Cleaning & maintaining white parchment leather

[Fokis]

Hi all,

I believe I read every post regarding white parchment leather before finally buying the '18 GT CX-5 with white leather last week. Thanks to this forum, I have confidence in the longevity of white leather (as long as it's maintained, as I understand).

With that said, I didn't find a trend in the brand of leather cleaner/conditioner to use on this particular Mazda seats.

For those with white parchment leather on their Mazda - could you list the following information and hopefully this thread can help someone make a decision down the road much like the other threads on this forum helped me decide on buying this leather?

How do you maintain your leather? (list brands, material (microfiber, brush) , techniques if possible)

Cleaner :
Conditioner :
Frequency :

Add any helpful tips (wipe down with water more often to avoid jean stains? etc?) :

Leather cleaners people have mentioned for white parchment leather
- Autoglym Leather Care Balm
- Perrone (used for aircraft)
- Lexol
- Gyeon LeatherCoat (used when purchased vehicle)
- Optimum Leather Protectant (applied semi-frequently)
- Zaino's leather cleaner


A very helpful thread for general cleaning!
https://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?123860997-General-Cleaning-and-Care

Thanks all!

 

[Puyapim]

The biggest suggestion I can give is to apply the protection as soon as you can. I used the Gyeon product within a couple of days after the purchase. I have the black leather so comparisons will not be the same but I really prefer the SIO2 base of Gyeon or other brands versus a cream or conditioning base that would attract dirt. Of course this is a personal opinion. Living in a rainy corner of the country I like how water just beads or rolls off any surface I treated.

I treated not only the seats and interior but also the door panels and armrests.

 

[CX-5um]

I would highly advise a good quality MF towel. Meguair's or better quality MF towels that is for cleaning the interior. Not only do they clean better they wash well in the washing machine. I use Persil detergent.

 

[Puyapim]

I just saw your other thread and realized we live in the same area. Again it comes down to personal preference but the water repellency is a big factor in choice. Also it does not change the feel or texture of the leather. It may be just slightly a bit slicker with the Gyeon but not enough to hinder anything. I applied it on the steering wheel as well. The ease of application is excellent.

 

[Carfo]

i have parchment interior. i used Gyeon LeatherCoat and a microfiber towel. get a good one and just wash it when you're done.

 

[Fokis]

The biggest suggestion I can give is to apply the protection as soon as you can. I used the Gyeon product within a couple of days after the purchase. I have the black leather so comparisons will not be the same but I really prefer the SIO2 base of Gyeon or other brands versus a cream or conditioning base that would attract dirt. Of course this is a personal opinion. Living in a rainy corner of the country I like how water just beads or rolls off any surface I treated.

I treated not only the seats and interior but also the door panels and armrests.

Great, I will give this stuff a try this week.

I would highly advise a good quality MF towel. Meguair's or better quality MF towels that is for cleaning the interior. Not only do they clean better they wash well in the washing machine. I use Persil detergent.

Didn't think of the quality of a towel. Great tip, thanks.

I just saw your other thread and realized we live in the same area. Again it comes down to personal preference but the water repellency is a big factor in choice. Also it does not change the feel or texture of the leather. It may be just slightly a bit slicker with the Gyeon but not enough to hinder anything. I applied it on the steering wheel as well. The ease of application is excellent.

Hello neighbor! Good tip on the wheel, wouldn't have planned on doing that.

i have parchment interior. i used Gyeon LeatherCoat and a microfiber towel. get a good one and just wash it when you're done.

Another Gyeon leatherCoat user! Definitely going to do this asap. When you say 'get a good one and wash it', are you referring to the microfiber towel?

 

[Carfo]

yes, pay a little more and get a dedicated quality microfiber cloth for use only on the interior, then when you're done wash it in the washing machine for re-use. anything by chemical guys or meguiars is a solid choice imo

 

[STLpilot]

My suggestion to you is talk to a professional detailer who can educate you on how to clean the leather and why. I'm not an expert but I was fortunate enough to know a detailer who gave me pointers and corrected some wrong doings that I was doing. For one, I used Lexol conditioner without ever cleaning my seats. It is important to use a gentle brush to get into the leather grain with a leather cleaner, then wipe it clean, and then to use a conditioner. There is obviously more to it that what I wrote, but my point is there are plenty of professionals out there who are happy to teach you the tricks of the trade. I'm sure youtube is also a great resource. check this out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Bd_IqK5ydU

 

[Anchorman]

Meguires leather wipes take some beating.

 

[Puyapim]

Some additional tips, the quality microfiber is a great idea. I got mine from The Rag Company but there are a number of sources to get it. Supposedly the better stuff comes out of South Korea. I have towels for both exterior and interior including a quality drying towel. For washing, microfiber is the best.

Gyeon makes two leather products, Leathercoat and Leathershield. The shield is more expensive. I went with Coat and I think every four months or so give your seats and other areas a treatment. It goes on very quickly and you need to use sparingly. As your microfiber towel or applicator loads up you will see how far this stuff goes. A small bottle will last a long time. Spray it on the applicator or towel and then apply to the surface. Here is a good video on the product.

https://youtu.be/DXq8D1C1DGQ

 

[CX-5um]

yes, pay a little more and get a dedicated quality microfiber cloth for use only on the interior, then when you're done wash it in the washing machine for re-use. anything by chemical guys or meguiars is a solid choice imo

I noticed Walmarts in my area now carry Chemical Guys products. Been wanting to try their products for a while.

I just applied 303 Protectant on the interior to both Mazdas over the weekend....never ceases to impress. A little goes a long way. Using the 1 bottle from Cabela's boating section I purchased like 2 years ago. Also used on my genuine leather sofa/couch. Still have half a bottle left. After the 303 is gone I may go and purchase Chemical Guys interior spray for a comparo.

 

[STLpilot]

Slightly off topic, but what do you guys recommend for cleaning the black plastic on the outside of the car?

 

[Ride92]

Slightly off topic, but what do you guys recommend for cleaning the black plastic on the outside of the car?

For actually cleaning the black exterior trim I really like the Mothers Back to Black Heavy duty trim cleaner. This is not the same product as the Back to Black trim restorer. The heavy duty trim cleaner comes in a clear bottle and is it self clear. It includes a little stiff brush to use which works very well for removing wax and other residues from the trim.

As far as cleaning the leather seats, I use Meguiar's APC D101 diluted to about 10:1 for interior cleaning. Using a horse hair brush really helps to get the deep down dirt in the grain of the leather. I then wipe clean with a micro fiber and apply Meguiars Ultimate leather balm. The brush I use is one of those Kiwi Shoe brushes, they are very gentle and do a great job of cleaning.

 

[MMazdaGirl]

i just got a white CX-5 with Parchment leather! Loving it so far. For those of you who used Gyon leather coat on your parchment leather two or more years ago:
-are you still liking this product?
-has it changed the feel or color of your leather?

Any info appreciated. I’ve never had leather seats before, And I’d like to do what I can to preserve them. I live in Louisiana, so we’re fast approaching the hottest part of the summer. If there is another product you prefer, please let me know that too. Thanks!

 

[TheGist5]

Does the Gyeon leather product, (or any of the others mentioned) darken or change the color of the parchment?