hey guys,


i have a 2010 s63 and i haven't used any interior cleaner on the leather as of yet.

i feel like it's time to use something but i have no idea what to use and i surely don't want to mess anything up.


i am looking for a cleaner/conditioner that has no smell or as little as possible.

not looking for anything that will make the seat's look all glossy i am NOT into that i just want natural looking leather.


any help would be great. thx in advance.

 

Give your leather the leathrique treatment. One of the best products in the world that was developed by leather restorers many decades ago. Simply apply the rejuvinator oil, allow it to sit for an hour, come back, reapply, do this for about 5-6 hours. Then, when surface becomes hazy, apply the pristine clean and agitate with soft brush. Remove the product with a mf towel and reveal the most supple and clean leather you'll ever see in your car. The surface will have a soft matte look, the leather will feel softer and more hydrated, and there won't be a smelly interior either. You do this routine every 6 months and in between, you simply apply the prestine clean to a mf towel and wipe the leather. Great stuff.

http://www.glisteningperfectionstore...que/Categories

 

+1 for leatherique, although it is a pretty long and involved process. A quicker solution I use sometimes is the Chemical Guys leather cleaner followed by 303 Aerospace Protectant.

 

+2 for Leatherique and as Azn_C300 said, it is a rather long dwell time (I leave it on overnight to soak), but the results of your patience will be well worth the wait! Another product I've read about, but have yet to try, is the Leather Masters Trio. I recently tested out Griot's Garage Leather Rejuvenator and Leather Care on an ML320 last week out of curiosity (found a local distributor near me) and was quite pleased with it as well. It buffs off nicely to a non-slippery matte finish.

 

The most important thing to find out before you attempt to clean or care for something is to ascertain what the material is made from. Much the same is true if you’re trying to remove a stain, what caused the stain and what is the material you are trying to remove the stain from. Formulate a detailing plan, then utilize proper detailing techniques, combined with quality products is what makes a details outcome, successful.

Once you’ve correctly identified the leather and / or the applied finish applicable to your vehicle's upholstery, it’s easier to select suitable products / methods (one size fits all is just a vendor's marketing myth)

Natural leather, covered leather and MB-Tex care and maintenance are very different

 

There are a lot of really good 3rd party products out there. The problem is most of us can't try them all and pick the best one.

I used to use Lexol and was pretty happy. I ran out of it and was in the dealership for a different reason. I decided to try the MB Leather cleaner. I am really pleased with the results. I use it about twice a year and my seats look and feel great (almost like new). It is a little pricey at almost $30 for a 10oz(?) spray can. Very easy to use - wipe on and wipe off.

 

I suggest researching the different types of leather cleaners before anything. However I do suggest using Lexol. It's affordable and it does the job.

 

Leather Upholstery and Trim Surface Identification

The most important thing to find out before you attempt to clean or care for something is to ascertain what the material is made from. Much the same is true if you’re trying to remove a stain, what caused the stain and what is the material you are trying to remove the stain from. Formulate a detailing plan, then utilize proper detailing techniques, combined with quality products is what makes a details outcome, successful.

You will find that getting unbiased information on this subject is somewhere between very difficult and impossible It is important to be able to recognise the different materials used for vehicle upholstery as some OEM use different materials for the various surfaces (i.e. perforated leather for the seating areas, PVC bolsters and seat backs) Before choosing a product to clean or maintain interior surfaces you must be certain of the material used and wither it is Urethane covered or pigmented Aniline, as the correct care product requirements are vastly different.

Once you’ve correctly identified the leather and / or the applied finish applicable to your vehicle's upholstery, it’s easier to select suitable products / methods (one size fits all is just a vendor's marketing myth) To identify the material used; (N-Nubuck / Alcantara®) (A-Aniline / Non-Coated) (P-Protected / Coated)
Leather however finished has to allow the movement of moisture back and forth (transpiration) so the use of water- based cleaners and protectors will maintain hydration, which is essential to keeping it in pristine condition.

(a) Natural leather (A-Aniline / Non-Coated) Aniline Leather is coloured all the way through with a transparent dye. The effect is applied by immersing the leather in a dye bath. Because the finish is transparent and shows the natural markings of the leather, only top quality hides can be used. It is absorbent and has a random shade colours and grain pattern; lightly scratch the surface to see if it reveals a lighter colour, water drops will darken its colour (temporarily).

(b) Protected leather (Pigmented) (P-Protected / Coated) - by slightly scratching it with your nail, if it changes to a darker / lighter shade, it is unprotected (i.e. how suede changes colour depending on the fibres' orientation). If this has little effect it’s protected.

The majority (95% + ) of automotive upholstery is by-cast polyurethane covered leather, these leathers have aspects of a natural finish, but more uniform in appearance, by-cast will also stretch more than top grain leather and is therefore subject to show creasing.

If water ‘beads’ on the surface, or if cleaners and conditioners remain on the surface, it’s (urethane) protected leather as liquids other than water (due to the size of its smaller molecules) will not penetrate this type of surface; it will also have an even shine. Remember you are dealing with the finished polyurethane coating on the leather and not with the leather hide itself.

(c) Nubuck, Alcantara® (N-Nubuck / Alcantara® ) - are top-grain cattle hide leather that has been sanded or buffed on the grain side, or outside, to give a slight nap of short protein fibres, producing a velvet-like surface. Alcantara® is a non-organic (synthetic) material. Both materials are very soft to the touch and will scratch or scuff very easily; water drops will darken the surface, but it returns to its original colour after drying.

(d) Nappa Leather (A-Aniline // Non-Coated ) – for leather used in autos, Nappa is a term that is used to denote a high quality leather, it’s a very soft, absorbent full grain (uncoated) and usually tanned with alum and chromium salts and dyed throughout, water drops will darken its colour (temporarily).

(e) Mercedes-Benz MB-Tex - is a non-organic (synthetic) material that has an even, almost repeating pattern. The depth of the lines within the grain on vinyl is also consistent, while the same lines on leather will vary; it is also usually smooth and soft to the touch. water drops will remain (unchanged) on its surface

Alternatively go to your local vehicle dealership along with the vehicle identification number (VIN), they can advise you of the options fitted.

The common denominator for all the above surface finishes is that they all require specific products in accordance with the finish; not forgetting protection from ultra violet (UV) radiation

 

Excellent write up! Thanks for taking the time to do this.

 

+1 thank you for this. Clears up alot of mis-conceptions i had.