GM Cleaning Bulletin

[Small Dealer]

There was a post this morning from a site member who used a GM cleaner to get the shoe scuffs off his door.
They mentioned that their dealership had shown them a bulletin. For everyone else here it is.

Subject: Info - Interior Cleaning, Leather, Vinyl Fabric Cleaner, Stain Remover, Restorer - New Product Availability Models: 2006-2007 GM Passenger Cars and Trucks (EXCLUDES Cadillac DTS with RPO R9N -- Tehama Leather) To keep the vehicle interior looking the best, it should be cleaned often. It is important to keep the upholstery from becoming heavily soiled. The vehicle's interior can experience extreme heat which can cause stains to set quickly. Lighter color interiors may require more frequent cleaning. Care should be taken because newspapers and garments may transfer color to the vehicle's interior. Many of today's interiors are made with new low gloss materials. Permanent damage may result from using cleaners on ANY surfaces (interior trim, carpet, leather, vinyl and fabric) for which they are not intended. Using non-approved products can actually set the stain to the point that nothing can remove it. Important: • Do not use silicone or wax-based products or those containing organic solvents (such as naptha, alcohol, etc) to clean your vehicle's interior because they can alter the appearance by increasing the gloss in a non-uniform manner. • Never use a stiff brush. It can cause damage to the vehicle's interior surfaces. • Use only mild, Neutral-pH cleaners. Avoid laundry detergents or dishwashing soaps with degreasers. Using too much soap will leave residue that leaves streaks and attracts dirt. Because it is critical to use only mild, neutral-pH cleaners, General Motors has approved the use of the cleaners and conditioners listed in this bulletin for the cleaning of interiors. These products are in the neutral-pH range and will maintain the best vehicle interior appearance. These products are water-based, biodegradable, and do not contain bleach, solvents or harsh chemicals. Interior trim pieces on new vehicles, as well as service components, arrive with a protective film. When removing the protective film, adhesive residue is left on the trim panels/components. The cleaner (for leather, vinyl, plastic and interior paint) is an effective cleaner in removing adhesive residue without causing damage to the component. Important: • If soapy, alkaline cleaning solutions are used on fabrics, and not thoroughly rinsed out, the residual left in the fabric will attract dirt. Because the recommended cleaners/conditioners are in the pH neutral range, they won't leave behind soapy residue. • On heavily stained carpet or on the Montana SV6 interior fabric, it is recommended that the entire surface be treated and cleaned vs. spot cleaning. Effective cleaning steps: 1) Remove any residue by lightly rubbing the surface with a clean towel. 2) Choose the appropriate stain remover based on the stain type. 3) Spray and lightly brush the area with a clean, soft bristle brush. 4) Gently blot up the stain. Upholstery and Carpet Stains When cleaning upholstery and carpet stains ONLY, the following cleaning chart will help you determine which cleaner/formula works best on a particular stain. The chart lists many of the common stains. Some complex stains may require the application of both stain removers, one after the other, to remove both food-based oils and synthetic oils. Type of Stain for Gold Formula (P/N 88861403) Beer, Blood, Butter/Margarine, Catsup, Chocolate, Coffee. Cola, Grass, Jelly, Juices, Mayonnaise, Mildew, Milk, Mustard, Paint (Latex), Tea, Urine, Vegetable oil, Vomit and Wine. Type of Stain for Red Formula (P/N 88861404) Butter/Margarine, Cosmetics, Crayon, Grease (motor), Gum, Ink, Iodine, Lipstick, Mayonnaise, Mustard, Nail Polish, Oil, Red drinks, Rust, Shoe Polish, Sun block, Tar, and Vegetable oil. Leather Conditioner/Restorer A Leather Conditioner/Restorer is also available. The restorer is safe for all vinyl and leather. It is a water-based product and contains essential emollients to restore suppleness, conditions and adds luster without adding gloss. The restorer will also provide protection against restaining. Parts Information Products are available in two sizes; 8 oz and 24 oz bottles. Cleaner -- Leather, Vinyl, Plastic, Interior Paint 8 oz. 88861405 24oz. 88861401 Conditioner -- Leather, Vinyl, Restorer 8 oz. 88861406 24oz. 88861402 Cleaner -- Stain Remover Gold Formula -- Food, Beverage 8 oz. 88861407 24oz. 88861403 Cleaner -- Stain Remover Red Formula -- Ink, Grease 8 oz. 88861408 24oz. 88861404

These are the US part numbers. Canadian dealerships will have to order different part numbers for their versions.

[turbomangt]

Good info, I may add that my interior cleaner is PH balanced and safe for all interiors. recently I had a customer come in that had dye transfer from his blue jeans on to his leather seat. Before he decided to bring me the car, he used a solvent based cleaner on the seat, guess what happened> he removed the blue jean dye alright from the seat, but he also removed the dye from the leather and discolored it. moral of the story, don't use harsh chemicals on your car, know what works, and when in doubt, don't use it. gary

[solli4me]

Timely and needed bulletin, thanks!

I just purchased (and used) Meguiar's Interior Detailer and their Leather Wipes. The Leather Wipes worked fine, but were greasy feeling. Seems there's no solvents, animal-by-proucts or harsh detergents in the leather wipes. Must wash the hands afterward.

No product info on the interior wipes.

[Small Dealer]

Originally Posted by turbomangt Good info, I may add that my interior cleaner is PH balanced and safe for all interiors. recently I had a customer come in that had dye transfer from his blue jeans on to his leather seat. Before he decided to bring me the car, he used a solvent based cleaner on the seat, guess what happened> he removed the blue jean dye alright from the seat, but he also removed the dye from the leather and discolored it. moral of the story, don't use harsh chemicals on your car, know what works, and when in doubt, don't use it. gary

Here is something GM had to say about Dye Transfer back in March. Of course that predates the TSB posted above by three months. Not many service bulletins are issued that use the word "notorious".

Dye Transfer: Dye transfer can occur on any leather product. Lighter colors show the dye more quickly than dark colors. Dye transfer will happen any time a natural fiber like cotton, silk, wool, and other leather's like suede come in contact with leather. Blue Jean material is notorious for leaving blue dye on the leather surfaces. The finish top coat system on automotive finished leather will allow the leather to be cleaned with mild soap and water (as indicated in the owners manual). The key is to clean the leather on a regular basis so that the dirt and grime do not adversely affect the top coat of the leather. Dirt and other foreign substances will cause damage to the surface and will increase the difficulty in cleaning the leather. An additional issue is the use of heater pads and dye transfer. Heater pads only help to "bake" the dye in the leather and it is very difficult to remove the dye from the heater coil pattern. Currently there is nothing in the GM Leather Spec to resolve this condition.

[Goldfinch]

Thanks small dealer, now I want to clean my car, for the zillionth time. This was a comment from my neighbor while I was washing my car one time. he said you sure baby that thing too much.
When I bought my car I noticed there was a blue streak on the seat. Leather conditioner took it out after a couple of cleanings, with a bit of elbow grease too.
I pretty much just drive on the weekends. wash once a week when I get back home. I take my bra off during the week too. I have very alkaline water here (talk about water spots!, some of mine are even crusty, just kidding, not really though!