BMW Leather Cleaner Issue

drivetolive · 10-11-2018, 08:04 PM

Talk about making a sad day even worse...

I'm prepping the car for winter storage, and was detailing the interior today. One of my final steps was to apply BMW's leather cleaner/lotion to the seats. I applied it directly to the seats, rubbed it in with a soft brush and subsequently wiped off the excess. To my surprise, I see white residue/streaks after wiping the rear seats down (pictures attached).

The long white scuff on the panel closest to the door bugs me the most. The faint streaks are clearly the pattern from the leather cleaner I applied. I think my mistake was: a) using a brush, and b) applying it directly to the seat. For the front seats, I used the supplied sponge from BMW and had no issues.

Nevertheless, any idea what the issue here is (did I rub the leather off? Is the cleaner embedded in the leather)? Any helpful tips on how I can tackle this before I visit a leather specialist would be much appreciated.

To address the obvious, rubbing it with a microfiber cloth did not work

.

6ixSpd · 10-12-2018, 11:25 AM

That is really weird. I've been using the same stuff and never had any issues whether applied on an applicator or the seat itself. Take a damp microfiber (just water) and heat it in up in a microwave, and try removing it that way. Maybe that will remove the residue.

I also have some Leatherique rejuvenator oil you can try using, no idea if it will help though.

drivetolive · 10-12-2018, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 6ixSpd

That is really weird. I've been using the same stuff and never had any issues whether applied on an applicator or the seat itself. Take a damp microfiber (just water) and heat it in up in a microwave, and try removing it that way. Maybe that will remove the residue.

I also have some Leatherique rejuvenator oil you can try using, no idea if it will help though.

Thanks. Definitely going to try some warm water and a microfiber towel today.

Appreciate the offer, i'll keep you posted if I decide to go that way.

drivetolive · 10-13-2018, 10:31 AM

I tried the microfiber towel with warm water, but to no avail. I think this approach spread out the affected area even more so.

I subsequently tried a steam cleaner, which seems to improved things, however ever so slightly (i.e. barley noticeable). It took a lot of elbow grease too. However, I'm afraid if I keep going I may damage the leather from excessive steam/heat?

Any other suggestions would be welcomed.

///M Power-Belgium · 10-13-2018, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drivetolive

I tried the microfiber towel with warm water, but to no avail. I think this approach spread out the affected area even more so.

I subsequently tried a steam cleaner, which seems to improved things, however ever so slightly (i.e. barley noticeable). It took a lot of elbow grease too. However, I'm afraid if I keep going I may damage the leather from excessive steam/heat?

Any other suggestions would be welcomed.

Leatherique Rejuvenator oil ( shake well before use )
Massage the Rejuvenator oil in your Novillo leather and let it sit for 48 + hours , longer is even better !
Wipe it off with a soft towel and warm water .

My Novillo leather treatment with pics =>

https://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=768340
Let me know..

dparm · 10-13-2018, 04:47 PM

I agree that Leatherique would be the next step. I wonder if the product was contaminated and it actually removed some of the dye? Might be time to visit an upholstery shop if you run out of ideas. Some things are best left to the pros.

drivetolive · 10-14-2018, 10:57 AM

I imagine the Leatherique Rejuvenator oil wouldn't restore any removed dye, correct? It's hard to tell if the affected area is a stain or the actual dye removed.

Thanks for the instructions ///M Power-Belgium, looks like I'll need to wait till summer when the temperatures are high enough to try the oil.

10-11-2018, 08:04 PM	#1
drivetolive Second Lieutenant 88 Rep 217 Posts Drives: Z4M Coupe Join Date: May 2017 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada iTrader: (3)	BMW Leather Cleaner Issue Talk about making a sad day even worse... I'm prepping the car for winter storage, and was detailing the interior today. One of my final steps was to apply BMW's leather cleaner/lotion to the seats. I applied it directly to the seats, rubbed it in with a soft brush and subsequently wiped off the excess. To my surprise, I see white residue/streaks after wiping the rear seats down (pictures attached). The long white scuff on the panel closest to the door bugs me the most. The faint streaks are clearly the pattern from the leather cleaner I applied. I think my mistake was: a) using a brush, and b) applying it directly to the seat. For the front seats, I used the supplied sponge from BMW and had no issues. Nevertheless, any idea what the issue here is (did I rub the leather off? Is the cleaner embedded in the leather)? Any helpful tips on how I can tackle this before I visit a leather specialist would be much appreciated. To address the obvious, rubbing it with a microfiber cloth did not work . Attached Images
	Appreciate 1 ///M Power-Belgium63078.50 Tweet Quote

10-12-2018, 11:25 AM	#2
6ixSpd Save the manuals! 6012 Rep 6,742 Posts Drives: '16 M3, '23 718 Spyder Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: 416 iTrader: (4)	That is really weird. I've been using the same stuff and never had any issues whether applied on an applicator or the seat itself. Take a damp microfiber (just water) and heat it in up in a microwave, and try removing it that way. Maybe that will remove the residue. I also have some Leatherique rejuvenator oil you can try using, no idea if it will help though. __________________ '16 M3 \| '23 718 Spyder Past: E92 M3, F87 M2, E39 M5, etc
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10-13-2018, 10:31 AM	#4
drivetolive Second Lieutenant 88 Rep 217 Posts Drives: Z4M Coupe Join Date: May 2017 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada iTrader: (3)	I tried the microfiber towel with warm water, but to no avail. I think this approach spread out the affected area even more so. I subsequently tried a steam cleaner, which seems to improved things, however ever so slightly (i.e. barley noticeable). It took a lot of elbow grease too. However, I'm afraid if I keep going I may damage the leather from excessive steam/heat? Any other suggestions would be welcomed.
	Appreciate 1 ///M Power-Belgium63078.50 Quote

10-13-2018, 04:47 PM	#6
dparm Stop the hate, get a V8 3850 Rep 8,625 Posts Drives: C7 Corvette GS, AMG C63 S Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Frisco, TX iTrader: (1)	I agree that Leatherique would be the next step. I wonder if the product was contaminated and it actually removed some of the dye? Might be time to visit an upholstery shop if you run out of ideas. Some things are best left to the pros. __________________ Now: 2017 Corvette Grand Sport, 2021 AMG C63 S sedan Past: 2011.5 M3 sedan ZCP
	Appreciate 1 drivetolive87.50 Quote

10-14-2018, 10:57 AM	#7
drivetolive Second Lieutenant 88 Rep 217 Posts Drives: Z4M Coupe Join Date: May 2017 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada iTrader: (3)	I imagine the Leatherique Rejuvenator oil wouldn't restore any removed dye, correct? It's hard to tell if the affected area is a stain or the actual dye removed. Thanks for the instructions ///M Power-Belgium, looks like I'll need to wait till summer when the temperatures are high enough to try the oil.
	Appreciate 1 ///M Power-Belgium63078.50 Quote