How to clean food/beer off the seat?

[zinomori]

I am new here and looking forward to take advantage of the expertise on this board. A friend of mine spilled some beer and Mexican food on my 135i leather seat. I tried a cleaner to clean the leather seat, but had no success. Can anyone recommend me a good product and technique to clean food/beer off the seat. I don't want to use anything that can cause any damage. Any recommendation based on personal experience will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks..

[truane]

Yep! Get a new friend!

[Jean-Claude]

Are the seats perforated?

[pinmagic]

Whatever you end up using, test it on an inconspicuous spot first.

[CoralRed]

I ONLY put saddle soap on my leather.

[Jean-Claude]

Originally Posted by CoralRed

I ONLY put saddle soap on my leather.

Saddle soap was designed for untreated leather. It was not designed for coated leathers that are in modern cars. If you want a quality leather treatment, check out leatherique or Connolly.

[Yvette]

Ask or pm one of the detail professionals on the board.

[vanbmw]

I use Lexol leather cleaner and conditioner. You first use the cleaner and a damp rag to scrub the seats clean. Then you wipe them totally dry with a terry towel. Then you give the seats a good coat of the conditioner. Let it dry and buff it. I have always had good luck with my leather.

[Jean-Claude]

Originally Posted by e90sexion

Ask or pm one of the detail professionals on the board.

I'm trying to help him if he'd tell me about the perforation.

[Bimmer-Bob]

Open container? Hmmm...

[BrokenVert]

Originally Posted by CoralRed

I ONLY put saddle soap on my leather.

Saddle soap is the best.

[Jean-Claude]

For the saddle soap lovers:
http://classic-motoring.stores.yahoo...tmytofsad.html

[BrokenVert]

Originally Posted by Jean-Claude

For the saddle soap lovers:
http://classic-motoring.stores.yahoo...tmytofsad.html

You can debunk things all you want but I have many old cars that have only been treated with saddle soap and they look almost new after 10-20 years with hundred of thousands of miles of jeans and other pants rubbing into them.

[Jean-Claude]

It's not that you can't use saddle soap. It's that it's not the ideal product for modern leathers. It was designed for raw saddle leather. Not treated automotive leathers. Further, most 1-series do not have real leather, they have synthetic fabric designed to feel like leather. In most cases, warm water with a mild soap on these types of surfaces is more than enough to clean. Conditioning can be done with a UV protectant like 1z Einszett Vinyl and Rubber Care.

I am not trying to debunk anything. This is a fact: saddle soap is not ideal for modern automotive leathers. What's ideal is using a product that is designed and formulated for modern coated automotive leathers and not raw leather horse saddles.

Originally Posted by BrokenVert

You can debunk things all you want but I have many old cars that have only been treated with saddle soap and they look almost new after 10-20 years with hundred of thousands of miles of jeans and other pants rubbing into them.

[Jean-Claude]

More on saddle soap.

http://www.autogeek.net/nosasopl.html

[Greg@DetailedImage]

I would recommend a strong cleaner and conditioner combination like the Leatherique Prestine Clean and the Leatherique Rejuvenator Oil. It's my go to combination for tough stains. If the stains persist I then sometimes use a stronger cleaner like the P21S Total Auto Wash and 303 Cleaner & Spot Remover. After using these types of cleaners I recommend conditioning those same areas as well. If you have any questions please let me know.

Greg @ DI

[TOGWT]

Originally Posted by Jean-Claude

Saddle soap was designed for untreated leather. It was not designed for coated leathers that are in modern cars. If you want a quality leather treatment, check out leatherique or Connolly.

All the products you've mentioned are formulatd for unfinished (uncoated) leather

Try cleaning it using Iz einszett 'Plastik-Reiniger' an intensive, non-corrosive, non-acidic two-phase deep cleaner for urathane covered upholstery and vinyl trim, that removes grime build-up thoroughly and effortlessly, these chemicals restore your vinyl’s original texture and resiliency; use to clean all coloured and clear water-based acrylic polyurethane covered automotive upholstery; this product is biodegradable, formalin-free and environmentally friendly.

[Jean-Claude]

I read where Moe(iirc) had emailed leatherique directly and they told him that leatherique could be used on coated and non-coated leathers. Maybe I misheard. I emailed them a short while ago asking them myself. I respect your knowledge Jon and I'd definitely like to get to the bottom of it.

[TOGWT]

Originally Posted by Jean-Claude

I read where Moe(iirc) had emailed leatherique directly and they told him that leatherique could be used on coated and non-coated leathers. Maybe I misheard. I emailed them a short while ago asking them myself. I respect your knowledge Jon and I'd definitely like to get to the bottom of it.

Commercialism brings with it concerns of honesty and true representation. In other words, it’s difficult to know what is true when someone is motivated by income, i.e. directly targeted at product sales, more so than an unbiased opinion.

See also leather articles The Art & Science of Detailing - http://togwt1980.blogspot.com

[Jean-Claude]

Originally Posted by TOGWT

Commercialism brings with it concerns of honesty and true representation. In other words, it’s difficult to know what is true when someone is motivated by income, i.e. directly targeted at product sales, more so than an unbiased opinion.

See also leather articles The Art & Science of Detailing - http://togwt1980.blogspot.com

What is it about leatherique that would make it bad for coated leather? You had suggested a 1z vinyl cleaner(which I love myself), but I know leatherique's pristine clean is also suggested by leatherique for cleaning vinyl surfaces(per the label, iirc). I can't speak of the conditioner on coated leathers and I have emailed them to get an answer from the horses mouth.

I do agree that when profit motive is involved some individuals and companies may choose to give ill advice. But I know a lot of companies that do not too. Just because they have profit motive does not mean they will say whatever they have to just to make a sale. That's bad long-term business practice and most people know that. Until there's proof that someone will give that profit based advice, it's not fair to say they would. I understand that you have said that they do this. But leatherique has not built a track record of giving bad advice as far as I have heard.

[TOGWT]

Always keep an open mind and I would also strongly suggest that you verify any information that I or anyone else shares with you. No one is trying to persuade you to use anything you don’t want to if you found something that works for you use it.

I’m only offering advice on what the manufacture claims for their product and what the contained chemicals are capable of. In the final analysis; it’s your vehicle, your hard earned money and ultimately - your choice

[Jean-Claude]

Originally Posted by TOGWT

Always keep an open mind and I would also strongly suggest that you verify any information that I or anyone else shares with you. No one is trying to persuade you to use anything you don’t want to if you found something that works for you use it.

I’m only offering advice on what the manufacture claims for their product and what the contained chemicals are capable of. In the final analysis; it’s your vehicle, your hard earned money and ultimately - your choice

Good advice. There are very few absolutes in life and sometimes the right answer is the one no one else agrees with.