Black Marks on Tan Leather

Can someone please help me? I have a brand new 2006 Eddie Bauer Explorer with tan leather seats. I drove somewhere with a black leather belt on. The belt transferred black streaks across the back of the seat. I tried scrubbing the marks with a clean cloth with Lexol leather cleaner without success. Does anyone have any advice on how to eliminate the black marks? Please help.

Lexol's soap is the only Lexol leather cleaner I am familiar with. I've found it is mild and sudsy and doesn't clean very well.

www.griotsgarage.com Interior Cleaner is specified for leather and does a good job for me. It seems gentle enough.

Awesome All Purpose Cleaner, sold in dollar stores, is labeled for use on leather in diluted form. Consider it a more powerful option.

Ford Triple-Clean works well on leather but is also powerful enough to concern me. Ford says it is safe on leather and that's what is most important to me.

Doug

" Never eat at a restaurant called 'Mama's'. "

You might try the search feature. I recall someone endorsing the Mr. Clean Eraser for removing stains from leather.

Doug

This type of leather most likely has a clearcoat finish over the color, so it is important to be very careful. Sometimes I like to use a well used, VERY FINE, scotch brite pad with a cleaner that is made for cleaning leather, but if you do try this do it in an inconspicuous place first. Do not rub hard! very gentle is better. If the marks won't budge, leave it alone!, it may be the marks are set in the material and the area may have to be lightly sanded and re-sprayed to match the color by a professional.



Detailing, An Art In Motion!

I second the use of the Mr. Clean Eraser, in conjunction with an all purpose cleaner...

Jim



If it was easy, everybody'd be doing it!

As has been indicated, Lexol cleaner is formulated to clean off light surface dirt, not heavy marks as you are experiencing.

Keep in mind that automotive leather is what is called analine leather, but unlike most analine leathers, the color does not go through the entire hide as in shoes or clothing.

What is used in automotive vehicles is what is called, "protected leather," that is, analine leather that has been first "painted" (they call it dye, but in reality the color is painted on the surface) and then it is coated, as Stephen says, with a clear coating to protect the color.

When cleaning this surface you must be careful not to remove the coating nor the color and certain chemicals and too abrasive a tool can do just that.

I think you can safey use an all purpose cleaner such as Fantastic or 409 with a teflon-net covered sponge to provide some abrasiveness to help remove the marks. Keep in mind you might need to dab some chemical on the spots to all it to dwell and breakdown the marks before scrubbing.

Of course, be sure to apply some chemical into the sponge too.

Let us know what worked for you.

Regards
Bud Abraham



buda

I doubt you will be able to remove the mark from the seat.

Unfortunately this happens a lot in many vehicles today where leather coats, belts and denim dyes are transferred permanently dyeing the seat.

Did the belt's color penetrate the coating or just transfer coat the surface, like transfer paint on a car from another car?



Take care,

Brian
Precision Auto & Marine

Learn to detail boats! Visit www.detailtheboat.com

I agree, it may be very difficult to remove the marks once they have transfered to the seat.

Once the marks have transfered from items such as; leather coats, belts and denim dyes they are almost impossible to remove. It must have something to do with the dye that is being transfered. The worst case appears to be when dark leather dyes transfer over to light colored leather seats.



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Brian,

In the cases I have seen it is usually that the dye has actually penetrated the coating. When that happens, it is almost a sure sign that the marks are not going to be easily removed.



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If, in fact, you cannot remove the black marks then I suggest you contact a person in your area that does vinyl/leather repair and dyeing. In a few minutes they can recolor the area and it will look as good as new.

Regards
Bud Abraham



buda

I could almost bet that the stain will fade away in time. Same thing happened to me working on a boat.

See link below:
[www.web-cars.com]



Take care,

Brian
Precision Auto & Marine

Learn to detail boats! Visit www.detailtheboat.com

Brian:
Marine narlex / vinyl by design fade out stains with the help of direct sun light / UV rays and then being amped by the windshield SHZAM!! the stain is gone not over night of coarse but over time. I Learned this from a boat upholster in the early 90s when I was having problems with cheap sun block yellowing the seats in customer boats, leave the cover off in the bright sunlight and by the end of the day the yellowing was gone, but put the cover back on and the stain would come each time a little fanter and over time it would disappear.
Leather on the other hand will not do the same the whole seat will fade and the stain may lighten but the best way is to recolor the seat.

Randy Lowe
Custom Detail
Salem, Or.

Brian:

The stain will not fade with time...the dye from the belt has penetrated the top coat and has in fact dyed that area.

The seat can be recolored but the same problem might occur again when the belt comes in contact with the leather.

As the great comedian said in one of his skits:

"Doctor I broke my leg in two places, what should I do?"

Answer: "Avoid those places!!"

If the black belt will cause the same problem, then, "don't wear the belt."

Regards
Bud Abraham



buda

Sounds like the man who kept falling down the same hole on the same street, until he discovered all he had to do was just take a different street.



Detailing, An Art In Motion!

As the "doctor it hurts when I bend my elbow, what should I do?"

Doctor: Don't bend your elbow.

Again, "don't wear the belt.

Bud AStephen Britz wrote:

> Sounds like the man who kept falling down the same hole on the
> same street, until he discovered all he had to do was just take
> a different street.
>



buda

I have had SOME luck with woolite and cold water mix 2cap:1gal then a with tanners leather conditioner found at WAL-MART believe it or not.