Leather Conditioners & Sealants

The choice depends on the age of the leather. New or factory-coated leather should be protected with a thin sealant such as Gtechniq Leather Guard applied with a microfibre applicator pad. Older or drying leather benefits from a conditioning cream or balm that replaces oils and leaves a slight sheen. Do not apply heavy conditioners to brand-new factory-coated leather as they sit on top of the factory finish and leave a film rather than soaking in.

Reapplication frequency depends on how heavily the car is used. Gtechniq Leather Guard, for example, should be reapplied every 3 to 12 months. Light use means you can stretch to 12 months between applications. Heavy daily use means reapplying at around 6 months or sooner. Geist Repel, a silicone-based polymer sealant, is designed with a 12-month interval, extended from the 3-month interval required by traditional leather friction blockers.

No, not to the same degree. Koch Chemie Leather Star conditioner is most valuable on older or genuine (natural) leather that is prone to drying and cracking. On modern synthetic leather, which is common in post-2015 cars, Leather Star is less critical because the synthetic surfaces are less porous and do not absorb conditioning products the same way genuine hide does.

On perforated leather, spray the conditioner onto the microfibre applicator rather than directly onto the seat. Spraying directly onto perforations risks product migrating through into the seat foam. A thinner, wetter conditioner is also easier to work with than a thick lotion-type product on perforated surfaces, as thick cream collects in the holes and leaves white pinholes you then have to pick out. If you only have a thick product, start on the non-perforated bolsters to load the pad, then work over the perforated areas with the already-worked applicator.

Leaving leather saturated with water flushes out the oils that keep it supple. For badly dried leather, steam the surface before agitation to open the pores, then deep clean with a plant-based leather cleaner using gentle brush agitation. After cleaning, apply conditioner generously and leave it on overnight rather than wiping off immediately. The most damaged areas may need several conditioner passes in the same session before they begin to soften.