wheels777

I've noticed my Almond color driver seat is getting a faint blue tint to the bottom portion.

Likely due to wearing Jeans and probably caused by the perforations in the seat material causing friction.

What product will clean the MB - Tex.

What next? Seems so ridiculous. Got a whole 1500 miles on the MB.

sosh

Likely due to cheap Jeans

wheels777

Thank you for your helpfulness!

sosh

Your welcome but I am serious. Dye transfer to the upholstry is not uncommon with poorly made or dyed fabrics....no matter what you paid for them. "made in china"

wheels777

I'm 50 years young and there has not been another fabric in my house or other cars where the dye from jeans has transferred, but every day is a new experience and I keep learning.

I don't think I have target on my various brands of jeans or MB so I would think this is happening to others who WEAR JEANS.

To the point though:
What product will clean the MB - Tex without damaging the seat.

konigstiger

https://mbworld.org/forums/search.php?searchid=5102300

wheels777

link in-op

konigstiger

211 search results for "jeans" i.e.: interior discoloration

El Cid

I asked a similar question before. Dealer says use water with very little mild detergent in it. MBUSA says same thing. However, a couple of sites have recommended Aerospace 303 Protectant. Another recommended Lexol Vinylex. These may be more protectant than cleaner, but their websites show cleaners also I believe. I'm sure your dealer has the M-B recommended cleaner products.
Have not tried either yet as only have 1K on car and still very clean.
Good luck.

salamt

Well I would try this first:
http://accessories.mbusa.com/Automot...+CARE+FOAM.axd

In the owner manual they don't recommend using detergent in the leather as they will cause decolorization

Kennyboy

this thread is useless.

OP, you can clean it off with leather cleaner and try to ripe it off SLOWLY. Yes, it will take long, but the blue will eventually go away. That happen to my other car's soft leather, but it eventually go away.

If you are really worry, just wash your deep blue jeans before you wear them. The one that discolor my interior is a navy blue from GAP. It's only $55, I really don't see myself wearing a $300 pimp out Jean from Guess.

Kamen

Any kind of dark denim will rub off, doesn't matter if they are cheap or $500 Prada jeans.

As for cleaning it, I find Mr. Clean Magic Erasers take everything out in like 2 seconds, it works really really well.

sosh

Normally dye transfer will not happen with fabrics or leathers. Seems to be only vinyls that are effected as they do not breathe. Thats one reason I spec leather in all of my MB's. As for your age it has nothing to do with it and I am quite a bit older. As for cleaning NOTHING HARSH OR ABRASIVE. I would try damp rag or towel with warm water first. If that does not work I would try Woolite mixed with water and applied with a very soft brush, even a rag or towel. Then dry with a clean rag or towel. Use white rags or towels only.

rieger

Totally incorrect on the dye transfer part. Dye from jeans are guaranteed to transfer to any material leather or MB-Tex. It doesn't matter if it is prada like someone said or gap. It doesn't matter if they are made in italy or china, dye transfer will happen. It will transfer to MB-Tex or Leather but it is easier to get out of MB-Tex. Try diluted woolite or vinylex. These should booth work for MB-Tex. For Leather diluted woolite is best and Lexol leather cleaner will also work. Only way dye transfer won't be noticed is if you have a black interior.

sosh

Disagree with you about the MB Tex. Its more difficult to clean without damaging the surface as is any vinyl and leather does not take transfered dye anywhere as bad as the vinyl. I was a corporate aircraft dealer and refurbing the less expensive vinyl seats from stains and dye transfers was much more difficult and more expensive than leather. Got to the point where we just replaced the surfaces that were vinyl with leather. Leather on the other hand was easy to clean up and even redye without a problem.

wheels777

This thread has turned into "black humor" and I started it.

After reading the comments so far, it crossed my mind that the dye transfer will probably come out, but even when it does, it is just going to keep reoccurring.

You would think we were dealing with a fine Stradivarius Violin or Fine China Dishes.

I just don't recall a time where wearing jeans caused an issue on any chair or surface one would sit in, and in this short period of time.

Don't misunderstand, I really like this car and have literally no complaints, but I didn't realize I would need a personal assistant to tend to the looks inside and out.

See my other post on Wheels. https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w...ow-repair.html

firefighter608

Lexol makes a fine line of leather cleaners and conditioners
I'm 57 years young and mbtex has been pretty good to me and all I wear are cheap jeans J/K

Kar don

Wheels777, I think it has a lot more to do with how you get in and out of the car and the temperature. I have found leather cleaner works well at getting the jean stain out (zaino z9). My BMW had tan leather and it stained like crazy from Jeans made in USA, Italy, and China. All the stains did come out, so I guess they we can't really call them stains.. haha.

E3LAL

This happened to me too when temperatures became too cold and I began wearing jeans. I was shocked but water and a little leather cleaner took it off.

charliele729

My S2K, has a camel color leather and I didnt really experience any type of dye transfer on the leather. Maybe I didnt wear jeans enought. I think Vinylex is the best stuff out there for protection and cleaning at the same time, it also offers UV sunscreen as I dont think any other product does.

chokaay

Sorry, but from a car detailer's point of view, MBTex is easier to clean than genuine Leather (at least the ones used in current MB's). This is coming from the top ranked car detailer in SoCal that is widely praised on MBWorld as well as other forums (and yes he has been detailing all kinds of planes and other exotic cars, including museum pieces and show cars, for over 18 years). Just ask him how many genuine leather seats he's seen discolored by jeans. The latest one is a brand new 2010 GL550 with light leather interior that had blue stains from the driver's jeans. Less than 1,000 miles on it too. I know there are different opinions and experiences from different people, but from HIS professional experience, he prefers cleaning MBTex to genuine Leather.

El Cid

Wheels 777. Amazing what happens when you ask for help isn't it?
Can't rember where I read, either on the MBCA, Lexol or Aerospace protectant sites. Was a discussion of "leather" as in cars today. This person said Asian and US leathers actually have a thin vinyl coating for protection, whereas European ones do not.
The test to see if it is leather or vinyl coated leather is to place a small drop of water on the material. If it beads and does not absorb, it is vinyl covered leather or all vinyl. If the material absorbs the water, it is leather.
My thinking is that leather would therefore tend to absord dyes and so forth more easily than M-BTex or vinyl.
My previous two cars were Asian with leather, one beige and one light gray, and neither ever discolored from dyes, etc. I did use Maquire's leather protectant on them about every 5-6 months. The driver's seat was noticeably lighter in color on the one that had 65,000 miles on it when I sold it.
BTW, for me, $30 is about the max I pay for pants. However, I do not wear blue jeans at all and never have. Just casual denim type slacks.

pmb600

Dye transfer from jeans will happen in any car with a light colored interior. On MB Tex I haved used MB Interior Care (this was made by Meguiar's and you can just buy their brand interior care spray) and on leather an automotive leather cleaner will work just fine (if it is a paste or a cream just be careful when appplying so you don't get it in the perforations). Put the product on a rag (I usually use microfiber towels) and with some slight elbow grease the seats will be as good as new.

mikeball2001

Everyone:
I read this string this evening with great intrigue. I would like to share my real-world experiences with everyone:

1. I've had a Jaguar with white leather interior, lexus with light camel leather and cadillac STS with light camel leather.
2. I wear good quality and cheap jeans in all of these
3. Never have I had any color transfer from jeans.
4. I have seen leather-to-leather transfer from my black belts or
a black leather jacket.

Now I just got a new 2010 E350 with almond beige MB-tex and the discoloration (blue as described above from jeans) is unlike anything I've ever seen before. And it's nothing to do with how you get in or out of the car - as my passenger seat is gathering the same discoloration from passengers that I have in my vehicle.

This is a great disappointment to me - otherwise I love my Mercedes and won't own anything else. But I'm highly disappointed in this color transfer as it really cheapens the entire quality appearance of the interior. I feel like I have to clean it every week.

I hope this helps paint a clear picture of comparisions and reality from an outside reader.

Have a good evening,

rieger

This happens because the leather in the new cars are all matte compared to leather in your other cars were all probably a little shiny or shinier. The leather in older cars were most likely polished a little like a shoe is with wax but the leather was not treated with polyurathane. The polyureathane coating in the new leathers makes it easier to wipe these stains off or makes the leather water resistant and also allows the manufacturers to make the leather look matte. The problem with this is that since it is not buffed and shiny which makes the grain more susceptible to dye transfer.