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View Full Version : How to Clean and Maintain my 2009 Mercedes ML550 Leather Interior…by TM



Roger Koh
07-09-2010, 03:31 PM
Have been reading your posts on various boards (autopia etc.). Very informative and readable, thank for all the time you put in. I have a new Mercedes ML with leather interior. I see you have a starter kit and would be interested in the price, or any products you would recommend to clean and maintain my daily driver. The car is a 2009 Mercedes ML550. Approx 25K miles and I’m the second owner. Love to hear what you recommend…by TM

#1 http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn4/Rogerkoh/IMG_0373-Mark.jpg

#2 http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn4/Rogerkoh/IMG_0374-Mark.jpg

#3 http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn4/Rogerkoh/IMG_0376-Mark.jpg

Roger Koh
07-10-2010, 01:17 AM
Cleaning suggest removing of foreign contamination from the leather finish.

Maintaining suggest keeping the leather structure supple by hand; finish buttery by tactile-feel; a classical leather scent that charms; and a high level of appearance at all times.

Leather interior; the word leather implies that the interior is luxury; to be enjoyed with freedom of mind without the worrying to be worth the trouble properly cleaning and maintaining it.

Thus it is wise to choose the cleaning and maintenance system right.

Nothing right than to use a leather-safe system; a leather-safe system will return the leather finish and the structure to the original pH value of the average healthy leather.

A healthy pH value of leather structure is between 3 and 5, the finish around 6.

The average leather structure is about 1mm in thickness; and this is where the suppleness and strength of leather lies; and it all point to the fatliquor, the life-blood of leathers; that are hydrogen-bonded to the protein fibers; that lubricate the fibril to enable it to slide one against another smoothly; will require periodic top-up just like our auto engine oil when it evaporates through heat or breaks bond through alkaline cleaning.

The finish is only in micron thickness; that comprises of the color coat and the topcoat; the finish for pigmented leathers are usually non-absorbent; while semi-aniline leathers maybe semi-absorbent on the higher-end; the topcoat protects the color coat; that are subject to constant dry or wet rubs that wears down; requires regular maintenance with a rub-resistance protector that will help reduce friction wear when sliding in and out of seats.

If the leather finish does not darken during solution cleaning than it is non-absorbent; structure maintaining is not required until micro cracks appears that will show-up dark when wet especially on the high stretched, compressed and flexed areas; driver seat left side is the first place to keep an eye on.

Perforated panels is treated as semi-aniline leathers; fatliquor evaporates through these perforated holes and structure-exposed-needle-holes as seen in picture #1; and best to hydrate and fatliquor while it is wet after rinsing.

Picture #2 may suggest soiled conditioner or protector that needs to be stripped to the original OEM finish.

Picture #3 may suggest unknown oil or grease based stain that needs to be stripped too.

It is good to start maintaining the leather from the original OEM finish by stripping all foreign contamination including aged conditioners or protectors with three step processes of Prep, Clean and Rinse for the finish; maintaining the leather structure with a two step process of hydrating and fatliquoring into the leather structure; removing all traces from the leather finish; when dry apply a non-stick, rub-resistance protector that reduces the wearing of the original OEM finish.

Continue a few periodic cleaning without the Prep step until the next restorative cleaning and the cleaning cycle repeats.

This recommended appearance management system will help to maintain the leather interior appearance level at a constantly high level; rather than the old fashion methods of cleaning it when it is too obvious.

The advantage of periodic solution cleaning; even just using the pH 3.0 rinse to check for darkening hairline cracks; will prevent the leather structure from cracking when it is hydrated and fatliquored after rinsing.

The leather care kit would include products to do the following:

1] Prep
2] Clean
3] Rinse
4] Hydrate
5] Fatliquor
6] Non-Stick, Rub-Resistance Protection

Roger Koh
Leather Doctor