Stained black int leather! What to do?

[BMW05]

I got my windows tinted over the weekend, I still cant put my windows down. Anyways, they needed to remove the old tint first so they used some solution/adhesive and it dripped all over my door panels/rear seats. It looks like a drippy mess all along the top of door/bottom of window. I was in such a hurry to leave, I took it all messy and the guy told me water would take it right off. I wiped it down with a wet rag, woke up this morning and all the drippy/sticky adhesive is still there!!!! Im sooo :mad:, any suggestions? I have a black leather interior and that solution has dried up white! Looks horrible! Help me out felllow bimmerheads!:)

[edgar620]

Whenever i took mine to get tinted the solution was everywhere but i cleaned it right away and it came off just fine with no stains. Get some leather cleaner and start scrubbing. It will come off but you probably shouldn't have waited.

[dboy11]

Very soft bristle brush with Woolite and water mixture...I use it 10 parts water to 1 part Woolite...that should be a good starting point...if you still have some left then move on to an all purpose cleaner, like 409 mix that the same way as the Woolite, but spray that onto a towel, them wipe the area in questioned...If you are still stained then some thing like Xient by Stoners would be a choice but lets see how the two I have laid out work to start

[BMW05]

Thanks Edgar,
I will try a quality leather cleaner. . . any suggestions on which one? Any goood solutions/cleaner to help remove that adhesive?

[BMW05]

Very soft bristle brush with Woolite and water mixture...I use it 10 parts water to 1 part Woolite...that should be a good starting point...if you still have some left then move on to an all purpose cleaner, like 409 mix that the same way as the Woolite, but spray that onto a towel, them wipe the area in questioned...If you are still stained then some thing like Xient by Stoners would be a choice but lets see how the two I have laid out work to start

Woolite huh? Iguess thats made for very delicate material, and wont be so abrasive. I will stop by store and pick some up. I just hope it doesnt set in by the time i get to actually scrub-it. Keep the ideas coming. . .

[dboy11]

Woolite huh? Iguess thats made for very delicate material, and wont be so abrasive. I will stop by store and pick some up. I just hope it doesnt set in by the time i get to actually scrub-it. Keep the ideas coming. . .

Woolite is very mild as a cleaner you can spray that on the leather and door panels it will not harm anything...let it dwell for a minute or so, that should lift what you have...if not then the cutting power of the APC mixed with water should

[DetailDan]

Do not use Woolite on leather. Keep it in the laundry room. Get some Leather Masters from Phil @ Detailers Domain.

[dboy11]

Do not use Woolite on leather. Keep it in the laundry room. Get some Leather Masters from Phil @ Detailers Domain.

I really don't understand your reasoning about not using Woolite?

Its a very mild cleaner that will bring no harm to the leather or door panels.

My suggestion was based on the fact that he needs a solution today. A good leather cleaner from Phil would be the best solution but he has stains that could be setting up on the car and in time would not come out.

[DetailDan]

Sorry, I had just posted it in another thread and didnt feel like typing it again. Heres why, Woolite is a detergent which should be completely rinsed out. In order to rinse it out completely, you'll have to use water. Too much moisture in leather is not good for it. When you dont completely rinse out the Woolite, it will attract more dirt and dry the leather out. Same goes for carpet.

I guess if he doesnt have anything else, then Woolite is the only way to go. But for future reference, it doesnt have a place in detailing. Using Woolite on leather is kind of like the whole washing your car with Dawn theory.

[dboy11]

Sorry, I had just posted it in another thread and didnt feel like typing it again. Heres why, Woolite is a detergent which should be completely rinsed out. In order to rinse it out completely, you'll have to use water. Too much moisture in leather is not good for it. When you dont completely rinse out the Woolite, it will attract more dirt and dry the leather out. Same goes for carpet.

I agree with getting leather to wet and soap residue, if you are soaking the leather with a lot of water and soap..Saddle soap is a detergent based product and for years was the good to product for cleaning leather...and that was non-clear coated like today leather is.

The dilution of the Woolite is very mild that coupled with the agitation of the brush is what will lift the stains...there is very little if any soap residue left over...at least in the times that I have used it I've not seen evidence of this....also that amount of water on the surface for the short period of time is not hurting the leather...its clear coated so its not really going into the leather per-say

My suggestion was based off of his immediate need for a solution..

[stream]

Try Lexol leather cleaner--it's sold at most auto parts stores, and I've even seen it at local hardware stores. Follow with Lexol conditioner.

[dboy11]

Try Lexol leather cleaner--it's sold at most auto parts stores, and I've even seen it at local hardware stores. Follow with Lexol conditioner.

One I didn't think of and an excellent choice

[edgar620]

Thanks Edgar,
I will try a quality leather cleaner. . . any suggestions on which one? Any goood solutions/cleaner to help remove that adhesive?

To remove the adhesive I would use a mild detergent that is safe on leather and not get the leather too wet.

After it dries and is clean use Lexol cleaner followed by the conditioner. It is kind of expensive but works really good. I just cleaned mine off with lexol as soon as I took the car home and it worked just fine. I'm not sure how bad yours is but if lexol alone doesn't clean it use the mild soap. Start by just using lexol to see if it will take it off.

[BMW05]

To remove the adhesive I would use a mild detergent that is safe on leather and not get the leather too wet.

After it dries and is clean use Lexol cleaner followed by the conditioner. It is kind of expensive but works really good. I just cleaned mine off with lexol as soon as I took the car home and it worked just fine. I'm not sure how bad yours is but if lexol alone doesn't clean it use the mild soap. Start by just using lexol to see if it will take it off.

I went and got the Lexol cleaner. your right $10 is steep! I just hope this stuff can get it out. I cant quite work on it now, I will on my lunch break. I will keep you posted on the results!

[BMW05]

OK Guys,
I tried to scrub using the Lenox and the stains are only fading. . . not completely gone. Should I wait and re do every other day until gone? I dont want to fade the black leather from scrubbing to hard. Has anyone ever touched up their interior using a leather paint? These drips look soo ugly on blaxk leather and they are not going away! Any suggestions on what I should do next will be appreciated!

[BMW05]

:(

[dboy11]

OK Guys,
I tried to scrub using the Lenox and the stains are only fading. . . not completely gone. Should I wait and re do every other day until gone? I dont want to fade the black leather from scrubbing to hard. Has anyone ever touched up their interior using a leather paint? These drips look soo ugly on blaxk leather and they are not going away! Any suggestions on what I should do next will be appreciated!

I would call the place that you had the work done at and find out what they are using to clean up this...I'm hoping at this point that they stains have no setup in the leather...If the Lexol didn't work the Woolite will not either...something that might be a suggestion is try using some all purpose cleaner on it area....start with a small amount on a rag and work just on one of the spots...try and find one that is out of eye contact if you can.....the only concern here is the leather is top coated so you want to go very carefully to make sure that you are not lifting the color...I'm more interested now in what is on the leather now...I now there is a solution but ask the shop what it is so that I can make a more educated estimate as to what will work, or they can

[edgar620]

Do not use leather paint!

You will not fade the seats from cleaning them with lexol. Try using a mild soap. After using the soap use the lexol again. I would use the soap to really clean the leather good before using lexol on it agian. If the lexol didn't take it off your just going to waste it by using it to try to clean it off. Clean it with soap and then use the lexol at the end once it is clean.