Everything you’ll ever want to know about automotive leather upholstery care –
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 880
Likes: 4
From: Ponte Vedra Beach FL/ Hampstead, London, England
'84 380 SL/ '02 XK8
Everything you’ll ever want to know about automotive leather upholstery care –
- but were too afraid to ask.
How important is the correct identification of finished lather?
Automobile model ranges use different materials for their vehicles interiors; leather upholstery like Aniline Immersion Dyed, Aniline Micro Pigmented, (Urethane) Finished, Artificial leather such as MB-Tex and unfinished materials like Synthetics and Alcantara, and sometimes combinations of products (Alcantara seat inserts on leather seating) as well as various grades of leather hide, full-grain, top-grain and split –grain (which is protected with urethane) all of which require different products and applications methods
The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) is a reference guide for Professional Upholstery Cleaning (IICRC S300) it’s a five day leather training course, which devotes two days of the course to the correct identification of leather finishes
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)
Different types of leather require specific cleaning and care and therefore require a slightly different process. Check your 'leather type' before attempting to clean or apply any products to its surface.
TOGWT® Autopia Detailing Wiki – “Leather Upholstery Type Surface Identification” - http://www.autopia.org/forum/autopia...fication.html#
TOGWT® Autopia Detailing Wiki – “Leather Articles Hyperlinks” -http://www.autopia.org/forum/autopia...yperlinks.html
How important is the correct identification of finished lather?
Automobile model ranges use different materials for their vehicles interiors; leather upholstery like Aniline Immersion Dyed, Aniline Micro Pigmented, (Urethane) Finished, Artificial leather such as MB-Tex and unfinished materials like Synthetics and Alcantara, and sometimes combinations of products (Alcantara seat inserts on leather seating) as well as various grades of leather hide, full-grain, top-grain and split –grain (which is protected with urethane) all of which require different products and applications methods
The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) is a reference guide for Professional Upholstery Cleaning (IICRC S300) it’s a five day leather training course, which devotes two days of the course to the correct identification of leather finishes
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)
Different types of leather require specific cleaning and care and therefore require a slightly different process. Check your 'leather type' before attempting to clean or apply any products to its surface.
TOGWT® Autopia Detailing Wiki – “Leather Upholstery Type Surface Identification” - http://www.autopia.org/forum/autopia...fication.html#
TOGWT® Autopia Detailing Wiki – “Leather Articles Hyperlinks” -http://www.autopia.org/forum/autopia...yperlinks.html
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 880
Likes: 4
From: Ponte Vedra Beach FL/ Hampstead, London, England
'84 380 SL/ '02 XK8
To be of real practical use; a subject like automotive detailing requires a great deal of research, and updating as new products become available; to this end the TOGWT Detailing Wiki articles are updated / revised on a regular basis.
The advances in polymer technologies are an example of why it’s so important to monitor the industries new products, chemical technologies and ideas that are constantly being introduced, as are the techniques for applying them. There is also a need for the ability to seek clarification or ask questions in 'real time'.
I hope these articles will become an asset to anyone who is new to detailing and to the professionals; enthusiast detailer’s and industry experts who seek to advance their knowledge of detailing entry level enthusiast, but to professionals and industry experts as well.
The advances in polymer technologies are an example of why it’s so important to monitor the industries new products, chemical technologies and ideas that are constantly being introduced, as are the techniques for applying them. There is also a need for the ability to seek clarification or ask questions in 'real time'.
I hope these articles will become an asset to anyone who is new to detailing and to the professionals; enthusiast detailer’s and industry experts who seek to advance their knowledge of detailing entry level enthusiast, but to professionals and industry experts as well.
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
