# Artico leather seats?



## Wash'n'Go

Afternoon all, I have a customer that has just purchased a new Mercedes with artico seats, she has requested that I use a paint protection and also scotchguard the seats and carpets. 

My question is would I be able to use Autoglym lifeshine's upholstery protector on these seats, it say's it is suitable for leather and fabric but no mention of artico?

Thanks in advance
Jonathan


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## judyb

Not heard of artico. Could she mean alcantara? if so use a fabric protector not a leather one. If you are using a leather protector make sure it is one that actually does protect the leather as many don't and she will want one that does its job!!


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## Wash'n'Go

Yeah I've never heard of artico either must be unique to Mercedes possibly? It's not alcantara as I've seen them, it looks like leather.

Judy did I read somewhere on a previous leather thread that you do some free leather courses or advice at your office in Harrogate? 

Thanks
Jonathan


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## SteveOC

From here :

http://www2.mercedes-benz.co.uk/con.../b_class/models1/optional_equipment.0006.html

Artico is a man-made leather substitute.

Some folk say it is much coarser grained than leather - others liken it to vinyl - I've never seen it myself.

Steve O.


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## judyb

Yes Jonathan we are running free leather courses. They will be on our website shortly although we have had an incredible response. Send me a message if you want more details. 
A leather protector should protect the finish on vinyl/man made leather (!) as it does on leather.


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## Wash'n'Go

Thanks Judy for your reply.

I'll PM you tomorrow just off to bed now.

Thanks
Jonathan


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## Wash'n'Go

Thanks Steve O for the link. Much appreciated.


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## racquel

Care Guides 

CARING FOR YOUR LEATHER 
Cleaning and nourishing your leather goods is a must if you want to maintain a quality look for many years. To get the most out of the Living Leather product range please read the whole of this guide before starting to clean or condition - there are some important do's and don'ts towards the end!


Caring for your leather should be a two stage process:



1. Cleaning: Living Leather Cleaners are carefully formulated to gently, but effectively remove dirt and grease, which could over time break down the protective finish applied to the leather. Cleaning in isolation however can also take away the natural oils inherent in the leather, so conditioning is an essential part of the maintenance process.



2. Conditioning: Living Leather Conditioners nourish and replenish surfaces to maintain softness and improve flexibility and suppleness, helping to prevent cracks and dryness. They also produce a protective barrier which can help to extend the life of your purchase and make future cleaning easier. In addition, Living Leather Conditioners contain an ultra violet absorbing compound to help reduce the effects of strong sunlight on leather finishes.


Which Living Leather cleaning and conditioning products should I use?
The type of cleaning and conditioning product recommended will depend on the type of leather finish used in the manufacture of your product. We recommend that you check the manufacturer's information to determine from which type of leather your product is made. See the guidelines below if you are unsure.



Living Leather's Exclusive Aniline Leather Cleaner and Conditioner are specially formulated for aniline leather, which has a porous finish and wears to a distressed look.



Living Leather's Exclusive Leather Cleaner and Conditioner are formulated for use on leathers which have had some sort of protective coating or sealant applied to increase their durability eg. full grain leather, corrected grain leather, split or bi-cast leather. (See below for fuller descriptions of leather finishes)


How can I work out what type of leather I am cleaning if there aren't any clear indications on the product?
There are a huge number of processes used to achieve the many different finishes for todays leather goods market and it can seem a little daunting to try to determine which category your product falls into. Don't panic! Our guidelines below will help you determine what kind of leather you have. 



Aniline Leather can only be produced from the highest quality hides. Produced from the full thickness of the skin, aniline leather has a porous finish and wears to a distressed appearance.



Colour is produced by the introduction of a dye through the thickness of the hide, not by the application of a surface coating. Aniline leather is used in the manufacture of top quality clothing and furniture.



How to identify: It does not have a nap like suede, can be marked if scratched lightly with a fingernail and will absorb water or liquid easily. 

Use Living Leather's Aniline Leather Cleaner and Conditioner.



Semi-Aniline Leather is produced in a similar way to full aniline leather, but has a light protective coating applied. This increases durability and makes the finish easier to care for. 

How to identify: It can be marked by scratching it lightly with a fingernail, but will not absorb water or liquid easily.

Use Living Leather's Aniline Leather Cleaner and Conditioner.



Protected Leathers

The following leather types have a protective coating. They will not be marked if you scratch them lightly with a fingernail and will not absorb water or liquid easily. They can therefore be cleaned safely with more powerful cleaning products:



Full Grain Leather retains the natural appearance of the hide but has a flexible, hardwearing sealer coat. This is a very practical material often used for furniture coverings.

Use Living Leather's Exclusive Leather Cleaner and Conditioner.



Corrected Grain Leather is produced by sanding off the natural finish on the outside of the skin and replacing it with a synthetic coating that may include a simulated grain pattern. This process allows lower quality hides to be used and produces a very consistent finish which is easy to care for.

Use Living Leather's Exclusive Leather Cleaner and Conditioner.



Split or Bi-Cast Leather is produced by separating layers from a hide. The exposed surface is sanded, grained and coated to produce a durable finish. The quality of this type of leather is extremely variable.

Use Living Leather's Exclusive Leather Cleaner and Conditioner.


WARNING:
Nubuck and Suede have varying degrees of surface nap that make them extremely porous and difficult to clean and care for. We do not recommend any of the Living Leather product range for cleaning and nourishing nubuck and suede, or any other highly absorbent skins.


LEATHER TREATMENT DO'S AND DON'TS:
DO always use a professional quality product, that is designed for the type of leather you have. If you are unsure of the type of leather, aniline cleaner and conditioner is the safest product to use, suitable for all leather types. 
DO always follow the manufacturer's instructions carefully. 
DO always test a hidden area first for colourfastness, on each and every cleaning occasion. Discontinue use if there is significant colour release. 
DO always apply cleaners gently to avoid damaging the leather surface. 
DO clean leather regularly to avoid any build-up of dirt that may become difficult or impossible to remove. 
DO use a professional clothing dye remover to remove any dye transfer (eg from clothing or newsprint), as soon as possible to improve the success rate of removal. 
DO use a conditioner to enhance and preserve leather after cleaning. 
DO use a good quality, clean cloth or sponge applicator to apply cleaning products and conditioners. 
DON'T use baby wipes, general household cleaners or abrasive products on leather as they may damage or remove the finish. 
DON'T rub hard when cleaning a leather surface as it may cause damage. 
DON'T forget that animal skins and dyes used in manufacture of leather goods cannot always be guaranteed to be of high quality and do not necessarily reflect the price paid.

WARNING:
Leather is a variable product of natural origin with many different types and qualities in use. Always follow the guidelines for safe cleaning. A small amount of colour release is normal with some aniline leathers and from worn areas of coated leathers. Always stop cleaning if significant colour loss is seen or damage may result. Some leathers may darken slighlty on cleaning or conditioning, but the colour will return to normal when the product dries fully.



This information is intended as general guidance for the cleaning and care of leather articles and is given in good faith. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, no liability can be accepted for loss or damage as a result of its use. The variation in quality, colouring methods, processing and manufacturing of leathers is so wide that the generalisations given above may not always apply to a particular type of leather.


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## judyb

Natural oils are not removed from the leather during cleaning or by heat, what is lost is the moisture content. The use of 'condiioners' to replace oils is not necessary and can be detrimental to finished leathers.

Use water based cleaners and protectors which will rehydrate the leather (the only conditioning it needs). The protector will inhibit oils and dirt from being absorbed into the leather finish and doing long term damage. It will also inhibit the build up of dye transfer and make it much easier to clean off.

Caring for leather does not need to be a 2 stage process although an annual deep or professional clean is recommended. Maintenance cleaning can be done using the latest researched product which is a cleaner/protector in one. Using this on a regular basis has proved very effective in the care of both aniline and pigmented leathers.

You will not get the same cleaning results on aniline leather as you will on pigmented although they do lend themselves to restoration which is very easy to do and the results are fantastic.
Aniline leathers are rarely found in cars as all auto leather is finished in some way. The use of the term semi aniline is very misleading as it is used to describe things that don't fit anywhere else and it is often misused to add to the sale.

Although bicast is produced from a split a split leather on furniture is a very different product to bicast. It is crucial to protect bicast as body oils will destroy the finsih on bicast in a short period of time if allowed to build up. A conditioner in this case would be detrimental to the finish.

The debate about removing natural oils rumbles on but we have verified the facts with tanners and leather scientists and they all confirm that in todays modern leathers the sophisticated process that are used do not allow this to happen and what does cause dried out leather is the lack of moisture. We have just tested this theory on a very dried out aniline leather that we have redyed. It was extremely dry but by spraying the reverse of the leather with water which allowed it to be absorbed much quicker the leather softened up again in about 10 minutes. No oils or waxes were introduced.

Water is the essential ingredient and cleaners and protectors should not contain oils, waxes or silicones as these will build up on the surface and allow dirt and oils to accumulate which will damage the finish.

Hope this helps
Regards
Judy


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## HappyMe

What about Nappa leather, that is what i have in my VW car, it is very smooth.

What is best for that, I have been using separate Megs leather cleaner and then conditioner.

Any advice would be great...


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## judyb

Nappa leather in strict terms means that it is unfinished, but as this type of leather is not used in cars it probably means that it is a 'full grain' leather rather than a 'top grain' which makes it good quality and soft feeling.
Water based cleaner such as LTT Leather Shampoo is fine (if it is a light colour we recommend you use the strong version) followed by Leather Protect, we recommend you do this first and then you can use Lazy Leather as an on going maintenance product which is very quick and will keep your leather clean and build up the protection each time.

Keeping your leather clean is the key to making it last in good condition so a regular surface clean with an annual deep clean is the best formula.


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## HappyMe

judyb said:


> Nappa leather in strict terms means that it is unfinished, but as this type of leather is not used in cars it probably means that it is a 'full grain' leather rather than a 'top grain' which makes it good quality and soft feeling.
> Water based cleaner such as LTT Leather Shampoo is fine (if it is a light colour we recommend you use the strong version) followed by Leather Protect, we recommend you do this first and then you can use Lazy Leather as an on going maintenance product which is very quick and will keep your leather clean and build up the protection each time.
> 
> Keeping your leather clean is the key to making it last in good condition so a regular surface clean with an annual deep clean is the best formula.


Thanks for that, any idea where to get the products you mentioned, I couldn't find them when i searched?


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