Pants Dye transferring to light colored MB Tex seats...
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Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 333
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From: Colorado
05 E500 4matic, 08 ML320CDI
Pants Dye transferring to light colored MB Tex seats...
After a couple of weeks, I noticed that the dye from jeans, work pants, etc. seems to transfer real easy to the Ash colored MB Tex seats in my wife's new ML320CDI... Makes the seats look dirty real fast... Tried several cleaners like leather cleaner, simple wet rag, etc. and wasn't impressed... Then I cleaned a spot off the carpet with Prestone Interior Cleaner and tried it on the seats... Voila', dye is gone with very little effort and it doesn't appear to be detrimental to the material... If someone else has something they use, I'd like to know about it... 
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From: Northern NJ
2014 BMW 550i
I noticed this on my passenger seat recently. I had some Lexol wipes that cleaned this up quickly. Note that it is usually the more expensive pants that do this more than more "pedestrian" pants and jeans, as that is what I wear, and I have never seen it on the drivers seat.
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Joined: Dec 2001
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From: PHILIPPINES
07' ML350
my macadamia interior is stained blue from my cheap $18 jeans (made in the philippines)....and a week ago.....behold!!! my red versace shirt.....left red stains on the bolsters...... so my macadamia is now blue on the seat cushion, red on the seat back.
so brand doesnt matter.
so brand doesnt matter.
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From: Maryland
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From: Maryland USA
08 ML350; 07' Acura RDX; 05'FX45; 03'Murano
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From: DFW
2022 E350 Diamond White Metallic, 2016 GLC300 Dakota Brown Metallic
It does not matter the price of your clothes. my 200.00 Allen Edmunds Belts leave stains on my light interior in both my cars
. Lexol will do a pretty good job removing it. Be careful of magic eraser. It is abraisive. The MB Product for MB Tex is also good.
. Lexol will do a pretty good job removing it. Be careful of magic eraser. It is abraisive. The MB Product for MB Tex is also good.
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 63
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From: AZ
2008 ML550; 2005 SLK55
Noticed the same thing when my wife first got her BMW with Beige leather. The problem seemed to diminish with time. I used Autoglym leather cleaner with a soft brush and it cleaned up fine. The light colored interiors are hard to keep nice, plain and simple!
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Joined: Sep 2005
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From: Covington wa
05 SL500, 02 BMW Z3 (Mrs. VF), 05 FJR1300, 91 ZX-11
Haven't noticed a problem withe the Stone leather in the SL yet. The ash seats in the CLK seats seem to have a slicker / harder finish to the leather and I haven't had any dye transfer problems.
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 161
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From: Endicott NY
2014 ML350 Bluetec, 2016 GLC 300, 2023 Corvette, Z51 Stingray
I also noticed this on the passenger seat when my wife wears certain jeans. I use Griot's Garage leather cleaner and it comes off with very little effort. I also have used Harley-Davidson Leather cleaner and conditioner and it also works well.
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From: Massachusetts
2018 GLE350, 2014 G550, 2000 SL500, 1980 TR8, 1995 E320 Cabriolet
I have noticed this too. The irony here is that the issue has very little to do with the MBTex seats and much more to do with the chemistry and behavior of the Indigo Blue dye typically used to make "blue" jeans. Indigo blue dye is not chemically bound to the cotton fiber in the denim, rather it is more like physically trapped there. Indigo blue dye is not water soluble and thus the dye does not easily penetrate fabric. But it can be made that way through strong reducing agents. When the dye is exposed to air, it re-oxidizes to become the original blue, non-water substance that is now trapped (or "fixed" as they say) in the cotton fibers. The more this is done, the darker the color and the quality of the fabric will be.
Any material surface that shows the slightest affinity for the dye (such as the plasticisers in the MBTex) will cause it to "rub off" the fibers on the surface of the fabric. Since Indigo blue is one of the most potent blue dyes known, even the slightest amount will "show" on a light surface. It is even more ironic that the jeans that are probably the most expensive (because they have been "dipped" the most) are the most prone to this issue. As the dye near the surface of any garment wears away, the issue will go away.
- FD
PS - in the midst of a long road trip with the family and gear in tow in the ML550. Words cannot describe what a wonder touring machine it is . . even with blue tinted seats.
Any material surface that shows the slightest affinity for the dye (such as the plasticisers in the MBTex) will cause it to "rub off" the fibers on the surface of the fabric. Since Indigo blue is one of the most potent blue dyes known, even the slightest amount will "show" on a light surface. It is even more ironic that the jeans that are probably the most expensive (because they have been "dipped" the most) are the most prone to this issue. As the dye near the surface of any garment wears away, the issue will go away.
- FD
PS - in the midst of a long road trip with the family and gear in tow in the ML550. Words cannot describe what a wonder touring machine it is . . even with blue tinted seats.
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Joined: Dec 2001
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From: PHILIPPINES
07' ML350
im just wondering, my full leather oyster interior is stain proof, as do my full leather black interior in my other 2 vehicles, but my macadamia mbtext does stain with blue jeans, and lately..with a red shirt.
