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I’m an idiot--leather care

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Old 08-01-2018, 02:04 PM
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dale fehrenbach
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Default I’m an idiot--leather care

I used some Armor All wipes for leather on my dash, seats and doors.
Now thay have streaks on them.
How can I fix that?

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08-01-2018, 03:11 PM
Bill Dearborn
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I had the same issue with Meguiar's Leather Care. Following GM's Instructions in the Owners Manual resolved the problem. Now I don't use leather treatments on anything but the seat seating surfaces. With the 3LZ leather wrapped interior I only use a water dampened cloth to clean the dash, console lid and doors. Works great, there aren't any streaks and the dash doesn't get shiny thus making it difficult to see through the windshield when the sun is reflecting off the dash.

Bill
Old 08-01-2018, 02:21 PM
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mjross
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Good question! I have the same problem. -/:;()$&@ dealership! Need I say more?


Last edited by Steve Garrett; 08-01-2018 at 08:41 PM.
Old 08-01-2018, 02:57 PM
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0Josh@JeffSchmittAuto
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I would recommend using a better quality Leather / Interior cleaner (I personally like Adam's Polishes products) to clean off the streaks left behind by the wipes. I hope this helps!
Old 08-01-2018, 03:11 PM
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Bill Dearborn
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I had the same issue with Meguiar's Leather Care. Following GM's Instructions in the Owners Manual resolved the problem. Now I don't use leather treatments on anything but the seat seating surfaces. With the 3LZ leather wrapped interior I only use a water dampened cloth to clean the dash, console lid and doors. Works great, there aren't any streaks and the dash doesn't get shiny thus making it difficult to see through the windshield when the sun is reflecting off the dash.

Bill
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Old 08-01-2018, 06:03 PM
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Konnor1212
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OMG never, ever use Armor All they are junk, they attracted a lot of dust and the shining looks is horrible, a friend of mine told me if you use Armor All long enough those thing can damages your leather.

I just placed the order on these

Amazon Amazon
Old 08-01-2018, 07:12 PM
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Originally Posted by Bill Dearborn
I had the same issue with Meguiar's Leather Care. Following GM's Instructions in the Owners Manual resolved the problem. Now I don't use leather treatments on anything but the seat seating surfaces. With the 3LZ leather wrapped interior I only use a water dampened cloth to clean the dash, console lid and doors. Works great, there aren't any streaks and the dash doesn't get shiny thus making it difficult to see through the windshield when the sun is reflecting off the dash.

Bill
That is exactly what I do, I learned my lesson on the C6 with Meguiar's .
Old 08-01-2018, 08:07 PM
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MiamiCowboy
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Originally Posted by dale fehrenbach
I used some Armor All wipes for leather on my dash, seats and doors.
Now thay have streaks on them.
How can I fix that?
I highly recommend Lexol leather conditioner. Used this on my C5 Z06 and now my C6 Z06 and will my C7 Z06. My seats never cracked and remain supple to this day. Designed originally for use on saddles and wet leather. Very good product.
Old 08-01-2018, 08:15 PM
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trevor90
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lexol.
Old 08-01-2018, 08:43 PM
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Damp cloth. Wipe gently and dry immediately. Repeat. Should that not work, same damp cloth with a very MILD soap solution--wipe gently dry immediately.
Stop wasting money on conditioners and in some cases garbage like Armour All. It's all in the owners manual, and this is one you should follow.

I learned the hard way. I had a few water spots on the interior leather (3LT) from a dealer wash. I used a quality mild conditioner I had used previously on my Audi and Mustang interior and got the dreaded streak on the Vette. After multiple wipes and a bit of panic I got 90% of the streaking fixed, the rest eventually dissipated over the next few weeks.

There are some good threads on this on this forum which go into detail about the leather and construction of interior, particularly this one:
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...sh-help-2.html

Check out the reply by member Rob4092xx in particular.

Last edited by lupicon; 08-01-2018 at 08:53 PM.
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Old 08-01-2018, 11:33 PM
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Straight up water dampen microfiber towel
Old 08-02-2018, 02:39 PM
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Big Lebowski
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Originally Posted by dale fehrenbach
I used some Armor All wipes for leather on my dash, seats and doors.
Now thay have streaks on them.
How can I fix that?
Build a time machine, go back in time and tell your present self not to wipe that glossy crap on your nice dash...though, if you had, I supposed this never would have happened. As many have said, use a damp cloth.
Old 08-02-2018, 07:52 PM
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fpfaeth
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Originally Posted by Konnor1212
OMG never, ever use Armor All they are junk, they attracted a lot of dust and the shining looks is horrible, a friend of mine told me if you use Armor All long enough those thing can damages your leather.

I just placed the order on these

https://www.amazon.com/Leatherique-L...Y3GHFWBJ9DF75H
For years I used Leatherique on older cars with absorbent leather, and it is indeed the best product in the market. However, with the newer, finished leathers, Leatherique might just remain on the surface and become sticky. That would be my guess. What others are saying -- damp cloth, wipe, dry -- is what I've been doing with great results and my car has 38,000 miles. I do use Sonax alcantara cleaner on the steering wheel, shift **** and seat inserts -- results are excellent.
Old 08-03-2018, 09:46 AM
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Judgment Day
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Originally Posted by Konnor1212
OMG never, ever use Armor All they are junk, they attracted a lot of dust and the shining looks is horrible, a friend of mine told me if you use Armor All long enough those thing can damages your leather.

I just placed the order on these

https://www.amazon.com/Leatherique-L...Y3GHFWBJ9DF75H
- I wouldn't use those Armor All wipes to clean my daily driver, or even my totaled Neon back in 2004.
Old 08-03-2018, 09:59 AM
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+1 on Lexol products. For weekly wipe downs I just use water and a microfiber towel.
Old 08-03-2018, 11:23 AM
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DWillys
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Originally Posted by Ruderegime
Straight up water dampen microfiber towel
This is what GM says to do, and they built it.
Old 08-04-2018, 12:27 AM
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23/C8Z
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i thought the leather (where there is leather) is coated on new cars? meaning any type of conditioner doesn't even penetrate it???? And the reason why they say not to use any leather "cleaners" ??? or am i totally wrong and need to join the chaos lol
Old 08-04-2018, 11:07 AM
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Ive always used Lexol and Aerospace 303 on all my toys. Never any issues and have always lived in the South driving/riding 12 months a year in the sun & water.

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Old 08-07-2018, 07:05 PM
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Redc8z06
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Originally Posted by 16/C7Z
i thought the leather (where there is leather) is coated on new cars? meaning any type of conditioner doesn't even penetrate it???? And the reason why they say not to use any leather "cleaners" ??? or am i totally wrong and need to join the chaos lol
No you are correct most all modern day leather seats have some sort of vinyl or polyurethane coating on them for protection. If it was truly leather with no coating you could rub it with a cleaner and you would see some color of the leather on the rag.

Old 08-07-2018, 07:27 PM
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AORoads
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Originally Posted by lupicon
Damp cloth. Wipe gently and dry immediately. Repeat. Should that not work, same damp cloth with a very MILD soap solution--wipe gently dry immediately.
Stop wasting money on conditioners and in some cases garbage like Armour All. It's all in the owners manual, and this is one you should follow.

I learned the hard way. I had a few water spots on the interior leather (3LT) from a dealer wash. I used a quality mild conditioner I had used previously on my Audi and Mustang interior and got the dreaded streak on the Vette. After multiple wipes and a bit of panic I got 90% of the streaking fixed, the rest eventually dissipated over the next few weeks.

There are some good threads on this on this forum which go into detail about the leather and construction of interior, particularly this one:
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...sh-help-2.html

Check out the reply by member Rob4092xx in particular.
The key in the above is that first paragraph: very mild soap, meaning maybe a drop in a couple cups of water. Then, gently wiping down with a fairly wrung out cloth, and rinsing with a new f]pretty well wrung out cloth. You do that once or twice and it should take off anything incl. ArmorAll, Meguiars, 3M. Even dulls down Lexol altho usually that's not needed.
Old 08-10-2018, 12:25 AM
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BlueDevlZ06
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Lexol conditioner and Zymol cleaner. Used both for my C6Z seats and the seats looked new for the entire time I owned it. Kept the wrinkles to a minimum. Use it on my C7Z with same results.


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