Cleaning Vinyl and Leather

Okay, now this is my favorite trick out there. This will get your leather and vinyl looking brand new. All you need is any sort of all-purpose degreaser, my favorite is Simple Green, but make sure you dillute a bit. I would say about 3:1, water:solution. You will also need some extra fine steel wool, preferably triple zero (000). Now I know this sounds scary, but it is perfectly safe. You will also need a damp cloth/towel.

First you spray the area you would like to clean, then rub the steel wool over the area. No need to "scrub" or push hard, just enough pressure to get the wool in all the cracks. Avoid letting the degreaser sit for a long time, it could cause some discoloration. It's best to do it in sections. For example, on a leather seat, start on the seat cushion on the side then the middle section then the front and so on. Use the damp cloth to wipe of the solution. You'll be amazed at the difference in color and how much dirt there was on there! It will be as close to showroom new as you can get!
I used this method on my Mom's 14 year old leather couch and it looked brand new!

Do not use this method on the top of the dash or on suede. After you are done, use a vinyl dressing and leather protector to shine things up and to recondition the surface. Remember to avoid using the dressing on the steering wheel, you don't want that to be slippery.

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Waxing

You may want to rinse off the vehicle after buffing before this step. Be sure to let it dry. I prefer to hand wax a vehicle as opposed to using a buffer for this step. I also like to use carnauba paste wax as the product. With this wax there is no chalky residue, and wipes off wet. Wax pads work great. Just apply wax to pad and apply to surface in a circular pattern.

After you have applied it to the entire vehicle, you can start to remove it. It is best to use microfiber towels to remove the wax. This will avoid putting any scratches in your newly buffed paint. Once you have removed all of the wax, be sure to open all the doors, hood, trunk and gas lid in order to remove and compound built up in the cracks and jambs. Just use a damp rag or towel to do this.

Next Topic: Cleaning Vinyl and Leather


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How to Use a Buffer

To start be sure to have the surface of your vehicle cool and out of direct sunlight, and make sure the surface is clean. You are going to want an extension cord to make movement around the vehicle easier. If you decide to use a Makita buffer, set the speed to #3 on the dial, or 1500 RPM. This will help to avoid burning the paint as long as you keep the buffer moving.

Start with a wool pad and some polish or rubbing compound. Choose a section of the vehicle to start on, I personally start witht the hood and work my way around the vehicle. Apply polish to the area you choose, and place the buffer on the paint. You dont want the pad to be flat on the surface so angle the pad slightly to maintain control of the buffer.

You dont need to apply any pressure to the machine, you are simply guiding it along the surface. Use a back and forth motion across the vehicle until polish is removed, avoid leaving the buffer in one spot so that you dont burn the clearcoat or paint. Make your way around the vehicle, avoid decals and emblems as well as rubber window mouldings.

Use the same technique for the next round of polish, just change the pad and the compound. Be sure to be aware of the antennae and license plates! Do not use the buffer on black plastic, vinyl, or chrome surfaces: i.e. mirrors, flares, bumpers, mouldings, etc.

Next topic: Waxing

Supplies for Buffing

There are a several items needed to buff a vehicle. I personally use a Makita buffer and have found that in many detail shops, they prefer it as well. It is a great tool for anyone that wishes to keep their car in "like new" condition. With that you will need buffing pads and compounds as well.

Wool pads are great with the harsher compounds in order to remove bad scratches as well as oxidation. Now, this will more than likely cause swirl marks, which is ok since there are steps that follow to remove those. You should use a harsh or "grainy" compound for this step as well. You can feel the grains in the more harsh compounds if you put some between your thumb and finger and rub them together.

If the wool pad scares you, there are foam pads available for this step as well. I use foam pads in the other steps, but if you decide to use it in the first step, the stiffer the pad the better. You need softer pads as you go down in the harshness of the compound.

Next Topic: How to use a Buffer

Washing and Claying

Be sure to remove any dirt or salt that may be on the vehicle. You may have some road grime or tar along the lower panels of your car. This is easily removed with any sort of store bought degreaser. If you have road paint on your car, this is a little harder to remove. The best thing that I have found to work is to use detailing clay. You can get detailing clay at any auto supply store, and its best to get the most aggressive you can find. You will also need a spray on finishing wax in order to lubricate the surface for the clay to work its magic. You can use the clay on any part of the vehicle, and it works well on bird droppings, water spots, bugs, or any sort of build up. The clay will smooth out the surface to get it ready for buffing. If you have any sap built up on your car, a little rubbing alcohol and a plastic razor blade work wonders. The plastic blades will help with any extra build up that the clay can't pick up. Be sure to clean the surface after using the alcohol, just to be safe. Now you are ready to buff!!
Next topic: Buffing.