Cleaners and Conditioners, which brand?

[brownbanana]

Hi guys, hope this has not been covered before, but what are the brands you are using to clean and condition your leather?

I can tell that pecards is popular as a conditioner, but I haven't seen any mention of cleaners.

A quick skim through amazon seems to show Lexol as a popular cleaner & conditioner. Wondering if this is the right route to go?

Thanks all.

 

[deeb7]

I can tell that pecards is popular as a conditioner, but I haven't seen any mention of cleaners.

They aren't usually necessary ....

Pecards is popular here for major renovations, but for general maintenance, a quick wipe over with a damp cloth is probably enough.

From time to time I notice eBay offerings, proudly proclaiming that the jacket has been bathed in mink oil, or some such, twice a year .... these are the ones to avoid.

Terms like "feeding the wood", and "feeding the leather" are marketing inventions to sell new supermarket preparations. Apart from yourself, and family, the only other thing in need of feeding is the cat.

 

[Jaydee]

I use Lexol PH leather cleaner. Comes in a Caution Orange color bottle. It is formulated with a PH level that will not harm leather. It has the consistency of shampoo and lathers up pretty easily. I would not use saddle soap! The waxes in it can clog up in the grain and not let conditioners in or moisture out.
-Jay

 

[brownbanana]

Thanks deeb7 and Jaydee,

So with regards to the lexol cleaner, is there any merit to the ph neutral or "ph equivalent of leather" statements?

With that said, would the lexol cleaner be recommended for say dirtier/grimier jackets or does the damp cloth route work for that as well?

Thanks and look forward to your replies

 

[Jaydee]

I don't know if the science is sound behind the PH claim, but I imagine it would be an easy thing to achieve in a soap. It don't matter how dirty the jacket is, but it could take a few washing sessions. You just lather it up with a wet towl, wipe off with a wet clean towel, and then immediatly dry with a dry lint free towel. Let the jacket dry overnight and Pecard in the morning.
-Jay

 

[brownbanana]

Thanks jaydee, very informative! (well for me at least, lol) Nothing beats step by step instructions.

I'll get cleanin' right away. Thanks again guys

 

[dujardin]

hello Brownbanana,

can you (will you) take photos before and after so that we may have an idea of the dirty level and the need to clean the leather and of course the result after that.
and than, photos before and after the pecard treatment.
it could be very informative to see that.

many thanks

byeeeeeeee marcel

 

[brownbanana]

dujardin,

No problem, I'll try to get some pics when all is said and done.
However, that could be some time away (doing this in my spare time), so we'll see what happens lol. Take care.

 

[fl1946]

Don't know if any of you have heard about Blickmore, but old Mass company was bought out by company in Ohio. Long story short, I happened to find it before the company was sold and purchased a gallon of the Bick 4 conditionerl. As background piece, my wife and two daughters collect high end purses and handbags, the likes of Hermes, LV, Johnny Chu, Chanel and others God knows who they are-- not stuff already on Nordstrom shelves, but items costing upward of $10,000 and more with wait lists extending out to 9 months and more. Names on list reads like who's who in La La Land. If you ever come to SoCa, stop by Lady Godiva Chocolate and watch the women give each other the "stare," First, they check out the jewelery, then the clothes and shoes and lastly, the handbag. If you got a handbag not in the other's collection, watch out. They come close to scratching your eyes out. Welcome to Hollywood.

Anyway, she tried my conditioner. Wa la it was perfect for their expensive collection. No residual oils, no alcohol, no color chang, leather becomes extremely soft and no smell once the conditioner sets in. Use very little. Works great. I no longer have my gallon of conditioner, but have two gallons enroute. Blickmore's distribution system is lacking, but the product is very good. I swipe it occasionally for my G-1 and A2's. Blickmore Conditioner (B-4) and shampoo. Google them. Good luck!

 

[brownbanana]

Thanks fl1946,

Lol, great story!

Thanks for the heads up on blickmore, when cruising by fedora lounge it seemed like Pecard was the only way to go. Having recommendations and expanding on a list of "good brands" is great and I hope beneficial to forum members. It gets kinda confusing when there are a million companies with their own conditioners and you can barely find any reviews of the product online.