Diluting leather cleaner for gentle cleaning?

[hemi1300]

I have a custom leather seat on my harley street glide. Like to give it a good deep clean every so often, using adams leather and interior cleaner full strength, spray the cleaner on the seat and wipe with a utility towel and the towel comes out black. Leather looks completely fine afterwards and not discolored, so not sure if it is just dirt I am seeing or color transfer. Thinking I should dilute the L&I cleaner, is 1/1 a good dilution ratio for gentle leather cleaning?

[rrmccabe]

What would you dilute it with? I was thinking it was solvent based and not water.

[rkj4243]

 

Leather & Interior Cleaner

1:1

-

General Coated Leather Cleaning (For No Visible Stains)

3:1

-

Moderately Soiled Interior Cleaning

8:1

-

Delicate Interior Surface Cleaning

 

Dilute with water, preferably distilled.

Edited April 30, 2016 by rkj4243

[rrmccabe]

^ Great info. Thanks

 

I should mix a bunch up and start with that !

[mc2hill]

And it is best to use distilled water for the dilution.

[Ricky Bobby]

^this and yes. It's one of Adams best kept secrets that honestly unless it's a truly hammered interior that your 16 oz bottle is worth at least double of product when diluted!

[Rich]

The Leather Conditioner has mild cleaning properties in it. If your seat isn't very dirty, you can just use the Conditioner. One pass to clean, then one more to treat.  Plus the SPF factor in it protects from the sun. 

[Erictski]

I dilute 3:1. Have yet to need to try full strength

[Chris@Adams]

Why not try Total Interior Detailer? http://adamspolishes.com/shop/interior/cleaning-conditioning/adam-s-total-interior-detailer.html

 

 

[goheels]

Because you can get an equally effective cleaner for much less money (diluted L@I cleaner makes the 16 oz go a long way :-))

[Ford Fest]

I clean the interior on my DD at least once or twice per month. Typically wipe the seats with a damp MF or Meg's two step cleaner/conditioner. I finally depleted my bottle and cracked open my Adam's L&I today. I diluted it 1:1 with distilled water, sprayed down the seats and used the Adam's cockpit brush.

 

Wow, it worked great! I'm a little embarrassed to share the photo.

Edited June 14, 2016 by Ford Fest

[Erictski]

Because you can get an equally effective cleaner for much less money (diluted L@I cleaner makes the 16 oz go a long way :-))

TID is a protectant also though, so you don't have to use something like LCON after so I say kind of a wash. For me anyways.

 

Although even when deep cleaning prior to LCON, I will use the LIC 3:1 and it works great.  TID as weekly quick maintenance.

Edited June 14, 2016 by Erictski

[Ricky Bobby]

I clean the interior on my DD at least once or twice per month. Typically wipe the seats with a damp MF or Meg's two step cleaner/conditioner. I finally depleted my bottle and cracked open my Adam's L&I today. I diluted it 1:1 with distilled water, sprayed down the seats and used the Adam's cockpit brush.

 

Wow, it worked great! I'm a little embarrassed to share the photo.

 

Wow thats a great testimonial - good job diluting the LIC it rarely needs to be used straight

[Ford Fest]

Wow thats a great testimonial - good job diluting the LIC it rarely needs to be used straight

After reading a few threads, I thought I better dilute it. Glad I did, as it performed very well.

[Ford Fest]

I have been using Interior Detailing spray for a couple of years every couple of months On my 2007 Mustang that is a garage queen. Today, I used Leather & Interior cleaner diluted 1:1 (distilled water). I have either a lot of dirt or I'm getting color transfer from the black seats. This was the passenger seat that is seldom used.

 

Thoughts?

[Ls1transam]

I have been using Interior Detailing spray for a couple of years every couple of months On my 2007 Mustang that is a garage queen. Today, I used Leather & Interior cleaner diluted 1:1 (distilled water). I have either a lot of dirt or I'm getting color transfer from the black seats. This was the passenger seat that is seldom used.

 

Thoughts?

Kinda looks like dirt to me. I've never diluted the interior cleaner. I've never had any color transfer yet. But might start diluting to make it go a little further.

[Ford Fest]

Kinda looks like dirt to me. I've never diluted the interior cleaner. I've never had any color transfer yet. But might start diluting to make it go a little further.

I decided to dilute it after watching one of the videos. I was concerned it might be to strong using straight. I thought my seats were not very dirty, now I'm second guessing myself. I'm going to do the rest of the car and cross my fingers this is dirt and not transfer.

[LT1xL82]

... I'm going to do the rest of the car and cross my fingers this is dirt and not transfer.

Try cleaning a section that should not be as dirty...like the back of a seat. If the towel is way cleaner than when doing the seating surface it is not transfer. 

[Ford Fest]

Try cleaning a section that should not be as dirty...like the back of a seat. If the towel is way cleaner than when doing the seating surface it is not transfer.

 

Funny, I was thinking about that yesterday. I thought the passenger seat wouldn't be too bad. Guess I was wrong

[Ford Fest]

I did a quick test spot on the rear seat that has only been sat in once in the last 6 years. I didn't see any dirt or color transfer. Still hard to believe the other seats are that dirty.

[LT1xL82]

I did a quick test spot on the rear seat that has only been sat in once in the last 6 years. I didn't see any dirt or color transfer. Still hard to believe the other seats are that dirty.

I did my DD w/ straight Leather Cleaner and was SHOCKED at the grudge that came off the front (heavily used) seats!

[Ford Fest]

I'm going to lean towards the front seating surface is the only leather in a 2007 GT500. When I used the diluted 1:1 leather cleaner, it really did nothing to the rear seats. I don't think they were dirty to begin with. They kept their satin look and feel. When I used the same diluted cleaner on the fronts seats, they dulled down a lot, almost looked like they were stripped. There was a fair amount of dirt or color transfer on the MF towels that I used. Makes me wonder if I should dilute the cleaner with more water. Once I applied conditioner to them, they bounced back. I truly don't think they were that dirty. I use interior detailer every few months. I may stick with the detailer. Maybe Ford's leather can't handle the leather cleaner?

 

Thoughts?

[SumBeach35]

Most factory leather is coated now a days. ************(off brand works fine). Diluted in distilled water will offer gentle cleaning with plenty of power for most seats. It can be agitated as well and provides some foaming action . Quite a few manufacturers have gone to recommending this as the cleaning method.