If you have light colored leather seats you will sooner or later get blue jean color transfer, sometimes called crocking. Crocking is where the dye in pants will abrade into the top coat layer of the leather. Leatherique Prestine Clean can help greatly in cleaning up this crocking!
Here at Reflections Detailing of Utah I have a few maintenance accounts that have this concern often during the year. Often unknowing detailers or the owner will attempt to remove these unsightly dye transfers with chemical processes that are quite harsh for leather, or they will try abrasive means like “magic eraser” or good ole elbow grease. Some others will use heat and/or try to steam out the dye. All of these as your first attempt are much too aggressive, and in fact they are likely a means of setting the dye into the hide.
Leatherique Prestine clean is a great product for cleaning the Urethane coating on these type of leathers. About 90% of all automotive leathers are Urethane coate, some times called top coated leather. If you are unsure a simple scratch test will help. Take your finger nail and gently, notice I said gently scape the hide. Ifthe hide changes color then it’s likely NOT top coated. Urethane coated leathers have a slight to very “plastic” feel to them. Prestine Clean will work fine on all leathers, coated or not.
Spray the Leatherique Prestine Clean, you can also wipe on, but I get better coverage and seem to use less when I spray the product. Allow it to dwell. The amount of dwell time will depend upon temp and the amount of cleaning you need done. I let it dwell while I do the windows….
Wipe gently and the dye should come off. If the dye remains try more dwell time, and even some slight agitation with a super soft bristle brush will help. I like to use the Tuf Shine tire brush, just make sure its super clean before you use on leather, or better yet dedicate a Tuf Shine tire brush for your leather care!
Apply a water based product on the top coated Urethane and you are now protected. The sacrificial layer of say 303 Aerospace protectant acts much like a wax for the paint, it will come off in time, but provide some insurance.
So winter time is a great time to clean off all the summer grime, and protect the leather for the coming winter.
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