Whats the best way to care for BMW Leatherette?

Hey guys,

Can anyone tell me a good way to care for bmw leatherette? It seems to be prone to cracking over time and I'm looking for the best way to prolong its life. Right now I'm using 303 areospace on it, but is that the best product for it?

 

BMW Leatherette - sometimes referred to as Poromerics (a term coined by DuPont) an imitation leather are a group of synthetic ‘breathable’ leather substitutes made from plastic coating (usually polyurethane) on a fibrous base layer (typically polyester) Including Naugahyde, the fabric can be made of a natural or a synthetic fibre which is then covered with a soft PVC layer, which is a lighter, more flexible and less restrictive material than leather. This kind of material is easy to clean, requiring the owner to simply wipe it off occasionally with a cloth dipped in a solution of mild detergent and warm water.

1z Plastic Cleaner (Plastik-Reiniger) - an intensive, non-corrosive, non-acidic two-phase deep cleaner that removes grime build-up, scuff marks, bitumen (tar) and nicotine thoroughly and effortlessly with dust-resistant anti-static action. Safely cleans all clear and coloured automotive plastic interior fittings such as dash, trim, door panels, navigation/audio screens, steering wheel, and pedals. It leaves a long-lasting matt finish with fresh citrus scent. The perfect everyday cleaner for interior plastic surfaces, it’s a mild cleaner to prevent the drying of these porous surfaces, yet it is effective at removing body oils and grime on a regular basis.

Use to clean armrests, door handles, shift knobs, vinyl seats, pedals, dashboard, storage compartments, tires, rocker panels, wheel wells, and etc. Water-based formula is biodegradable, silicone and formalin-free as well as environmentally friendly.

Protection - even though this material is not real leather, it can definitely crack and distort, with Einszett 1z Cockpit Premium or 1z einszett Vinyl Rubber Care & Potectant "Tiefenpfleger” for use on clean or pre-cleaned vinyl or rubber, it provides a temperature-resistant seal and a low-shine matte finish Dust-resistant and retards the fading effects of UV rays to keep exterior ‘rubber’ and vinyl looking like new.

UV protection - is a sacrificial / renewable component; this is due to the UV protection layer being degraded by exposure to the elements so it is imperative that you renew it and needs to be re-applied on a regular basis (dependent upon location climatic condition)

Application - Spray 303 Space Protectant onto a clean 100% cotton micro fibre towel , agitate it well and then allow it to remain in place for 10-15 minutes. Finally using a clean 100% cotton micro fibre towel buff it ensure it permeates and to remove any residue

 

thanks.

 

Here at BMW of Austin, most of the Loaner Cars have the leatherette. I would agree with togwt, first clean then protect. We use an APC diluted to about 15:1 with a horse hair brush. The brush is soft enough not to damage, but firm and long enough to clean. We use SM Arnold brushes, but Swissvax and other companies have good brushes too. On our leather seats we use an actual leather cleaner for the cleaning step.
To condition the seats we use the Smart Leather from SmartWax. It is a great conditioner and makes the interior smell great. We have alot of complements with this conditioner.

We start with the drivers side and condition the seats counter clockwise. When finished conditioning we go back to the drivers side and use a clean microfiber to start blending the conditioner and picking up any excess.

We offer the leatherique system if the customer chooses.

 

So you guys use the same conditioner on your leather as you do your leatherette?

 

Absolutely, I would refrain from using any solvent based or water based dressings. Those dressings are not PH balanced or have to much silicone in them for leather or the interior surfaces. They also leave the leather or leatherette with an un-natural shine. When we sell the BMW brand new the leather and or leatherette has no shine to it. I actually have four different types of leather conditioners to choose from. We even have customers bring in their own products for us to use periodically. We have 1o detailers and are adding 11 and 12 this month. We have systems and procedures set to be more effective and efficient. I find this method to work the best for quality and speed

 

The silicone I'd agree with (just out of interest what is the pH of a solvent?), but would you explain how a water-based product leaves a shine (unless it has oils added, which defeats the object)

[So you guys use the same conditioner on your leather as you do your leatherette?]

Just my opinion but isn't Leatherequi an expensive conditioner to use on leatherette or a urathane finished leather

 

Leather dressing on urethane coated and "Leatherette" surfaces ......................pissing in the wind as they say.

 

I am refering to water-based dressings not water-based products. Lets use Meguiars Hyper Dressing for example. If used straight the consistancy of the product is very thick and leaves a very high shine and is very slick to touch. When cut with water 1:1 the shine is cut in half or close to half so would the slick feel. When I use the Hyper Dressing I cut it about 4:1. That leaves a nice satin finish and no oily feel. However, I never put this product or any type of dressing on leatherette, leather, or clothe seats to add. I only use leather products for leather and leatherette.

Your right, using the leatherique would be expensive. As long as the customer is paying for it, cost does not matter, The prestine clean could be used to clean the suface of the leatherette, but i would not use the conditioner.

 

I hope we are still talking about seats and not every surface in the interior.

 

So we are still talking about seats, and what to use to clean and protect. So would 303 fabric/vinyl cleaner work for cleaning and then 303 aerospace to protecting? Or would it be better to use Z1 cockpit for cleaning and protecting?

 

I was given the 1z Cockpit Premium to test and I think it would be a good choice for the Leatherette. It does not state any protection value though. The 303 products I have not used.

 

Iz Cockpit Premium – an interior protectant product developed specifically for that original matte-satin factory finish. This is a treatment spray for all interior components including the dash, finished leather and vinyl seats, door handles, trim, navigation screens, stereo head units, and clear plastic. It has very limited cleaning ability but it provides UV protection for interior materials.

303 Space Protectant -has zero cleaning ability but its ultra violet (UV) protection is second to none

 

so what would you recommend to use for cleaning prior to apply cockpit or 303?

 

303 Fabric/Vinyl Cleaner - the biodegradable formula removes oil, grease, dirt, coffee, tea, juice, wine, and pet stains from any water-safe fabric.

For stubborn dirt use 1z Plastic Cleaner (Plastik-Reiniger) - an intensive, non-corrosive, non-acidic two-phase deep cleaner that removes grime build-up, scuff marks, bitumen (tar) and nicotine thoroughly and effortlessly with dust-resistant anti-static action.

 

Thanks. I was thinking the 303 fabric/vinyl cleaner would be a good choice. Out of curiosity, are there any OTC cleaners that would be recommended?

 

What about megs QID? It's cheaper than 1z cockpit

 

303 protectant= overrated

 

how about meg's ultimate protectant?

 

While 1z cockpit is my all time favorite interior product, I have found Megs QID to be a good, comparable, OTC option with a similar matte sheen. Both are great and the Megs is readily available at local auto stores.