Pretty polished: will Dr Wack’s leather cleaner make my motorcycle seat white again?

While looking for a cleaning agent for the seat of my scooter, I came across Mr Wack’s leather cleaner. Although it works with all types of smooth and artificial leather, I can’t find any information on outdoor use in my research. I ask the German manufacturer directly, and, according to them, there’s nothing stopping it being used outdoors. It’s only less effective at combating insect residue than other products such as Dr Wack S100 leather cleaner gel.

Car cleaners

Dr. Wack Chemie Leather Cleaner

250 ml

42

Car cleaners

Dr. Wack Chemie Leather Cleaner

250 ml

42

Grime from dead insects isn’t a problem for me – at least not on my seat. So I’m giving the leather cleaner a chance, since it’s pretty popular with our customers. It’s designed to combat grease, oil stains and colour abrasion. With its jojoba oil-based care components, it also gently cleans and provides long-lasting protection against wear. At least, that’s what it says on the bottle.

In fragrance terms there’s a powdery note, but it still smells refreshing. Unfortunately, it’s all very intense. After treatment, I can smell the leather cleaner everywhere. I’d prefer if it were a bit more neutral or at least more subtle.

It’s very easy to use. I soak a microfibre cloth with the product and run it over the white leather of my motorcycle seat until the surface is free of dirt. I have to keep applying, but after a short time and little effort I’m done. Finally, I wipe everything with a damp cloth and end up quite satisfied. The bright area is white again and looks almost like new.

Using it on dark leather

Now, on to the rest of the seat leather. I can’t see any obvious dirt or stains in dark areas. But as soon as I start cleaning with the soaked cloth, I can see a difference. Any dust is gone, and the previously bland black looks richer and fresher. I wipe it again with the damp cloth and let everything dry before I apply leather care to the whole seat. It’s intended to slow down the ageing process and keep your seat supple. But is this really true? It’s worth a shot.

After I apply leather care, the seat has a rather greasy shine and feels a bit sticky. Fortunately not for long. After a few hours, the product is absorbed into the leather. The seat has been restored to its beautiful matt black.

Suddenly, I have cleaning mania. I look for anything leather adjacent, finding my bike saddle. Even if it’s not particularly old, it could certainly do with a refresh and some care. The result is roughly the same as with the motorcycle seat. The saddle looks a little fresher overall.

It also works on my sneakers

The manufacturer says the cleaner will work on all types of smooth and artificial leather. User Ailedarimas from the Community even cleaned their whole sofa with it. And was satisfied. I wonder if the cleaner can also make my shoes shine again.

So, I give my old Adidas sneakers one last try. They’ve accompanied me to festivals, carried me across wet meadows and served as a substitute for hiking boots. Real veteran shoes. But they’re now so yellowed and tattered on the inside that I’ll soon have to send them to shoe heaven. I’m sorry little ones. You’re simply too well suited for this final stress test.

I moisten the cloth generously with the cleaner and scrub the dirt off the leather. In contrast to the scooter seat, I have to apply much more pressure and reapply several times until everything is free of dirt. I have to apply counter-pressure with my fingers from the inside, especially in places where creases have formed in the leather. Otherwise the dirt in the gaps won’t go away.

I scrub hard, and lo and behold, the leather shines bright white again. The surface has become so clean that I can see all the scratches that were hidden behind the yellowish façade. Unfortunately, this doesn’t make the shoe look any better. But that’s not Dr Wack’s fault. It did its job and did exactly what it was supposed to do.

Disclaimer: even though my shoes are now white again, I don’t recommend using Dr Wack here. Sneaker cleaning is a science in itself.

Nevertheless, the A1 cleaner made my leather goods look clean and fresh. The result isn’t bad by any means. I can’t tell whether it can cope with old and very dirty surfaces, but for my needs it’s served its purpose. Now I’m curious to see how long the seat will look fresh and whether the ageing process really slowed down.

Next, I’m going to look at the scooter’s fairing. Do you have a recommendation for a cleaning agent? Which leather care products have you had good experiences with? Let me know in the comments!