BMW Garage BMW Meets Register Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read
      05-01-2021, 01:13 PM   #1
Opie55
Colonel
1176
Rep
2,895
Posts

Drives: '15 650i Convertible
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: US

iTrader: (0)

Pics of my first experiment with Pears soap

Based on a thread yesterday, I bought some Pears soap. Costs $5 for three bars, which would be about what is needed to clean the leather on every car in a city of one million people.

For this I used a 1" chip brush with the bristles cut to about half their original length. I use modified chip brushes for all car cleaning tasks. They are flat, natural bristle brushes with bare wood handles that you can buy for about $1 in the paint section at places like Home Depot. They look like cheap paint brushes. Still not sure what they are actually for, but I've used dozens of them.

I taped off a section of my typical shiny steering wheel, dipped the brush in warm water, rubbed it a bit on the bar of soap and gently agitated the wheel section for a minute. Then I used a towel scrap soaked in warm water to wipe the soap residue off and gently dried it with another towel scrap. Even with the taping this was a 2-minute process. There will be a prize for anybody who can detect which section of the wheel was cleaned in the before and after pics below.

Then I taped off a small square on the seat bottom of the driver's seat. The shadows make the seat look dirty, but it's not. It just had a slight darkening that no regular leather cleaner would touch. You can clearly see the square.
Attached Images
   

Last edited by Opie55; 05-01-2021 at 01:21 PM..
Appreciate 0
      05-01-2021, 02:24 PM   #2
thebmw
Post Advisor
thebmw's Avatar
1619
Rep
1,689
Posts

Drives: More Manuals than Automatics
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Illinois

iTrader: (10)

The section of the steering wheel that was cleaned is between 10 and 12. What prize do I win?
Appreciate 0
      05-01-2021, 03:19 PM   #3
Opie55
Colonel
1176
Rep
2,895
Posts

Drives: '15 650i Convertible
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: US

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by thebmw View Post
The section of the steering wheel that was cleaned is between 10 and 12. What prize do I win?
You win an all-expenses-paid (by you) trip to come see it in person.
Appreciate 0
      05-01-2021, 03:25 PM   #4
MMMM6GC
First Lieutenant
275
Rep
333
Posts

Drives: M6 GC
Join Date: Nov 2019
Location: USA

iTrader: (4)

Good work! Just to add from my experience cleaning leather - a lot of the shininess is from skin oils and dirt building up. Any good leather safe cleaner (agitate, wipe dirt off, repeat) will remove the shininess.
After that though, it's important to care for the leather (leather protectors, conditioners etc) as that's what will maintain the finish.

Eventually - naturally from use - it will become shiny again. @OP you should see how long this finish lasts to give you a complete picture of the effectiveness of Pears. Looks great!
Appreciate 0
      05-01-2021, 03:32 PM   #5
Opie55
Colonel
1176
Rep
2,895
Posts

Drives: '15 650i Convertible
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: US

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by MMMM6GC View Post
Good work! Just to add from my experience cleaning leather - a lot of the shininess is from skin oils and dirt building up. Any good leather safe cleaner (agitate, wipe dirt off, repeat) will remove the shininess.
After that though, it's important to care for the leather (leather protectors, conditioners etc) as that's what will maintain the finish.

Eventually - naturally from use - it will become shiny again. @OP you should see how long this finish lasts to give you a complete picture of the effectiveness of Pears. Looks great!
Yes, I have also removed the shininess with other leather cleaners. Lexol won't really do it very well, but Blue Magic does. However, this feels distinctly different. With Blue Magic it starts to get its shine back fairly quickly, even where I do not touch the wheel. I think it's a far more superficial cleaning. But this actually squeaked a bit while wiping it off and has that drier feel of a new wheel. I will report back on the longevity vs. other products I've used.
Appreciate 0
      05-01-2021, 04:39 PM   #6
thebmw
Post Advisor
thebmw's Avatar
1619
Rep
1,689
Posts

Drives: More Manuals than Automatics
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Illinois

iTrader: (10)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Opie55 View Post
You win an all-expenses-paid (by you) trip to come see it in person.
Wow, I hit the lottery. I don't even know what state I will be going to on my self-funded all-expenses-paid trip.

Did the soap strip any color away? What about the natural oils that the leather needs to have? That would be my biggest fear with these "good" cleaners.
Appreciate 0
      05-01-2021, 05:22 PM   #7
Opie55
Colonel
1176
Rep
2,895
Posts

Drives: '15 650i Convertible
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: US

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by thebmw View Post
Wow, I hit the lottery. I don't even know what state I will be going to on my self-funded all-expenses-paid trip.

Did the soap strip any color away? What about the natural oils that the leather needs to have? That would be my biggest fear with these "good" cleaners.
No dye was removed. As for natural oils, the “leather” on the steering wheel, center console, door tops and dash is not straight-from-the-cow leather like the seats are. They are some sort of reconstituted leather product, so I’m doubtful they retain much natural oil. Nor do they really absorb any product applied very well. On the seats, I think I will switch from a brush to a small towel rag that is not dripping wet to keep as much soap as possible out of the perforations. Then I will liberally apply a leather preservative
Appreciate 0
      05-20-2021, 03:01 AM   #8
rasa bmw
Colonel
243
Rep
2,029
Posts

Drives: 640d sport/f31 330d x drive
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: northumberland

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Opie55 View Post
No dye was removed. As for natural oils, the “leather” on the steering wheel, center console, door tops and dash is not straight-from-the-cow leather like the seats are. They are some sort of reconstituted leather product, so I’m doubtful they retain much natural oil. Nor do they really absorb any product applied very well. On the seats, I think I will switch from a brush to a small towel rag that is not dripping wet to keep as much soap as possible out of the perforations. Then I will liberally apply a leather preservative
so it worked well? although i was the one who said pear's soap,i aint tried it,my leather is fine at the minute.(vermillion rot(naby) just shows how these companies get paid for their name and not result's,,just like snow foam,i use prokleen,15 litre's 3x 5 l bottles..like £24 delieverd,,just as good as the more expensive ones
Appreciate 0
      06-07-2021, 05:36 PM   #9
Chaos236
Lieutenant
Chaos236's Avatar
207
Rep
457
Posts

Drives: Porsche Cayenne , 640 GC
Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: Columbus Ohio

iTrader: (0)

Tried it on my 99,000 mile cayenne, taped off half the seat also. Works as advertised.
Attached Images
 
Appreciate 0
      06-08-2021, 01:37 PM   #10
e38740imd
Second Lieutenant
United_States
64
Rep
287
Posts

Drives: 2016 640i
Join Date: Oct 2019
Location: Maryland

iTrader: (0)

possible can i get a link to this magical soap

my drivers seat needs this
Appreciate 0
      06-08-2021, 02:49 PM   #11
Challengemaster
New Member
11
Rep
20
Posts

Drives: BMW 640d Coupé
Join Date: Jun 2021
Location: Ireland

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by e38740imd View Post
possible can i get a link to this magical soap

my drivers seat needs this
It's quite literally... a bar of soap for washing with

https://www.superdrug.com/Toiletries...p-125g/p/35808
Appreciate 0
      06-08-2021, 09:28 PM   #12
Opie55
Colonel
1176
Rep
2,895
Posts

Drives: '15 650i Convertible
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: US

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by e38740imd View Post
possible can i get a link to this magical soap

my drivers seat needs this
In the US it is stocked at some, but not all, Bed, Bath and Beyond stores.
Appreciate 1
      06-08-2021, 09:33 PM   #13
Opie55
Colonel
1176
Rep
2,895
Posts

Drives: '15 650i Convertible
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: US

iTrader: (0)

And be sure to buy the orange-colored bar like in the link above. They also make mint and some other flavors.
Appreciate 0
      06-11-2021, 12:06 AM   #14
rasa bmw
Colonel
243
Rep
2,029
Posts

Drives: 640d sport/f31 330d x drive
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: northumberland

iTrader: (0)

pleased it's done the trick,i knew it would anyway like
Appreciate 0
      06-13-2021, 01:58 AM   #15
e38740imd
Second Lieutenant
United_States
64
Rep
287
Posts

Drives: 2016 640i
Join Date: Oct 2019
Location: Maryland

iTrader: (0)

thanks Guys. I Just wanted to be sure. I will buy the orange one as advised
Appreciate 0
Post Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 11:50 PM.




6post.com
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
1Addicts.com, BIMMERPOST.com, E90Post.com, F30Post.com, M3Post.com, ZPost.com, 5Post.com, 6Post.com, 7Post.com, XBimmers.com logo and trademark are properties of BIMMERPOST