Many leather products market themselves on how they feed leather. In fact
the leather in your car’s seats are first retanned with products to give the
desired softness, flexibility and base colour, before being coated with a
very fine polymer emulsion to give them the final desired colour and optic
before ultimately applying a protective clear top coat. Most auto leather is
matt when it is new and looked after correctly. Leather with a shiny or
glossy look is usually due to build up of dirt together with abrasion
(constant sliding in and out) which causes a polishing effect and this is
often exacerbated by the use of ‘conditioners’ that contain waxes and/or
oils which only sit on the surface and attract more dirt.
‘Conditioners’, balms, feeds, etc (traditionally oil and wax based) cannot
penetrate this finish and so are not worth applying – they can also leave
behind residues on the finish which will only attract more dirt if allowed
to remain. Many companies use cheaper leather care products which do more
harm than good long-term, and they are only interested in the instant
gratification of making the leather look good. Sadly these inferior products
create a perpetual cycle of having to clean more regularly than is required.
Of particular note are the appalling silicone based conditioners that leave
a shiny and slippery surface effect to the leather.
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 essential to keeping it in good condition.
