Lexol Leather Cleaner and Conditioner and Sponge Kit, For Use on Leather Apparel, Furniture, Auto Interiors, Shoes, Handbags and Accessories

.I got notice that the price, already quite reasonable, fell so I decided to give this Lexol kit a go. This is my first experience with a high quality leather cleaner and conditioner, and the seats in The Bride's '07 Tucson and my '12 Santa Fe needed cleaning so I thought "Why not? The seats in both cars are tan and could use some attention." The kit contains bottles of cleaner and conditioner, a rectangular pad (I used it for cleaning) and a round pad with a pocket for fingers (I used it for conditioning.)First my six-year-old Santa Fe, which has been off the used car lot about fifteen months and wasn't really dirty yet. The cleaner didn't make a lot of difference because the car was prepped well when I bought it, but I did notice a slight dinginess removed after cleaning. The cleaner did remove some dirt from the steering wheel and the door pull handle, both surfaces often touched by a hand. The conditioner made them a little more supple and a little less grabby - not slick but there is noticeably less friction when getting in and out of the car. The feel of the steering wheel is better.Then The Bride's ten-year-old Tucson, which we bought new. The seats had never been cleaned aside from an occasional wipe down with a damp rag. There was some wear around the edges of the seats where the hard plastic side trim rubbed the leather seat cushions and some noticeable damage on the driver's seat back at the bottom outboard area of the bolster where the seat belt has rubbed since late 2007 - the surface finish has cracked and exposed the raw leather underneath. The cleaner removed a lot of dinginess that was so uniform we didn't notice it, but it's gone now. It also removed most of the wear marks around the borders of the cushions but I didn't want to get too happy with it and do further damage with too much rubbing. The conditioner, as in the Santa Fe, improved the feel of the seats and the steering wheel and softened the leather at the wear point on the driver's seat back.When I was finished I noticed the pad used for cleaning wasn't extremely dirty but the pad used for conditioning certainly was. I concluded that I should first have wiped down the seats in both cars with a damp rag to remove dust - I didn't clean the back seats because they're rarely used - so the conditioning pad got dirty from dust. I left the windows open about an inch overnight in case some outgassing from the conditioner might leave a gunky film on the window glass, but I don't see any. There is no perfume I can smell in the conditioner, but there is a smell like lanolin. Also, point to make: The products are water based. Make sure the pads are damp when starting the project, keep them damp, and work the cleaner and conditioner into the pads before starting so they are slightly soaked. This helps work up a lather when using the cleaning pad.Overall, a good first experience with a high quality, easily used, reasonably priced product..

One of the most highly regarded leather treatment products is Lexol, so that's what I went with to clean and protect the leather on my new car. Lexol is a longtime favorite of auto detailers and restorers, so it's a pretty trusted name. Lexol contains no chemical solvents, and it’s odorless and non-greasy, which is important. I've tried some others and it just felt like I had smeared Crisco on them.The Lexol kit includes plenty of product and a couple of application sponges.I've found that a little goes a long way with this stuff. I did a 3-row SUV and a 2-row truck and had hardly dented the bottle.First up is the leather cleaner.Lexol cleaner has the consistency of thickened liquid soap, so a pourable bottle makes sense. To use the cleaner, simply pour a bit onto a sponge or cotton cloth and rub into the leather. The cleaner will generate bubbles (not unlike soap) that supposedly help with the gentle cleaning process. In my experience, I found the leather cleaner to be a little too mild for my tastes. It’s so gentle on the leather, it’s probably better suited for ongoing maintenance of a vehicle, rather than restoration. It did get rid of some dirt and very minor marks, but old ground in oil stains, lipstick, or similar stains might escape full cleaning. My seats were pretty clean, but in a dirtier car, a stronger cleaner would probably be desired.Lexol Leather Conditioner claims to restore the oils used in the tanning process, and therefore extend the life of leather. It “feeds leather,” helping to keep it soft and supple. Lexol Leather Conditioner has a runny consistency. Application is simple enough (pour and rub) and ot goes on very easily. Again, a little goes a long way. One bottle would be good for years of applications, assuming a quarterly treatment.We tend to keep vehicles for a long service life; therefore a little preventative maintenance in the form of Lexol Leather Conditioner makes good sense. Keeping the leather seating surface pliable helps prevent tears and rips, and helps it hold up as the miles increase.