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Spraying an applicator pad with Meguiar's Gold Class Rich Leather spray

Meguiar’s Gold Class Rich Leather Spray Review: Squeaky Clean

Leather is easily one of the most durable materials found in cars today. It's sun-resistant and hardy, but if cared for improperly it can fade and crack, making detailing a pain. That's exactly why the lovely folks at Meguiar's sent me their Meguiar's Gold Class Rich Leather Spray, and their Meguiar's Gold Class Leather Conditioner to boot. Thankfully, both had the leather surfaces in my E46 M3 looking squeaky clean in record time.

Leather is easily one of the most durable materials found in cars today. It’s sun-resistant and hardy, but if cared for improperly it can fade and crack, making detailing a pain. That’s exactly why the lovely folks at Meguiar’s sent me their Meguiar’s Gold Class Rich Leather Spray, and their Meguiar’s Gold Class Leather Conditioner to boot. Thankfully, both had the leather surfaces in my new-to-me E46 M3 looking squeaky clean in record time.

Is Meguiar’s leather cleaner good?

A black leather headrest, half treated with Meguiar's Gold Class Rich Leather spray and conditioner, shows noticeable improvement in color
Meguiar’s Gold Class Rich Leather spray completely restored my headrest | Chase Bierenkoven

Obviously, things look shiny immediately after applying Meguiar’s Gold Class Rich Leather spray. After all, it is a liquid. However, that shine sticks around. That said, this clearly isn’t a dye like a shoe polish. I’m not sure what kind of chemical wizardry is at work here, but that shine not only stays, but it doesn’t leave an oily deposit on whatever leather you’ve cleaned after it’s dried.

The same goes for Meguiar’s Gold Class Leather Conditioner. No oily deposit and the shine stays. I did my whole interior a few weeks prior to my headrest photo above and still have nice new-looking surfaces. Honestly, both products add a nice soft texture to the leather after application that still hasn’t worn off, even on my shift knob. So, in a word, yeah, Meguiar’s leather cleaner is good.

Meguiar’s Gold Class Rich Leather spray isn’t just a pretty moutful

I’m not joking around when I say that the worst part about this stuff is the comically long name. Application is hilariously easy. Just shake up the bottle, throw it on a clean rag (or applicator pad if you’re a pro like me), and wipe away. It really does feel like I took years of grime off my shift knob and other touch-heavy leather surfaces.

That said, I may have lied a little about the oily residue. The product does leave some “film” on your hands, but it’s almost not even worth mentioning. Just wear some gloves. If your car was as gross as mine, you’ll probably want them anyways.

Did Meguiar’s make my leather good as new? Almost

A man cleans a leather seat with Meguiar's Gold Class Rich Leather spray
Meguiar’s Leather Conditioner is a necessary final step after applying the 3-in-1 | Meguiar’s

However, if you’re expecting some kind of miracle work on that crusty old steering wheel, you’ll need a lot more than Meguiar’s Gold Class Rich Leather spray. Unfortunately, that was the case for me, and some parts of my wheel just had to stay a little worn. That said, even those parts feel better to touch. They’re buttery soft, as leather should be.

Finally, a quick word to the wise. Don’t go mobbing canyon roads in your freshly cleaned leather seats as I did, or you’ll end up sliding about the interior like a greased hog. Let this stuff dry and do its work, and you’ll be happy with the results.

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