How to Easily Clean & Condition Leather Car Seats
The proper way to restore and protect your vehicle’s premium upholstery
Leather car seats require special care to maintain them. You don’t want to ruin them through neglect or abuse after you spent extra money for that fancy leather interior. Here is a quick guide on how to properly clean and condition leather car seats so you don’t damage them.
More Helpful Tips: Here are some other cleaning tips for treating leather seats
Use the right cleaner
You can’t use just any cleaning solution to wipe off dirt and gunk. Many household cleaners have ingredients that are too caustic to use on leather and could permanently the material. Always use leather-safe cleaning wipes that don’t damage the fibers.
Use a leather conditioner
If you own a leather jacket or couch, you know that proper maintenance involves conditioning the leather, too. This practice nourishes the fibers to prevent drying and cracking and should be done on a regular basis. Purchase a leather conditioning spray made for car luxury car seats that will cleanse and hydrate the material.
Read reviews online about which products are reliable and have worked well for others drivers with your car. Typically, stick with name brand products, and remember that you get what you pay for.
Use a safe applicant
You don’t want to rub the conditioning foam into the leather with a coarse brush that will tear the surface. Ideally, use a microfiber towel or one that will leave behind little to no lint. Soft-bristle brushes made for delicate surfaces are also acceptable. Your conditioner may even come with its own brush!
Follow the directions on the bottle for proper application and removal. Park your car in a garage or other shaded area overnight. This will give your conditioner a chance to set into the upholstery.
To keep your car’s leather seats beautiful and sturdy, make sure you’re cleaning and conditioning them every season, especially if you live in a hot place where the car is always parked in the sun.
Caring for Your Premium Vehicle: If you own a luxury car, make sure you’re performing these maintenance tasks!
Aaron is unashamed to be a native Clevelander and the proud driver of a Hyundai Veloster Turbo (which recently replaced his 1995 Saturn SC-2). He gleefully utilizes his background in theater, literature, and communication to dramatically recite his own articles to nearby youth. Mr. Widmar happily resides in Dayton, Ohio with his magnificent wife, Vicki, but is often on the road with her exploring new destinations. Aaron has high aspirations for his writing career but often gets distracted pondering the profound nature of the human condition and forgets what he was writing… See more articles by Aaron.