Koch-Chemie × COLOURLOCK COLOURLOCK "Pol Star" cleaner concentrate for fabric, leather & Alcantara 1000ml

COLOURLOCK Pol Star cleans fabric, leather and Alcantara from one bottle

What is COLOURLOCK Pol Star? A pH-neutral cleaner concentrate from Koch-Chemie and COLOURLOCK for fabric, Alcantara and pigmented smooth leather, dosed 1:5 to 1:20. Not for aniline leathers or open-pore types like nubuck or suede.

COLOURLOCK Pol Star is a cleaner concentrate from Koch-Chemie and COLOURLOCK for interior dirt across three material groups: upholstery fabric, Alcantara and pigmented smooth leather. Since Koch-Chemie took over leather specialist COLOURLOCK in 2025, the classic Pol Star carries over with the same formula under the new label.

Same chemistry, new branding: the leather know-how now lives in the product name, but production stays at Koch-Chemie in Unna. If you knew the old Pol Star Po, you're getting the same formulation here — just as a more economical concentrate rather than ready-to-use. The 1-litre bottle gives you around 11 litres of working solution at 1:10, which puts the per-use cost below any comparable pre-mixed interior cleaner.

• Three materials, one bottle. Pol Star pulls dirt off textile fabrics, Alcantara and pigmented smooth leather. pH 7, no acids or alkalis, no bleach. Day-to-day that means one cleaner for seat, carpet and door card instead of three separate bottles on the shelf.
• 1:5 to 1:20 dilution, 1 litre makes up to 21 litres of ready solution. At 1:10 the working solution comes in around 94 cents per litre — the ready-to-use predecessor Pol Star Po sits at 8.63 EUR per litre. For shops, detailers and regular interior cleaning, the concentrate is what makes the difference.
• Conserver protects existing impregnations. The formula carries a protective component that doesn't attack hydrophobic treatments. Fabric coatings like GYEON Q²M Fabric or factory upholstery impregnations stay intact after cleaning.

Detailing1's tip from the shop: The most common mistake is going too strong on the dilution. A lot of detailers start at 1:5 — but the stronger mix leaves surfactant residue that dries as pale rings. Start at 1:10 and only step up to 1:5 if the dirt won't come out on the first pass. On leather you stay at 1:20, full stop. Use distilled water — tap water brings limescale rings with it, particularly nasty on dark Alcantara.

1:10 as standard. 1:20 on leather.

Pol Star gets dosed differently depending on material and dirt level. 1:10 is the all-round ratio for fabric and Alcantara at normal soiling — a 500 ml spray bottle then takes 45 ml of concentrate and 455 ml of distilled water. Vacuum thoroughly before cleaning so loose dirt doesn't get into the solution and pull streaks.

For embedded stains on carpet or footwell, drop to 1:5. On leather you stay at 1:20, because the top coat can react to higher surfactant levels with a loss of sheen. The conserver in the formula protects existing impregnations but doesn't replace a sealant after cleaning — if you want to rebuild a fabric impregnation, lay it down separately once everything is fully dry. Dwell time runs 30 to 60 seconds; longer doesn't give you more cleaning, because the surfactant action hits its plateau by then.

You apply with a fine-mist sprayer, not directly with the cloth. The fine foam needs air to work into the fibre — too much liquid floods the fabric and drags the drying time out to 12 hours. To lift it off, grab a short-pile microfibre cloth or a wet-dry vacuum for larger upholstery work. On Alcantara, work along the fibre direction — never circular, otherwise the surface mats up visually and looks duller than before.

After cleaning, wipe down or extract with clean water so no surfactant residue stays behind. Leftovers would act as a dust magnet and re-soil the surface faster. Work at room temperature between 15 and 25 degrees — in sun or heat the concentrate flashes off too fast and leaves rings.

Pol Star handles three materials. Two leather types it doesn't.

Pol Star is approved for pigmented, top-coated smooth leather — that's most modern automotive leather from year 2000 onwards. The top coat insulates the cleaner from the collagen, so the surfactants pull dirt off without working into the material.

On open-pore leathers it behaves differently. Aniline, semi-aniline and nubuck have no protective pigment layer — the concentrate goes straight into the fibre and can cause staining or discolouration. For those materials, the specific Aniline & Nubuck Cleaner from the same COLOURLOCK range is the right call, formulated for exactly that case. Suede and velour fall into this category too and need a dry or enzymatic approach instead of a surfactant solution.

Before every leather job, test colourfastness on a hidden spot: wet a cotton swab with 1:20 solution, hold it on the test patch for 30 seconds, check for colour transfer. If the swab picks up colour, the leather isn't a fit for Pol Star. The manufacturer doesn't put this front and centre — but it saves you expensive mistakes, because discoloured leather usually only comes back with a full re-dye. For heavily soiled pigmented leather with embedded skin oil, go to the COLOURLOCK Leather Cleaner Strong. If you're cleaning all materials in the interior regularly, grab Pol Star. If you're specifically reconditioning soiled leather, grab the specialist.

For detailers, shops and weekend enthusiasts

Pol Star fits where interior gets cleaned regularly and a concentrate makes more sense than ready-to-use sprays. Detailing shops run the 1-litre bottle and decant into their own sprayers; private users start with the 100 ml or 250 ml size for one to two cars a year. The 1-litre at 1:10 covers around 20 full interior cleans.

Not the right pick if you're only doing leather — for that, the COLOURLOCK range has the dedicated Leather Cleaner in Mild and Strong grades, tuned to dirt level and leather type. It also hits limits with dried-in stains older than a week or organic spills like milk, blood or vomit — for those, enzyme cleaners work more reliably, because they break protein bonds instead of just lifting them.

On the workflow side: as a concentrate, you need a proper fine-mist spray head. The Koch-Chemie sprayer and bottle set is built for it — the Canyon CHS-3AN throws an even mist that supports fine foam build-up instead of flooding the surface. Once you're set up, a full interior clean runs 40 to 60 ml of concentrate — that's the practical gap between concentrate and ready-mix. If you run the concentrate in a shop setting, follow up with a wet-dry vacuum after cleaning to pull residual moisture out and avoid drying rings.

Application of COLOURLOCK Pol Star

Three materials, three dosages

Before cleaning, vacuum thoroughly to prevent loose dirt from getting into the solution and causing streaks. The concentrate is diluted differently depending on the material and degree of soiling: 1:10 is the all-round value for upholstery and Alcantara, 1:5 for stubborn stains on carpets and footwells, 1:20 for pigmented smooth leather. A 500 ml spray bottle holds about 45 ml of concentrate and 455 ml of distilled water at a 1:10 ratio.

Use distilled water instead of tap water - lime will leave white marks after drying, especially on dark Alcantara. The working solution is stable for about seven days, after which the surfactants lose their effectiveness and the solution should be renewed. Work at room temperature between 15 and 25 degrees Celsius, not in direct sunlight or heat, otherwise the concentrate will dry too quickly and leave marks.

Apply with a fine-mist spray head. Even mist from a distance of about 20 centimeters - the Koch-Chemie spray head and bottle set is designed for this. After spraying, let it soak for 30 to 60 seconds, no longer: the surfactant effect reaches its plateau within this window, additional time does not bring any additional cleaning effect.

Pick up with a short-pile microfiber cloth in the direction of the fibers. Never work in circular motions on Alcantara - this will visually felt the surface and make it appear duller than before. For large-area upholstery cleaning, a wet/dry vacuum cleaner helps to remove residual moisture and avoid drying marks.

After cleaning, wipe thoroughly with clear water to ensure no surfactant residues remain. Residues would act as a dust magnet and cause the surface to become soiled again more quickly. Allow the cleaned area to dry for at least three hours with the window open before the vehicle is used again. On leather, apply the usual leather care afterwards to rebuild the topcoat.

Notes: Pol Star is not suitable for aniline, semi-aniline, nubuck, suede, and velour - for these, there is the specialized COLOURLOCK Aniline & Nubuck Cleaner. Before each use on leather, check colorfastness in an inconspicuous area with a cotton swab: leave it on for 30 seconds, check for color transfer. For dried-in stains older than one week or organic dirt such as milk or blood, enzymatic cleaners are more reliable. Store frost-free between 5 and 30 degrees Celsius, shelf life in an unopened container is 24 months, after opening 12 months.