Leather care
10-22-2012, 11:02 PM
#26
MBworld Guru
While we're talking leather, my kid's C240 steering wheel looks like crap. I followed some instructions I found for making a cleaning solution. They say mix equal parts acetone, ammonia, isopropyl alcohol and water. I was all prepared to have the local cops show up to bust my meth lab, but it worked - it really did a job cleaning the steering wheel, cleaning ten years of crap out of it, but of course it also removed some of the dye. So now, I need a good dye that will match the Java steering wheel color. Any ideas?
10-22-2012, 11:29 PM
#27
MBWorld Fanatic!
Wow, that formula sounds strong. You tried conventional leather cleaners first? Sometimes hand oils simply break down the dye, and you don't so much remove it as reveal it was actually not there anymore. I have dyed things in cars several times, and I hate to say it but from my perspective it's pretty much a waste of time. Most aftermarket dyes are water based, and are essentially paint. They sit on the surface and don't penetrate leather. They look great at first, but wear off fairly quickly on something like a steering wheel, and quickly crack wherever a seat has wrinkles or cracks. Plus I think they make the seats inpenetrable to future leather treatments. And they won't stand up to cleaners. It's just not the same as the orignal dye - not even close. Unless somebody comes up with a penetrating dye that is not water based, I'm pretty much done with it. I'd buy a new or good used wheel before I'd dye it. Just my experience.
Last edited by Yidney; 10-22-2012 at 11:32 PM.
10-23-2012, 05:27 AM
#28
Super Moderator
The Gliptone waterbased dyes are not like paint. They soak in and allow further leather treatment.
10-23-2012, 06:28 PM
#29
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Join Date: Aug 2012
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2004 CLK 500
Good choice. Let me give you some tips since I've used it a lot. You may have read some articles on applying it - you should do it on a warm day - or a least a day warm enough to get the interior warm if you have the windows up in the sun. If its a real hot day, then avoid direct sun. You want to be able to leave it on for several hours.
1. Vacuum your seats but do not clean them.
2. Go to Home Depot and look in the paint brushes for what is called a chip brush. All HDs sell them. They are basically real cheap brushes with bare wood handles and natural bristles. They cost like $1.95 and are on the bottom row usually. Get at least a 2" one.
3. Rejuvinator oil is about the consistency of motor oil, so it's pretty runny. That's why I suggest the brush. If you use your hands like they show online it will puddle and run. Just pour some in like an old margarine container and dip the brush in. Apply pretty liberally though. It will look like you just smeared your seats with 10W-40.
4. Let it sit in a warm place for as many hours as you can. This is probably less critical with perforated leather since it immediately gets to the leather backing.
5. Put the prestine clean in a spray bottle. Make sure to shake the prestine clean. It should look milky, but tends to look just like the oil if you let it sit a while. Spray a small section at a time and wipe with a an old cotton rag. You are done.
You can use the oil on your steering wheel or shift knob too, but just the prestine clean does a good job, and if you use a white rag to wipe it you'll be amazed at the gunk in your steering wheel leather.
1. Vacuum your seats but do not clean them.
2. Go to Home Depot and look in the paint brushes for what is called a chip brush. All HDs sell them. They are basically real cheap brushes with bare wood handles and natural bristles. They cost like $1.95 and are on the bottom row usually. Get at least a 2" one.
3. Rejuvinator oil is about the consistency of motor oil, so it's pretty runny. That's why I suggest the brush. If you use your hands like they show online it will puddle and run. Just pour some in like an old margarine container and dip the brush in. Apply pretty liberally though. It will look like you just smeared your seats with 10W-40.
4. Let it sit in a warm place for as many hours as you can. This is probably less critical with perforated leather since it immediately gets to the leather backing.
5. Put the prestine clean in a spray bottle. Make sure to shake the prestine clean. It should look milky, but tends to look just like the oil if you let it sit a while. Spray a small section at a time and wipe with a an old cotton rag. You are done.
You can use the oil on your steering wheel or shift knob too, but just the prestine clean does a good job, and if you use a white rag to wipe it you'll be amazed at the gunk in your steering wheel leather.
10-23-2012, 09:10 PM
#30
MBworld Guru
@Yidney: Yes, that is a strong mixture, but it was amazing how it really cleaned the stains. The steering wheel was literally black and moldy looking. It even appear that the leather was cracking and pealing, but after cleaning it, it actually feels clean and soft now. The problem is, it removed some of the dye so there are lighter colored splotches on it. There are still some slightly dark lines in the leather, but they would probably be covered with dye, or maybe I need to give it another cleaning. One thing the Internet articles say to do is use Super Glue to fill in the cracks and pits, then light sand it with fine grit to smooth it out, then use the dye. I am ready for all that, I just don't know where to get the right color dye!
10-24-2012, 09:09 AM
#31
MBWorld Fanatic!
All the places that sell dye sell leather crack filler too. It works pretty good. It's a soft white paste that dries quickly, is easy to sand and clings to leather very well. I'd be afraid super glue is too hard and you'd sand through the adjacent dye before it got smooth. As for color, you probably won't find it without getting it mixed, and to get it mixed they need a sample - like your leather shifter surround. They can return it. Some places have premixed seat colors, but not usally the trim colors.
10-24-2012, 09:32 PM
#32
Thanks!
10-24-2012, 10:57 PM
#33
MBworld Guru
Thanks, Yidney. I'm looking for a good local leather repair guy. I've asked some of my contacts in the business for recommendations. We'll see what they come back with. In the mean time, I wish I could just find a good aftermarket wood/leather wheel replacement. It's too bad I don't need black or gray - eBay is full of those for a few hundred dollars. Java is harder to find, and when I do, it's twice the price!
