Cleaning black Alcantara seats in '12 ISF
02-16-15, 12:42 PM
#2
Do you have pictures? Any idea what the stain might be based on it's looks? Does it have any odor that would indicate what it is?
I'm not familiar with the IS-F seats in particular, but if they are truly alcantera as you say... here is some good info on how to clean the material.
Alcantera Stain Removal
Alcantera Routine Maintenance
-Zach
I'm not familiar with the IS-F seats in particular, but if they are truly alcantera as you say... here is some good info on how to clean the material.
Alcantera Stain Removal
Alcantera Routine Maintenance
-Zach
03-23-15, 08:17 PM
#5
Update after using Sonax
After at least 10 separate applications (over several weeks) of Sonax Alcantara cleaner on my stain (which turned out to be worse than I initially thought), the results are very good. The stain is unnoticeable, and the Alcantara looks great. It took way longer than I thought it would to get this stain out, most likely because I started out very conservatively, using small amounts of the Sonax each time.
It appears that for any deep, potentially years old stain, one application of this cleaner will not do the job, which makes perfect sense. I highly recommend this stuff for anyone with a stain on their Alcantara seats. It works, and there is no adverse reaction to the material from repeated usage.
It appears that for any deep, potentially years old stain, one application of this cleaner will not do the job, which makes perfect sense. I highly recommend this stuff for anyone with a stain on their Alcantara seats. It works, and there is no adverse reaction to the material from repeated usage.
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03-25-15, 11:49 AM
#10
I haven't found anything specifically made to protect our Alcantara seats. So it's just a matter of cleaning anything that gets on your seats asap! My suggestion would be to buy some Sonax for cleaning Alcantara, and have it on hand just in case!
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ChpEng (04-20-20)
04-21-20, 12:03 AM
#11
update
I first learned about Sonax Upholstery and Alcantara Cleaner from this thread. I have successfully cleaned the seats and steering wheel in my 2011 ISF with it and would like to add a few comments...
Procedure I used:
1) Vacuum using brush and crevice attachments, making sure to clean the seams.
2) Spray Sonax foam directly on alcantara surfaces. Work one section (i.e. seat cushion or seat back) at a time and then quickly proceed to step 3.
3) Spread out foam and agitated using nylon brush. (Sonax sells a good brush.)
4) Let stand for 10 minutes.
5) Rub with damp cloth.
6) Let dry overnight (I left windows open to speed the process). Then brush and vacuum again.
I noticed a few dark-colored globs and enough dirt to change the color of my cloth while rubbing at step 5. Then I noticed a ton more globs after brushing at step 6. At first I freaked, thinking the Sonax might have eaten away bits of the fabric. But upon examination, it appears these globs were grime coagulated by the Sonax and released by brushiing. For seats as dirty as mine, I highly recommend vacuuming during/after brushing, otherwise all these grime globs will just end up on the floor mats or carpeting.
Next time, I might try applying Sonax to the seats (step 2 above) with a sponge rather than spraying directly. I think it might be more uniform this way and easier to work into the fabric. Spraying directly results in a bit of a race to spread out the foam before it soaks non-uniformly into the fabric.
General notes:
1) Sonax has a medium-strength odor when wet, but it dissipates after drying, especially after globs are vacuumed up in step 6 above. I am sensitive to solvent odors, so this was quite a relief. Sonax also seems to have a deodorizing effect - there were some faint food-related odors in the car that I cannot smell after cleaning.
2) One 250ml Sonax bottle was sufficient to treat the steering wheel and all four seats and their headrests. For a stubborn spot on one seat cushion, I repeated treatment twice on the same bottle. It seemed to get better with each treatment.
3) Alcantara looks better after being brushed in one consistent direction. I found that the seat cushions and seat backs look better when brushed horizontally, i.e. from one side of the car to the other.
Helpful links:
Quick video orientation to product and technique:
Sonax product page:
https://www.sonaxusa.com/upholstery-...a-cleaner.html
Alcantara maintenance page:
https://www.alcantara.com/en/manteinance/37/index.do
Procedure I used:
1) Vacuum using brush and crevice attachments, making sure to clean the seams.
2) Spray Sonax foam directly on alcantara surfaces. Work one section (i.e. seat cushion or seat back) at a time and then quickly proceed to step 3.
3) Spread out foam and agitated using nylon brush. (Sonax sells a good brush.)
4) Let stand for 10 minutes.
5) Rub with damp cloth.
6) Let dry overnight (I left windows open to speed the process). Then brush and vacuum again.
I noticed a few dark-colored globs and enough dirt to change the color of my cloth while rubbing at step 5. Then I noticed a ton more globs after brushing at step 6. At first I freaked, thinking the Sonax might have eaten away bits of the fabric. But upon examination, it appears these globs were grime coagulated by the Sonax and released by brushiing. For seats as dirty as mine, I highly recommend vacuuming during/after brushing, otherwise all these grime globs will just end up on the floor mats or carpeting.
Next time, I might try applying Sonax to the seats (step 2 above) with a sponge rather than spraying directly. I think it might be more uniform this way and easier to work into the fabric. Spraying directly results in a bit of a race to spread out the foam before it soaks non-uniformly into the fabric.
General notes:
1) Sonax has a medium-strength odor when wet, but it dissipates after drying, especially after globs are vacuumed up in step 6 above. I am sensitive to solvent odors, so this was quite a relief. Sonax also seems to have a deodorizing effect - there were some faint food-related odors in the car that I cannot smell after cleaning.
2) One 250ml Sonax bottle was sufficient to treat the steering wheel and all four seats and their headrests. For a stubborn spot on one seat cushion, I repeated treatment twice on the same bottle. It seemed to get better with each treatment.
3) Alcantara looks better after being brushed in one consistent direction. I found that the seat cushions and seat backs look better when brushed horizontally, i.e. from one side of the car to the other.
Helpful links:
Quick video orientation to product and technique:
https://www.sonaxusa.com/upholstery-...a-cleaner.html
Alcantara maintenance page:
https://www.alcantara.com/en/manteinance/37/index.do
Last edited by ChpEng; 04-21-20 at 12:06 AM. Reason: added note on deodorizing effect
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