen K
Modified by kdkrone at 4:31 AM 2/26/2007

[TXCumtrensh]

For exterior (Im a meguiars NUT, so be prepared)

I start by using Gold Class™ Car Wash Shampoo & ConditionerAfter 2 full car washing's (right after each other) I useG1016 Smooth Surface™ Clay KitThen 30min or so after im done claybarring the car (only every 6 months) I useGold Class™ Clear Coat Car Wax

I then step inside, use my shop vac, and heavily clean the carpets, then i get to the Leather seats, armrest, and door leather panels.. Again i use meguiars Gold Class™ Rich Leather Wipes (possibly the best i have ever used, and they smell great)Then I get back outside, and pay some attn to the tires, that to which i use NXT Generation® Insane Shine® Tire CoatingIt reallllly makes the tires shine nice

luckily everything above mentioned lasts me roughly 6-8 months.. minus the clay bar system, that is a one time use (but still once every 6 months... with outstanding results)..

the car comes out looking cleaner than stock everytime.. and for only right under 90$... i have everything i need to keep my car pristine, and beautiful for half a year

[Jesda]

FOLEX for carpets! Found at upholstery shops and grocery stores. No scrubbing. Just squirt, rub, and the stain is gone.

[kdkrone]

TX,

What do you use on the dash and on other non-leather surfaces?

Ken K

[Mark86T]

For carpets nothing but a heat extractor will do the job correctly. Anything that you put on, scrub around & leave there merely spread the stain around to an unnoticeable degree or sinks it into or through the carpet.

For leather & plastics I use an interior dressing product manufactured by 3D. They are a detailing supply company in Nevada, CA, AZ & FL I believe. They make their own products. Some are great. This is one of them. Sorry, they don't have a website.

For the exterior I like & use Meguiar's Tech wax applied & removed with a Porter Cable polisher. The hand can't apply the wax more evenly or remove it more thoroughly than the Porter Cable. Instead of Meguiars clay bar, I like their 3 step process. The clay bar can really only be used once.(which gets expensive) After that is has contaminants in it no matter how clean you try to get the car. Wind blows, dust/dirt gets in there.

For the tires I use a product from 3D again. It's water based & does not splatter off the tires & onto the car while driving. It actually gets absorbed into the rubber. Meguiars tire dressings & most others are so thick that dirt collects on the tire not to mention that the dressing splatters the car when you drive. I don't like the spray on tire dressings as they make a mess of the wheels. Extra work.

To dry a car after washing I use Cobra Waffle Weave towels. They are better than a chamois as you only use it once on one car & then wash it in the laundry. The chamois never gets cleaned by most people & it is nearly impossible to get it completely clean.

It's late & this is all I can think of right now. I'll check back again.

[kdkrone]

Mark,

Are you saying, then, that the 3D product for leather is the same that you use on Naugahyde?

Do you have a phone number for 3D?

KK

[maxnix]

Good tips Mark86T. Have you ever written an article for us? I see we don't have a detailing Forum per se, but an experienced professions input is always valued.

[AZhitman]

Good stuff Mark.

Here's my "must have" list:

Lexol (orange bottle) - Cleaning leatherZaino "Leather in a Bottle" - Leather protectantLexol (blue bottle) - For vinyl rubber and plasticFolex (Jesda nailed it, great for carpet) - Nothing else comes closeStoner "Invisible Glass"Stoner "Trim Shine" for black plastic

[MattB]

I use Armor-All for the dash and 3M Leather Cleaner/Conditioner/Restorer for the seats and leather trim in my car.

[donmada]

with leather there is a leather cleaner and conditioner and for reg upholstry just a regular lil shampooer

[AZhitman]

I use Armor-All for the dash.

NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

Throw that crap AWAY!!!

ArmorAll is a known contributor to early dash cracking - it removes the plasticizers in vinyl and magnifies the aging process.

Clean dash with 409 and water (several times) and treat with 303 Protectant or Vinylex. Both help replenish the plasticizers...

[MattB]

NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

Throw that crap AWAY!!!

ArmorAll is a known contributor to early dash cracking - it removes the plasticizers in vinyl and magnifies the aging process.

Clean dash with 409 and water (several times) and treat with 303 Protectant or Vinylex. Both help replenish the plasticizers...

Really? Good thing I've only used it once on my car then. I won't use it again. I assume one use of the stuff won't damage the plastic...

[AZhitman]

Yeah, it's definitely in the realm of TR3 and other "trailer park" products.

Looks great for the immediate, but long-term is BAD.

[bullittandy]

I've used several leather cleaners/conditioners and like Lexol the best, it smells the most like leather and makes the leather softer than any other product I've tried.

I also think that conditioning leather is similar to waxing a car, the more the better. I treat the leather in my car (Q) all the time but only once in a while in my wife's Volvo and the difference is apparent.

I used valet/wash cars and was able to wash and wax my old 55 Chevy almost every other day (boredom, waiting for the last customers to leave). It got to a point where the paint on the car wouldn't absorb any more wax, I could breathe on the car and the applied wax would come off!!

[MattB]

Yeah, it's definitely in the realm of TR3 and other "trailer park" products.

Looks great for the immediate, but long-term is BAD.

Definately won't be using it long term then. Once won't hurt it, but more times might so I'm not going to take that risk.

[Jesda]

Hey, TR3 is -great- as a last-ditch effort at restoring faded, near-death paint. I wouldn't use it on anything with an already nice finish.

The 90-96 Q uses a type of leather that has a protective coating that makes it resistant to absorbing leather conditioners. You may just be putting more and more on the surface without any gain.

[AZhitman]

Hey, TR3 is -great- as a last-ditch effort at restoring faded, near-death paint. I wouldn't use it on anything with an already nice finish.

The 90-96 Q uses a type of leather that has a protective coating that makes it resistant to absorbing leather conditioners. You may just be putting more and more on the surface without any gain.

Good points, all.

I like TR3 for the engine bay paint.

J, I think (and I could be wrong) that the 90-93 and 94-96 have significantly different leathers. They certainly "restore" and "wear" differently from my experience.

[donmada]

i dont use that armor all **** all meguires

[Skibane]

Do you have a phone number for 3D?

The only Google hit:

3D Auto Detailing Supply1519 South Grand Ave.Santa Ana, CA 92705-4410Phone: (714) 558-7878

Perhaps Mark can verify it...

[kdkrone]

Has anyone tried this Wolfgang product for discolored plastic lens? I ran across it while looking for prices of some of the products listed earlier in the thread.

http://www.detailcity.com/wolf....html

[Jesda]

J, I think (and I could be wrong) that the 90-93 and 94-96 have significantly different leathers. They certainly "restore" and "wear" differently from my experience.

That sounds right. I think 94+ breathes better.

[kdkrone]

maxnix,

I agree with you that it would be quite helpful to have a detailing forum if people like Mark with lots of experience were willing to make occasional contributions.

Ken K

[Dabizzo1]

KDRONE, I've restored many discolored and scratched up plastice lenses and headlights with Meguair's plastic polish (red bottle) using the lowest speed on a rotational 4 speed buffer (terry cloth bonnet only). This stuff has a very low tooth (scale of 1 to 10, about a 3) but you must be careful not to let the buffer sit on one spot, or you'll friction melt the plastic...ask me how I know that.... ...that's me. However, I was able to restore the big arsed headlights on a Focus I used to own to near perfect clarity. If the haze on lenses has penetrated through the entire thickness of the plastic, you gotta replace it. UV and cyclic heat damage to plastic is permanent...even to the point of brittle cracking...how many 80's Volvo and Mercedes headlights have you seen that are yellow from damage? Their plastics are awful. Hope this helps. Boris P.

[greenwar]

Sorry to bring this thread back up. Any opinions on Zymol? I am reading reviews online and everybody says great things about it.

[92Q45guy]

Ardex! Ardex is the best you can get for your car. Ebay has some now. I'm a profesional detailer and I wont even touch anything now. My favorite is there diamond cyrstal four polish. And there new quick viper wax!

[DrewQ45]

I spray shout (laundry stain remover) on leather panels, wait 30 seconds then wipe off. Does a pretty good job of softening up the dirt and is pretty gentle...Followed up by some leather conditioner althought I'm not sure how much good that does on Q leather... it doesnt tend to soak in.

Best carpet cleaner bar-none is Blue Coral. They were also rated #1 by consumer reports years back.

[92Q45guy]

I'm not sure how much good that does on Q leather... it doesnt tend to soak in.Best carpet cleaner bar-none is Blue Coral. They were also rated #1 by consumer reports years back.[/QUOTE] It all makes sense now! Yes, blue coral is really good too.

[greenwar]

I meant ask about Zymol exterior wax. They claim to manufacture their cleaner/wax product from natural ingredient.
Modified by greenwar at 12:40 PM 4/8/2007

[qship96]

I have used both the cheap zymol over the counter cleaner/wax and the expensive boutique pure wax zymol carbon on my old 300zxturbo-the cleaner/wax was no better than other mass market products-their pure expensive wax{carbon for dark colors or japon} about 50 a container were a pleasure to use,smelled great{watch out for the bees while waxing your car-seriously} gave a teriffic deep pool of gloss,but had to be applied monthly to maintain to my standards. I now use the Klasse 2 part system that is not a wax at all,but an acrylic coating that gives a deep shine and the protection is very good for 6-9 months minimum.I guess I am getting lazy !

[StarPD]

NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

Throw that crap AWAY!!!

ArmorAll is a known contributor to early dash cracking - it removes the plasticizers in vinyl and magnifies the aging process.

Clean dash with 409 and water (several times) and treat with 303 Protectant or Vinylex. Both help replenish the plasticizers...

Agreed.Ya know that blue haze that develops on the inside of your windshield and backlight? That's your plastics actually evaporating. Plastic is made from peroleum. Sunlight and heat actually evaporate the volatiles in plastic, leaving dry brittle skin that cracks and falls apart. People used to tell me that is was from smoking in the car. Not so. I've been to the GM Proving ground in Mesa AZ (my buddy is an engineer there). I saw a bunch of cars just sitting out in the sun unprotected with blue glass. They were test cars to see how long the pastics in the interior would last in the sun.

I don't like putting anything on my dashboard. It makes it too shiny and it reflects onto the inside of the glass, making it difficult to see out in some conditions. I just ocasionally wipe the plastcs inside off with a lightly damp clean cloth and buff it dry. For places other than the dash, a good plastic protectant (NOT ArmorAll) well buffed dry works okay. Of course, a GOOD leather conditioner and protectant for leather.

The best thing you can do for your dashboard is to get and use religiously one of those spring-framed sun shades in the windshield to keep the sun off of it. I use mine ALL the time in my car and my wife's. My previous Q was 13 years old when I traded it. The dash looked like new. The backlight was too much trouble to put one in all the time though, so I didn't bother with it. It was all faded and dried out. My wife's cheap 2000 Ford Focus still looks new too from using the sun shade, and it has a cheap crappy interior.

If you park where the sun shines into the car from the side, be sure to keep a thick clean white towel in the car. Just draping it over the steering wheel will protect it and keep the sun from eating it up too.

I've neverfound a product that will keep extreme sunlight like we get in Phoenix from evaporating the paint off the exterior. Factory paint does best, as it's actually baked on the car before any rubber or plastic is installed. Aftermarket paint as used in body repairs can't come close to it, and will fade a lot sooner than factory paint. Corvettes are the worst, as they can't be baked. They have to use an air-dried paint that doesn't hold up well. Ask me, I had 10 new Corvettes in a row, all silver except one black one and one white one. The white one held up best. Metalics are the worst, as the metal particles heat up and magnify the effects of sunlight and heat. The paint on the edges of my '94 Q had actually evaprated off the car, leaving the gray primer showing on the edges of the sunroof, fender creases, and door edges. It also dried out the paint on both bumpers, and they developed hairline cracks all over wherever some idiot tapped them, no matter how slightly.