My girlfriend's Fusion has been neglected for the 2+ years that she has owned it and I finally got a chance to work on the seats a bit. For reference, I didn't dilute this product at all when I used it. Chemical Guys has some videos on YouTube that suggest cutting this 6:1 or 3:1, depending on how dirty the leather is, etc. - 6:1 for maintenance cleaning, 3:1 for moderate cleaning, etc. I don't know if they mention using it straight out of the bottle or not, but that's what I did.
Rear seats don't get used much, more of a storage area, so I started there. Pulled some dirt, but not much, as expected. Great to see that it didn't pull any color off of the black leather at the same time. Didn't do any damage to the leather at all. Just sprayed some of the cleaner on a bit on a microfiber towel and scrubbed lightly at first, then a little harder to see if that made much of a difference (it really didn't). Then I put a couple of pea-sized dots of the conditioner on a different microfiber towel and worked it into the freshly-cleaned leather. Didn't notice a huge difference on the rear seats, as they hadn't seen much abuse (aside from a 6-year old nephew in the back once or twice, never sat in, nothing dumped on them, etc.).
Now, the front seats... wow. Didn't get much done on these just yet, but I need to find the time do the rest. I started on the bolster section of the seat bottom - the one that your butt and leg slide on when you're getting in and out of the car, which is usually the first one to deteriorate, crack, and split over time. Glad that I was using the cleaner without diluting it, because MAN was this dirty... I'm sure that getting in and out of the car after the gym a couple times each week didn't help, but this seat was seriously dirty...
I worked just that section by spraying a microfiber towel and really had to put quite a bit of cleaner on it to get it to break down all of the oils and dirt in the leather. One had swipe turned my green towel almost black where I was putting pressure on it with my hand... Kept spraying clean areas of the towel, putting some mild pressure on the seat and rubbing the cleaner in and I was pulling out some serious dirt... half of one side of the microfiber towel was super dirty when I got done, and that was just one section of the seat! Probably a 3-4" x 18" piece of leather... Anyway, she was getting ready to head out, so I got that section fairly clean, then put a couple of dabs of conditioner on the other microfiber towel to work that in, as I didn't want to leave it unprotected until I got another chance to work on it. Rubbed the conditioner in, got a little bit of dirt transfer from it, so I still have work to do on it, but what a difference...
Just after cleaning one section of a very dirty seat, you can REALLY see the difference in the condition of the leather. The other "high traffic areas" of the seat (seatback side bolster, etc.) are shiny and have a "stickiness" to them from the oils and dirt that they've accumulated over the years.
After just using the cleaner, all of that came out and I could run my hand across it without it sticking to it, chattering across it, etc., and the leather felt much smoother. The conditioner just amplifies that difference. The leather felt softer, more supple, even better than I remember it being when she first got the car.
Personally, I'm not a big fan of leather seats... I don't like dealing with them when it's cold (even heated seats) and I definitely don't like them when it's hot out. I didn't care for these because they seemed stiff right from the dealer and just didn't seem particularly comfortable. This cleaner and conditioner has made a huge difference... Can't wait to see what the full seats feel like when I finally get a chance to really dig into them!
Tips for application:
Fold microfiber towel into 1/4s, spray cleaner onto clean side of microfiber towel, not onto the leather directly, and wipe in gently. Flip towel over, buff off. Work in sections, if you can - if the leather is old or has accumulated much dirt, you should start seeing the difference pretty quickly.
After you get a couple of sections done (seat and seatback, for instance), take a different microfiber towel, fold into 1/4s or 1/8s, add a couple small drops of leather conditioner, spread evenly over the area you're treating, and then gently rub it into the leather, flip the towel over and buff off any excess.
It doesn't take much to get the job done - CG always says that with their products "less is more" - and you really don't need to overdo it on the conditioner.
I did this on a warm day, and I think that helped to make the leather a little more pliable and easy to clean and work with. Considering how dirty these seats are, I'll be attempting to use a hog hair brush (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0013HJDOI/) that I bought on Amazon to see if that helps pull any dirt out of the leather. For this, I'll probably try diluting the solution a bit, spraying it directly on the leather in small sections, working with the brush, and then immediately wiping off before it gets a chance to dry back onto the seat.
TL;DR - Great product, used cleaner undiluted (dilution suggested by manufacturer's YouTube videos), did a great job without removing any color from the leather, used conditioner sparingly and results were great. I highly recommend it!
Chemical Guys SPI_109_16 Leather Cleaner and Leather Conditioner Kit for Use on Leather Apparel, Furniture, Car Interiors, Sh
4.6 | 42,207 ratings
Price: 29.99
Last update: 12-29-2024
From the manufacturer
Preserve your leather's strength, durability & appearance with this simple kit!
Previous page
-
Gently cleans without harming leather
Leather Cleaner lifts and separates grease and dirt from deep within the pores of the material, ensuring a thorough cleaning job.
Next page
The Leather Cleaner and Conditioner Kit delivers the perfect one-two punch to restore, then preserve the natural look and feel of soft new leather.
Previous page
-
Scrub Away Oils and Grime
Leather cleaner removes dirt, grease, body oils, and more from all types of fine natural leather.
Next page
1 PH-BALANCED CLEANER 2 DRY TO THE TOUCH 3 LEAVES NO RESIDUE 4 REPLENISH VITAMIN E 5 LIFT DIRT, GRIME, DEBRIS
Expand your leather arsenal to the next level with these leather care products!
 The Third Step In Leather Care |  Spray Away Mess And Grime |  Restore Leather Smell |
|---|---|---|
Help resist crackingLeather Serum conditions and protects leather to help keep it looking new | Bring back to life old leatherSprayable Leather is the perfect one-step that cleans and conditions. | What Does It Smell Like?Leather Scent is the premium air freshener and odor eliminator. |
Leather Coating TechnologyLeather Serum helps prevent cracking, fading, and discoloration. | Mist On, Wipe OffThe refined sprayable cream formula is rich with Vitamin E and aloe. | Freshens And Destroys OdorsMist a few sprays around the home, office, car, or any other enclosed spaces. |
Add more Chemical Guys products to your arsenal!
 Honeydew Snow Foam Car Wash |  Trunk Organizer |  Total Interior Cleaner |
|---|---|---|
High Foaming Car Wash SoapSnow foam eliminates dirt, grime and debris with massive amounts sudsy foam | Convenient Product OrganizerHold up to 12 full-size 16 oz Chemical Guys products | Safe on Most SurfacesSafe for dashboards, windshields, nav screens, leather, carpet, plastic & more |
Concentrated Cleaning PowerDilute 1 cap to 5 gallons of water to produce billions of scrubbing bubbles | Great for the TrunkHook and loop fasteners hold bag in place on trunk liners | Cleans...and Protects!Total Interior not only cleans surfaces, but it also protects them from the sun. |
Top reviews from the United States
Dave P
Great product - works very well
Reviewed in the United States on June 5, 2014Dogmama
Restores interior to showroom new
Reviewed in the United States on February 15, 2024J. Santoyo
Buy it!
Reviewed in the United States on February 29, 2024
John
It Works, Moisturizes and Softens Dried Out Leather
Reviewed in the United States on March 30, 2024
John
Reviewed in the United States on March 30, 2024
Images in this review
Anita Krulic
Wow!! This stuff is AMAZING!!
Reviewed in the United States on April 5, 2024
Bgh
Worked to clean our couch after our dog had expressed her anal glands while sitting on it.
Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2024