You always want your car to look great, and if you have a leather interior, whether that be your seats, your dash or your door interiors, it does take work to maintain them and keep them looking new.
There are plenty of benefits to having a leather car interior, particularly when it comes to the seats. Let’s take a look at the advantages before we look at how you can keep your leather car interior looking like new.
Advantages of Leather Upholstery
- Here are just five of the top advantages to having leather upholstery in your car:
- Stain resistant and easy to clean
- Heat and cool well using the ventilation in your car
- Durable and hold up better to wear and tear
- Increase the overall look of the car interior
- Add to the resale value of the car
Caring for the Leather Interior in Your Car
No matter what car you have, if you have a leather interior, you need to care for it to keep it looking its best. There are three main steps to doing this – vacuuming, cleaning and conditioning.
Vacuuming
Vacuuming the car is something we often don’t do as much as possible, and when we do do it, most of us forget about the seats, instead focusing on the floors. Vacuuming is an important first step to keeping the leather interiors looking good – dirt, sand and rubbish can easily fall into the cracks in the seats, and while these are small, if you start to polish or clean your seats before getting rid of this dirt, you risk scratching or tearing the protective surface of the leather.
When you do go to vacuum the seats and leather interiors of your car, make sure to use the soft brush head attachment, which will avoid leaving scratches in the leather from the vacuum.
Cleaning
Once you’ve given your car a vacuum, it’s time to apply a quality leather cleaner to the seats. This should be done with a soft-bristled brush (that is only used for this purpose) and you should focus on the areas that get the most use first to remove any dirt or marks.
If you are using a new brand of leather cleaner, or you haven’t used it before – make sure you do a spot test in an area that isn’t really visible to ensure that the cleaner doesn’t cause any discolouration to your leather. If you aren’t sure on which cleaner to use, the friendly team at Carman’s Auto can help you out.
You can make your own cleaner – the standard solution used is two parts vinegar to one part water. Again, use a soft-bristled brush to clean. A toothbrush is perfect if you don’t have anything else.
Do you have a badly stained area? You may find that you need to lightly agitate the leather to lift the stain. When you are finished cleaning, wipe down the seats with a soft microfibre cloth, and take a break until your seats are dry.
This is a good point to mention that if you find your leather upholstery is cracking or you just can’t get that stain out, to give the team at Carman’s Auto a call. Our experienced team can give you the right advice on what steps are available to you.
Conditioning
The last step – conditioning! You should apply a high quality leather conditioner evenly across the seat, gently rubbing it in with a clean microfibre cloth (or one you have only used for leather conditioner). It is not advisable to let the solution sit on the seat, so ensure you have the time to gently apply the conditioner, and switch to a new cloth if the one you are using becomes too damp. Once rubbed in, leave the leather to air dry.
If you aren’t too sure what leather conditioner to use – give us a call or pop in and see us. It is advisable not to use petroleum based products as these can build up on your leather upholstery.
Clean Regularly for Better Wear
To get the best wear out of your leather interior, it is important that they are cleaned and conditioned regularly – it is recommended to do it quarterly but if life gets in the way, it should be done at least twice a year. The consistent maintenance will ensure that your leather interior stays soft, and great looking for a number of years.
Choosing a Leather Conditioner
If this is the first time you’ve conditioned the leather in your car, you may be wondering which leather conditioner to use. There are three main types of leather conditioners – oils, creams and wax.
A leather oil helps to moisturise and condition the leather when it is applied properly and can help to make the material soft again. You can find oils which are composed of a single oil or a blend of oils, fats, waxes and other agents which help condition the leather.
A cream is a second option for conditioning the leather interior in your car. These creams tend to be a lighter consistency than the oils, which can make them more suitable for thinner leather items. Some also have waterproofing agents in them which can be a benefit.
Finally a leather wax is more of a complementary product rather than a standalone conditioning product. Because the wax doesn’t tend to penetrate into the leather, it doesn’t nourish the fibres. It does however add a protective surface to the leather and can add a water resistant layer to them. You would generally use a wax after conditioning the leather interiors.
Tips to Keeping Your Leather Seats Looking Great
There are two things that you can do to keep your leather seats looking fantastic.
The first is to cover your windscreen. The UV from the sun can discolour and dry out the leather, which means that your seats may crack. You can stop this either by having your windows and windscreen tinted, or simply use a windscreen cover. The cover or tint will take much of the UV rays instead of them hitting the leather.
Another option is of course to park undercover where possible.
The second way to keep those seats looking great is to regularly use a moisturiser made for leather. The moisturiser helps to stop the natural oils in the leather drying out, while a leather guard can help protect from the UV rays.
Do you want to have the leather interiors of your car cleaned and maintained but just can’t find the time in your schedule? Or perhaps you’d simply prefer to leave it in the hands of a professional. Whether you’re looking for advice or restoration services, the experienced and friendly team at Carman’s Auto Trimmers can help you out. Contact us today.
