Interior cleaning on a 1990's Mercedes

[zckid]

Hello everyone!

One of my friends asked me to clean the interior of his car, his beauty, I’d say, a lovely Mercedes from the 1990’s. It was cleaned it in December last.

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-c-yb-z4Da9E/U0guKr0r3eI/AAAAAAAADgo/1cyzFzDkj_c/w775-h581-no/001.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-oy_337KjJNM/U0gtcP0m9gI/AAAAAAAADfY/hmWPYLucCGI/w775-h581-no/002.JPG

We were supposed to steam clean it. Very early the following day I started. I put on the steamer, vacuumed the whole interior, and did some scrubbing. And surprise, surprise. The steamer was leaking, no steam coming out and part of the car was wet already. I put my belief in Almighty that I might do it without the steamer. So I persevered.

The sunroof area

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-LQuBtkaV8S8/U0gteqmp0yI/AAAAAAAADfg/fIGnw0PLBOI/w775-h581-no/003.JPG

The headliner

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-ZG9ipGdd1qs/U0gw94jRCvI/AAAAAAAADmI/BgGEd_TMPl0/w767-h581-no/004-001.jpg


A little 50-50

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-ZG9ipGdd1qs/U0gw94jRCvI/AAAAAAAADmI/BgGEd_TMPl0/w767-h581-no/004-001.jpg

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-XKoBaTI4GT8/U0guQYOTVCI/AAAAAAAADg4/RoRe_Nx_RDw/w775-h581-no/007.JPG


Almost done, will require a little more agitating

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-L1VXOhtOXNI/U0guTOvEhPI/AAAAAAAADhA/4Z3k52rUHgE/w775-h581-no/006.JPG


The pillars, same for others

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-XJ8Dr8Ze6cQ/U0gu0B92TqI/AAAAAAAADiI/uoy2ki96Kso/w436-h581-no/008.JPG


What is removed…?

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-yOyLg8YQmlQ/U0guX6W5viI/AAAAAAAADhI/WBfvjL38zWo/w775-h581-no/009.JPG

The arm rest

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-zLn2dWfg1ik/U0gtOEP-VLI/AAAAAAAADe4/PyrDadx2cQY/w775-h581-no/010.JPG


A little section cleaned to show the difference

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-WD6-gHwqcmw/U0guhNMmyAI/AAAAAAAADhg/Vy8Hs64eAlE/w436-h581-no/011.JPG


The console area

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Z3fUtdK4wOo/U0gtRHxqk-I/AAAAAAAADfA/CQNAliu4dAA/w776-h581-no/012.JPG


A not so 50-50 at the top

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2i7qwePwSw8/U0gtZgiG_fI/AAAAAAAADfQ/46hnkN-NxWg/w436-h581-no/013.JPG


Close-up: in action

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ZI--WbZ6rKY/U0gvFH1cizI/AAAAAAAADio/gf43u0DexNE/w436-h581-no/014.JPG


Getting the original color

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-bpMlKEv-edA/U0gvCEqrHfI/AAAAAAAADig/foUKTOhXQec/w436-h581-no/015.JPG


OMG!

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-q9-92LXskxw/U0gtWv5ZgNI/AAAAAAAADfI/FBwbSmTmuIE/w775-h581-no/016.JPG


More than 5 liters of juice: the headliner, arm rest and console area combined

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-7YYweiJFipA/U0gusKgxMmI/AAAAAAAADh4/WUBEpEbfhzU/w773-h581-no/016a.JPG


More

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-6l4zPrw9I1M/U0gw1d0y6LI/AAAAAAAADmA/CDEnOsTcILY/w870-h581-no/017-001.jpg


The seats

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-owZVOWvQLH0/U0gualhEbhI/AAAAAAAADhQ/UgbM6UOHf3E/w775-h581-no/018.JPG


Close-ups

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-DLbTKaWYpqk/U0gwr3048iI/AAAAAAAADlw/iPR5RYsF3pk/w766-h581-no/019-001.jpg

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-xlSxkMCI5KU/U0gwkEuSlrI/AAAAAAAADlo/k_-c8x8MCGQ/w769-h581-no/020-001.jpg


Pure sand, from the white sandy beaches of our sunny island

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-WQktftgEdpk/U0guHvpatzI/AAAAAAAADgg/8_aQVaCuGgQ/w436-h581-no/021.JPG


From top to bottom
Cleaned, cleaning, not yet cleaned

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-fyqVlg-RT7A/U0gvKsCzFuI/AAAAAAAADi4/O3TsKCCl1zk/w436-h581-no/021a.JPG


From this

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-mxksTL22Ku4/U0guvl5GH9I/AAAAAAAADiA/0YSdk5r1Fjo/w436-h581-no/023.JPG


Restored to dirt-free original color

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-J7pn8sonmoU/U0gvbA2FY0I/AAAAAAAADjY/t4zv3zCkuPM/w775-h581-no/022.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/--tCc21zIxKs/U0gvogMHQ6I/AAAAAAAADkA/4LCty91GZJ4/w775-h581-no/024.JPG


This is pure seat nectar :props:

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-CAO3Fh-yJQU/U0gu9-sigII/AAAAAAAADiY/HOPSN5fjeIs/w436-h581-no/025.JPG

[zckid]

Moving onto the carpets

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-uORT0ZRQrbY/U0gt78JHIfI/AAAAAAAADgI/ZhovmjkqM4s/w775-h581-no/030.JPG


The driver’s seat area

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-SeVEAjtJiUM/U0guNqQMydI/AAAAAAAADgw/x_54u2e5Lkc/w775-h581-no/031.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-N40Vabe36xo/U0guDjRU34I/AAAAAAAADgY/6IYY5WKzG9w/w775-h581-no/032.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-TTXF2HRWIFU/U0gxLpCCITI/AAAAAAAADmY/9qp_NzB3g6c/w770-h581-no/034-001.jpg


I thought I would be best to remove the carpet completely

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-eWVU34q-akI/U0gudg6ME_I/AAAAAAAADhY/bGO_YZlD6T0/w775-h581-no/033.JPG


And look

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-vC9n2UxBUb8/U0gxEW2kGeI/AAAAAAAADmQ/R8jHXitppQk/w767-h581-no/035-001.jpg


Cleaning every nook and cranny

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-G5TtasQ3gME/U0gxmq1ap9I/AAAAAAAADmg/wGDw2cFIiZ8/w770-h581-no/036-001.jpg


The rear seats areas

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Lx_SrsEowZ4/U0gxsd7WVXI/AAAAAAAADmo/MiIkcSn7IBg/w768-h581-no/037-001.jpg


Feeling happy & blessed

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9rZpJp0bOwk/U0gunCmkfRI/AAAAAAAADhw/QY14ZXU38ho/w775-h581-no/038.JPG

More

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-AHC1ub3vxGU/U0gukKC9UpI/AAAAAAAADho/RtAoAGWP4-U/w775-h581-no/039.JPG

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-0PIudEUrhEA/U0gxy37tRWI/AAAAAAAADmw/RFQDPx25G4g/w774-h581-no/040-001.jpg


Finished

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-wXUVXmBncbs/U0gvlybCV3I/AAAAAAAADj4/cFPi4XGf7gE/w775-h581-no/042.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-9zwz3Q-nLvY/U0gvIKrrp4I/AAAAAAAADiw/c-dhARYMD0U/w775-h581-no/043.JPG


Hello

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-N5pSr1udJ8I/U0gu4NKpYhI/AAAAAAAADiQ/cCZPLaHMLXg/w775-h581-no/041.JPG


Still more to add to this collection

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-rlGNhEx_b5A/U0gvM4y558I/AAAAAAAADjA/eV330yj1NfU/w775-h581-no/041a.JPG


Doors not ignored

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-QwmsPQzYTW4/U0gvhVbBbrI/AAAAAAAADjo/tzoS3F85O1k/w436-h581-no/044.JPG

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-vzrPrbznlFk/U0gvrwW-SVI/AAAAAAAADkI/zbrUKT9caYI/w775-h581-no/045.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-J7fI1bqD3SE/U0gvuqy8XPI/AAAAAAAADkQ/tQgIc1KUKbA/w775-h581-no/046.JPG



And from the always smiling vac

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-F7nTVZcJ_FE/U0gwMhJ-UgI/AAAAAAAADk4/4Ag2kSbefLk/w774-h581-no/049.JPG


Benz smoothies

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-vgEBOSWQQME/U0gwR6CzkVI/AAAAAAAADlA/MHxeFVA8-jA/w775-h581-no/050.JPG


Not good to see… just to show dirt is not our friend but our intimate enemy

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-rSUd3Ov4WW4/U0gwXecaLXI/AAAAAAAADlI/QRXz5xasgpY/w775-h581-no/051.JPG


Before

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LHpdbjhG3UY/U0guAiMyJsI/AAAAAAAADgQ/XtLJqSrMSfA/w775-h581-no/052.JPG


Now

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Ko1PSDovy1g/U0gv1RtPzaI/AAAAAAAADkY/QMm-OT777EQ/w775-h581-no/053.JPG


The boot lid

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-ZsdbtF2C25A/U0gv_WNzR4I/AAAAAAAADnU/2-9DE5Z8Hmk/w436-h581-no/054.JPG


It was already dark, I had one more thing to do.


The console area scratches

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-MPpFhBsJNkM/U0gtov8EhYI/AAAAAAAADfw/taf5KfyjpwM/w775-h581-no/057.JPG


Close-up

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1-wlEkirRN0/U0gt5q40mfI/AAAAAAAADgA/3mvohwWFxwo/w775-h581-no/056.JPG

I thought it would be so cruel, so unfair to let this ride go with these. I polished it, +75% of the scratches were removed.

I only got the finished pics of the same 3 months later

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-zoo2SzjpU5w/U0gwaeSl8OI/AAAAAAAADlY/9UvDEHdWEs4/w775-h581-no/062.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-x4OTizJUEI8/U0gwbzD6IfI/AAAAAAAADlg/LDST6ckxl4o/w436-h581-no/063.JPG


and the beauty leaving

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-1XZo7-PTjv0/U0gwGUEyFHI/AAAAAAAADkw/ZxgOgLlVjms/w775-h581-no/064.JPG


I was finishing with a

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-csIKaodcgY0/U0gvV0Q98pI/AAAAAAAADjI/k7SFWToMlSs/w775-h581-no/055.JPG

courtesy of the Mrs. :props:

Thanks for reading, your thoughts and comments are most welcome

Happy detailing weekend

cheers

Zaid

[BobbyG]

That interior looked like it hadn't been cleaned in quite some time. I was noticing the color of the wash water and it looks like you took years of dirt and grime from it....

Great save and one happy customer I presume? :props:

[Becciasm]

Amazing turnaround. What tools did you use to complete the detail, since your steamer was malfunctioning?

[jamesboyy]

You hardly see 90's mercedes anymore though you really save this one keep up the good work

[lowdown89]

I had a 84 300d and knowing how much of a pain it was to clean carpet like in the center console, my hats off to you.. That was a whole bunch of dirty water!

[Mike@DedicatedPerfection]

Beautiful thread and documentation Zaid! Well done!

[zckid]

Amazing turnaround. What tools did you use to complete the detail, since your steamer was malfunctioning?

Thanks a lot Becciasm


Here are the tools

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-o_rE7vWDWD4/U0pNAunNTbI/AAAAAAAADng/HySvuGpfnec/w329-h251-no/tools.jpg

To be frank, very simple tools:

A coat brush (can be used as a leather brush)
a tooth brush
some microfiber towels
a soft detailing brush

a bottle of Bilt Hamber surfex HD diluted 1: 15+ (same as Megs APC or Opt Power Clean)

Hot water

My dry Numatic vacuum (turned into a wet vac by removing the dust bag .... it was risky :iagree: ) it still works well thanks God.


For polishing

Menz 203s
Lake Country white hand held pad

:xyxthumbs:

[zckid]

That interior looked like it hadn't been cleaned in quite some time. I was noticing the color of the wash water and it looks like you took years of dirt and grime from it....

Great save and one happy customer I presume? :props:

You are right Bobby. I must say years of dirt and stains.

and yes my friend was very happy, He was so keen for it to be done with a steamer, so I tried my level best and as a last step, I wet all the surfaces with a mf towel soaked in hot water, I vacuumed everything to ensure no dirt or stains are left behind.



You hardly see 90's mercedes anymore though you really save this one keep up the good work

Thanks a lot James :dblthumb2:


I had a 84 300d and knowing how much of a pain it was to clean carpet like in the center console, my hats off to you.. That was a whole bunch of dirty water!

Thanks a lot buddy, it really needed a lot of scrubbing.


Beautiful thread and documentation Zaid! Well done!

Thanks a lot bro :dblthumb2:

Actually, I felt it was very difficult to document because when I finished, it was already dark, and as a result, I had very few of the finishing pics.


Now I'm just :hungry: to :buffing: that baby. :props:

[Becciasm]

Thanks a lot Becciasm


Here are the tools

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-o_rE7vWDWD4/U0pNAunNTbI/AAAAAAAADng/HySvuGpfnec/w329-h251-no/tools.jpg

To be frank, very simple tools:

A coat brush (can be used as a leather brush)
a tooth brush
some microfiber towels
a soft detailing brush

a bottle of Bilt Hamber surfex HD diluted 1: 15+ (same as Megs APC or Opt Power Clean)

Hot water

My dry Numatic vacuum (turned into a wet vac by removing the dust bag .... it was risky :iagree: ) it still works well thanks God.


For polishing

Menz 203s
Lake Country white hand held pad

:xyxthumbs:

Perfect. I appreciate the feedback. Very impressed with the outcome