There’s nothing better than cruising down the highway on a road trip or making your daily commute while lounging in a comfortable leather car seat. So, here are the steps on how to clean car leather seats:
- Look for Any Perforations Or Damages on the Seats to Be Able to Deal With Them Cautiously
- Vacuum Out the Dirt and Debris from the Car Seats
- Do a Spot Test on a Car Seat
- Clean Off the Dirt and Grime That Have Not Been Removed by the Vacuum Cleaner
- Deep Clean the Car Seat With a Soft-Bristled Brush and Cleaner
- Wipe the Car Seats Clean
- Condition the Car Seats
Please read on for more detailed information.
What You Need to Know
Leather can crack and fade after being exposed to the sun for an extended period of time, just like your skin can. Leather car seats need special care to maintain their resale value, just like lotion is used to hydrate your skin.
The more frequently you should maintain your leather interior, the more people will sit in your car seats. This means that instead of every three months, you’ll need to clean and protect your upholstery every month if you drive your kids to and from sports practice and school. You should pay extra attention to and care for your driving position if you frequently run a lot of errands.
Required Tools
The best cleaning outcomes and gorgeous leather seats can be attained with the aid of the appropriate tools. To clean leather seats, prepare the following tools:
- Vacuum Cleaner
- Air Compressor
- Leather Car Seat Cleaner
- Microfiber Towel
- Soft-Bristled Brush
- Leather Conditioner
Step by Step Instructions: How to Clean Car Leather Seats
Here are the instructions on how to clean car leather seats:
Look for Any Perforations Or Damages on the Seats to Be Able to Deal With Them Cautiously
Prior to cleaning leather car seats, you should inspect them for damage like holes, tears, scratches, or fraying. Because it is important to handle damaged or perforated leather with caution.
There is a chance that the cleaning solution will unintentionally seep through the deterioration on the leather car seats, harming the inner foam.
In the event that you do discover some on the seats, you shouldn’t spray cleaning solution directly on them. The best way to clean them would be to spray the cleaning agent onto a bristle brush and then brush it on the leather seats. Use a microfiber cloth to clean them after that.
In the unlikely event that the cleaning solution does inadvertently seep in, you must dry it as soon as possible using a hairdryer and a fresh cloth.
Vacuum Out the Dirt and Debris from the Car Seats
Before wiping, all of the dust and debris on the car seats must be taken out with a vacuum. Because when you start wiping, the dirt and debris might be dragged along and scratch the seats. Taking extra care to avoid scratching the seats with the vacuum is also necessary.
Clean up the dirt and debris that has become stuck in the crevices by vacuuming first. Using an air compressor can help you remove particles that are difficult to remove if you have discovered them in hard-to-reach places.
Do a Spot Test on a Car Seat
You would need to conduct a spot test before wiping and scrubbing your car seats with a cleaner. This is crucial, especially if you’re using a cleaner for the first time. This protects the leather covering on your car seats by acting as a preventative measure.
You would do this by applying a small amount of the cleaner to a discreet area of a car seat. It’s safe to use the cleaner if you don’t notice any problems, such as fizzing up or melting, on the surface you applied the cleaner.
Clean Off the Dirt and Grime That Have Not Been Removed by the Vacuum Cleaner
Car seats are susceptible to gathering a layer of mud and grime over time. Surface dirt is very visible on car seats, especially if you don’t clean them frequently. Some of them might not be picked up by the vacuum and may be left behind.
The cleaner must be sprayed onto a microfiber towel, which you must use to clean them. To completely remove stains, gently rub the soft cloth over the seats section by section.
Deep Clean the Car Seat With a Soft-Bristled Brush and Cleaner
Deep cleaning will be required to get rid of stains from a car seat if they are deeply embedded. Using a soft-bristled brush, you would gently scrub the car seats after directly spraying them with the cleaner. In order to get them out onto the surface, this would help agitate any ingrained grease or dirt stains that have built up on the car seats.
Scrub gently, not frantically. The car seats can be harmed if they are subjected to excessive force and pressure. Applying too much cleaner could saturate the seats, which could result in a bad smell and the development of mold. As a result, take care not to overdo it on the cleaning.
Leather car seats could be cleaned quickly and efficiently with a gentle spray and scrub.
The best way to clean leather car seats, however, is to clean them carefully if they have perforated surfaces or have been worn with holes, tears, scratches, or frays.
To stop the cleaner from seeping through and soaking the seats, simply spray cleaner onto a brush and apply the cleaner indirectly through the scrubbing of the seats.
Wipe the Car Seats Clean
After cleaning the car seats, use a dry microfiber cloth to remove the cleaner and dirt. Avoid leaving any residue behind because doing so could cause the car seats to become sticky and odorous. If you don’t completely dry them with a wipe, the leather may warp and crack if you leave it damp and only let it air dry.
Condition the Car Seats
Preliminary spot testing is required before applying conditioner, just like when cleaning leather car seats. If the conditioner is safe to use on your car seats, this would confirm it.
Use a microfiber cloth to gently rub a small amount of conditioner into a discreet area. You can continue conditioning the car seats with the conditioner if it doesn’t deteriorate or discolor the leather.
You’d use a microfiber cloth and a sufficient amount of conditioner. Avoid using too much conditioner because doing so would make the car seats greasy and wet. Next, using gentle circular motions, rub the product onto the leather.
Allow the conditioner to soak and cure the leather on the car seats for at least an hour. To avoid interfering with the absorption of the air conditioner into the car seats, it would be best to park your car under cover, away from the heat of the sun.
The car seats should be polished with a microfiber cloth after the leather has been soaked and allowed to cure. Any excess conditioner would be removed by doing this as well. When buffing them out, you would once more use circular motions.
Read about How To Clean Cloth Car Seats?
Tips for Cleaning Your Leather Car Seats
Cleaning your leather car seats is surprisingly easy, despite the fact that it may seem like a daunting task. However, bear in mind these advice from professionals if you really want to make the interior of your car shine.
Stay Still and Scrub Down: Varela advises letting your leather cleaner sit for a few minutes before scrubbing with a soft bristle cleaning brush to really make it work its magic. Work your brush in a gentle, circular motion for the secret.
Use Leather Conditioner Sparingly: You shouldn’t use leather conditioner every time you clean your seats, even though it might help keep the interior of your car soft and nice-looking. You should apply leather conditioner once every three months, according to Varela.
Explore the Alternatives: If a leather cleaner and conditioner don’t make a driver’s car seats shine, what should they do? Not to worry, according to Sokolowski, there are many other options. Aerosol hairspray could be used to remove permanent marker stains, and a solution of equal parts warm water and rubbing alcohol could be used to get rid of mold and mildew. Grease can be removed with a light sprinkle of baking soda.
Don’ts of Leather Car Seat Cleaning
- Don’t spray anything directly on seats, especially perforated leather. Instead, dampen your microfiber cloth with the solution.
- Don’t use conditioners that contain petroleum or waxes as they can cause product build-up and dull your leather’s finish.
- Don’t let the wet solution dry on the seats. In order for it to be absorbed, make sure to massage it in with your cloth.
- Don’t guess if you’re not the original owner. When in doubt, find out the type of leather used and whether it has been redyed by speaking with your dealer or the original owner.
- Don’t use hard bristles for deep cleaning. Pick a soft-bristled toothbrush or a cleaning tool designed especially for cleaning cars.
- Don’t skimp when it comes to price. Your leather will look its best when cleaned with a premium, all-natural cleaner.
- Don’t soak your cloth with a cleaning solution. If the leather has perforations, too much liquid could soak through them and harm the seat or even cause mildew or mold to grow.
As a general rule, it’s wise to start gently and increase the intensity of your cleaning as necessary for your seats. For a more refined finish, you can also use the same cleaner on your leather dash or trim. Following these guidelines will guarantee that the leather seats in your car remain gorgeous for many years to come.
Last, How to Clean Car Leather Seats?
So, here are the steps on how to clean car leather seats:
- Look for Any Perforations Or Damages on the Seats to Be Able to Deal With Them Cautiously
- Vacuum Out the Dirt and Debris from the Car Seats
- Do a Spot Test on a Car Seat
- Clean Off the Dirt and Grime That Have Not Been Removed by the Vacuum Cleaner
- Deep Clean the Car Seat With a Soft-Bristled Brush and Cleaner
- Wipe the Car Seats Clean
- Condition the Car Seats
It doesn’t matter if you have a retro ride or the latest, greatest model: A set of leather seats can give any car a luxurious edge.
If you have any questions, please leave a comment.
