Leather car seats are a true luxury, they offer the perfect blend of comfort, class and timeless style. If you’re lucky enough to have them in your car, it’s essential to invest some time in keeping them well-maintained.
When neglected, leather can become dry, cracked, scratched and stained, over time, it may even lose its colour. Not to mention, poorly kept seats can reduce your car’s overall value.
Read on and we’ll walk you through exactly how to clean leather car seats and share expert tips on car leather care.
IN THIS ARTICLE
- What You’ll Need: Equipment and Products
- Step-by-step: How to Clean Leather Car Seats
- Mistakes to Avoid When Cleaning Leather Car Seats
- How Often Should you Clean Leather Car Seats
- Extra Car Leather Care Tips
What You’ll Need: Equipment and Products
Before you start cleaning leather car seats, let’s get the right equipment and products on hand. Using the correct items will help you avoid damaging the leather and ensure a thorough clean. Here’s everything you’ll need to get the job done properly:
- A vacuum cleaner with a soft-brush attachment
- 5 microfibre cloths
- Water
- Leather Cleaner
- Leather Conditioner
- Soft bristled detailing brush
- Cleaning gloves (optional)
Step-by-step: How to Clean Leather Car Seats
Now you’ve got all the correct equipment to hand, you’re ready to start cleaning. Follow these simple steps and your seats will be like new in no time.
Step 1: Vacuum Your Seats
A lot of people whip out the leather cleaner straight away and start scrubbing, big mistake! First you need to vacuum your seats thoroughly to ensure all dirt and debris is removed. Leather is good at stopping water through, but dirt and debris can penetrate the grane and cause scratches and damage to the surface.
Use your soft brush attachment for this step to avoid damage to your leather.
Step 2: Apply the Leather Cleaner
Once all your seats are free from dust, dirt and debris you can begin applying the leather cleaner. We recommend spraying the solution onto a medium-duty microfibre cloth not directly onto the seats.
Apply with the cloth in circular motion and be sure to follow the manufacturers instructions on the bottle.
Step 3: Use Your Soft Bristled Detailing Brush
Next, use your detailing brush to gently scrub the surface and loosen any dirt. Use the brush in the crevices of your seats as well to make sure you target any hidden dirt.
Step 4: Wipe Two Times With Microfibre Cloths
Once all your leather cleaner is brushed on, wet a light-duty microfibre cloth and wring it until damp. Use this cloth to wipe your seats down as much as possible. After you’re done with the first cloth, use a dry 400GSM microfibre cloth to completely dry the seats and absorb any excess moisture.
Step 5: Apply Your Leather Conditioner
Using your fourth microfibre cloth, apply leather conditioner across all the seats. Apply in a circular motion, this will help restore moisture and maintain the leather’s softness. Leave the conditioner to work on the leather for roughly 10 minutes before buffing with your final dry microfibre cloth.
Final Step: Leave Your Seats to Dry
The last step is to allow your seats to air dry for at least one hour. If the weather conditions are suitable, leave your doors open to ensure your seats are completely dry. The longer you leave them to air dry the better, but aim for a minimum of 1 hour.
Mistakes to Avoid When Cleaning Leather Car Seats
While learning how to clean leather car seats, it’s just as important to know what not to do. Carrying out the cleaning process wrong can lead to damage, discolouration or even permanent wear. Here are some common mistakes to avoid when cleaning leather car seats:
- Using Too Much Water: Soaking your seats can cause damage beneath the surface.
- Skipping the Conditioner: After cleaning, not applying the leather conditioner can cause the seats to dry out and crack easily.
- Scrubbing Too Hard: Rough scrubbing can scratch the surface. Be gentle and use a soft cloth and brush when detailing leather seats.
How Often Should you Clean Leather Car Seats
Cleaning your leather car seats should be consistent. To keep your seats looking their best and lasting longer, it’s important to follow a regular maintenance routine, such as this guide.
As a general rule, you should:
- Wipe down your leather car seats once a week using a dry or slightly damp microfiber cloth to remove surface dust and dirt.
- Deep clean and condition the leather every 3 to 6 months, depending on how often you use your car.
If you often have kids and pets in your car or spend a lot of time commuting, you may need to clean more often.
Extra Car Leather Care Tips
If you really really care about your leather car seats and want to go the extra mile, these extra tips are for you:
- Park in the Shade When Possible: Prolonged exposure to sunlight can cause leather to fade and dry out. Whenever possible, park in shaded areas or use a sunshade to protect your interior.
- Avoid Sharp Objects: Avoid interaction of keys, tools or even clothing with metal buttons or zips that can scratch or tear the leather.
- Use Correct Products: Stick to cleaners and conditioners designed specifically for cleaning leather car seats. Household products can strip away the leather’s natural oils.
Clean Your Leather Car Seats with Our Microfibre Cloths!
Ready to give your leather seats the care they deserve? Our premium microfibre cloths are perfect for cleaning, conditioning and maintaining your leather car seats.
Whether you’re learning how to clean leather car seats for the first time or you’re a professional detailer looking to stock up, we’ve got you covered. Our cloths are:
- Super soft and non-abrasive
- Ideal for detailing leather seats
- Reusable, durable and machine washable
- Available in a range of sizes, colours and GSM
We offer bulk buy discounts and special offers, perfect for valeting businesses and who need reliable, high-quality cloths on hand.
Shop with us now and make your leather look like new, every time.
Contact us today if you have any questions, our team is here to help.
