best solution cleaning leather car seats

User ReviewedHow to Clean Leather Car Seats Two Parts:Cleaning the SeatsConditioning the SeatsCommunity Q&A It's easy to neglect your car's interior, especially when it comes to keeping the seats clean; however, keeping the leather seats in great condition can really make your car stand out. You'll want to remove surface dirt, clean the leather, and condition the seats regularly. While this may sound labor intensive, the steps are actually quite simple, and when done regularly, cleaning is a breeze. Check to see if your car seats have any perforated areas. If so, take care not to get water, cleanser or conditioner stuck down into the holes. Consult your car manual. Before you clean or apply any products, refer to your car's owner's manual. There should be specific instructions on how to properly care for the leather upholstery, as well as products to avoid.Use a vacuum hose and attachment or wet-dry vac to suck up any large particles of dirt. Use extreme care so you don't scratch the leather.

You could also use an air compressor to blow out dirt from in between the seat cracks.If your seats are really dirty, you'll be able to see a layer of grime on the leather; however, even seemingly clean seats will have a layer of dirt and grime that's accumulated over time. Spray a microfiber towel with cleaner and wipe over the seats. Use leather cleaner, saddle soap, or another mild leather soap. You can use a commercial cleaner for leather seats or make your own: Combine 1 part white vinegar and 2 parts linseed oil in a bowl or spray bottle. Use a brush to deep clean the leather. Spray the cleaner directly onto your seats and use a soft-bristled brush to gently scrub the leather. This will agitate the dirt and bring it to the surface. If you have perforated leather seats, avoid spraying cleaner onto the seats. Instead, spray the bristle brush and use it to scrub the leather. Then, wipe dry with a microfiber cloth. Wipe the seats clean. Use a clean and dry microfiber cloth to wipe off the cleaning agent that you scrubbed into the leather.

Look for a high-quality leather conditioner that does not contain petroleum distillates, silicone, or waxes.
what is the best engineered hardwood floor cleaner[5] The goal of the conditioner is to replenish the natural oils in the leather, so choose one with top-quality ingredients. Cheaper leather conditioners may cling to the leather and have a greasy finish. Perform a spot test. Choose an inconspicuous area and apply a little conditioner. Gently rub it in using a microfiber cloth or sponge. Make sure the cleaner doesn't damage or discolor your seats.Apply the conditioner to the seats and use a microfiber cloth or sponge to gently massage or rub it into the leather. Avoid applying too much conditioner, which will sit on top of the leather, making the seats greasy or slick. If in doubt, take a clean dry microfiber cloth and lightly wipe over the conditioned seats to remove any excess conditioner.

Be sure to follow the product directions. Park your car in the shade or in your garage overnight. Give the conditioner some time out of the sun so it has a chance to set in without the bombardment of UV light. Let the conditioner sit for at least one hour. Use a microfiber cloth to buff the seats. Once the conditioner has had a chance to soak into the leather, take a clean dry microfiber cloth and polish the seats. Use circular motions and take care to wipe up excess conditioner. Don't over-condition your leather seats. Most seats only need conditioning treatment a few times a year. Cleaning and conditioning your vehicle's leather seats doesn't take long and should be repeated at least every 3 months. Avoid using a household cleaner on your leather seats, even if it's diluted. The chemicals in such a cleaner will dry out the leather, causing it to crack and even tear. It can also strip the protective coating, which will cause fading and open the leather up to staining.

Avoid contact between certain cleaners and other parts of the car. Depending on the chemical and the part of the car, the chemical can cause damage.Welcome to clean leather car seats where this professional detailer is going to show you what works as opposed to the bad results you are most likely used to getting with traditional car leather cleaners. We have been mislead as car owners and consumers by an industry simply wanting to sell us more and moreconvincing us that leather is a delicate and exotic material that requires specialized cleaners and conditioners. What they have failed to communicate is that the car leather of today's automobiles, is very different than the car leathers used in the cars of the past. Car leather care and cleaning is much easier and simpler than most people realize due to the advances in car leather manufacturing. With an industry bent on selling us more and more products, it is no wonder why the vast majority of people remain in stuck in the past!

Getting professional results with cleaning your car leather is easier and simpler than most people think. With the right products and tools, applied with some strategic techniques, you too can enjoy the same results normally reserved to veteran detailers. "Darren, I am tired of the frustrating results I get with every car leather cleaner I seem to use! I've got questions and need answers!" Most people like yourself are stuck in the past and the industry wants you to stay there so they can continue to sell you more and more products. But the car leathers of yesterday are not the same as the car leathers of present day cars. Pictured Above: As you can see by the before and after pictures above that drastic results are indeed possible. But your every-day car leather cleaners are not going to produce these type of professional results. As consumers, we are forever at the mercy of advertising and marketing; all designed to sell you more and more products. So many voices, with so many opinions and all you want is clean leather car seats;

but you're unsure as to where to start and how to do it. I will share with you some of what twenty years in the world of professional auto detailing has taught me regarding actual leather cleaning methods and leather cleaning products. What do I mean by that? This is to remind you that we are filled with many leather items in our world: leather shoes, belts, gloves, equestrian tack, etc. And the point is this, "car leather is car leather", it is not any of these other forms of leathers. Leather car seats exist in many of the cars and trucks today, and no longer is it just a material reserved for the elite among us. Leather can be found in everything from sports cars, sedans, trucks, SUV's, vans, and even higher end RV's.Follow along as I break down the subject of your cars leather interior into the different levels of dirt including specific strategies of cleaning. Since there will be endless situations and one man's dirt is another man's clean, I have broken this page into (3) areas based on level of car leather cleaning any of you will encounter.

Simply find the area that meets your particular situation the best. Most of you visiting this page will have missed the window of opportunity by learning the tips of cleaning and maintaining your car leather upholstery when it is brand new from the beginning. But with that said, there are those of you out there who have just recently purchased that brand new car with leather upholstery looking to maintain your car's leather in show room condition.You Don't Need to Over-think:For those of you out there this is an area that doesn't have to be over-thought as you will not have excessive amounts of dirt on your car leather. Despite the endless opinions you will hear out there regarding how to clean leather car seats, due to the nature of modern-day car leather, keeping them clean from the beginning is far easier and simpler than ever. I suggest you lay the ground work first by reading my car leather care page first, then come back here. Well known industry leader in car leather care.

Suitable choice if you are cleaning and conditioning new car leather that has not been allowed to become excessively dirty.Kit comes complete for all your leather and vinyl care. Another well known industry leader in car care.Suitable for any new car leather if you stay on-top of your leather cleaning and conditioning.All-in-one cleaner and conditioner. If you are not willing to review my in-depth page on car leather and some important facts that will most likely completely change not only your understanding of car leather in general, but how you go about cleaning and maintaining it, then simply us the bullet point list below: This area will be where most of you find yourselves. Light to medium levels of dirt on your car leather. What you will find interesting is that I don't actually recommend any dedicated car leather cleaners, but an all purpose cleaner form Meguiar's. You can view my YouTube channel as I have many videos on the subject for your additional help and information: Auto Fetish Detail YouTube For my dedicated page on this Meguiar's product, you can see the comprehensive review at all-purpose cleaner.

The only product most of you will ever need to do 98% of all your car interior cleaning.A far more effective product to clean leather car seats than any off-the-shelf leather cleaner!Concentrate formulation so you can custom blend to suit your cleaning requirements.Suitable cleaner for virtually any material you will find within your car: upholstery, carpeting, vinyl seating, leather seating, etc., etc.Always read product directions for use and mix ratios. Many of you will be faced with excessive levels of dirt on your car's leather and to clean leather car seat will require the use of even more aggressive cleaning capabilities. You will be alarmed, but the product below is one of my favorites and I indeed use it on car leather.For my dedicated comprehensive review of this Meguiar's product, you can go to super-degreaser. One of my favorite products that can be used virtually anywhere in the car based on strength of dilution.Most of you will probably consider a gallon size over-kill, but due to its versatility, you will not run out of areas to use as a super-duty cleaner.

Safe for virtually all materials in your cars upholstery; including car leather cleaning.For heavy duty cleaning, I mix at a 4:1 ratio. This would be for engines, tires, wheel wells, etc.To clean leather car seat, I start with a 10;1 ratio and use repeat applications as much as needed for desired results.If you want to follow up with a leather conditioner, it is entirely up to you. Car leather will last a life time if you are willing to simply keep it clean from the beginning. Most people race to see what the best car leather conditioners are and bypass the more critical factor of just keeping the leather in your car clean in the first place. Common dirt and skin oils combine to create damaging effects to your cars leather. The longer it is allowed to remain, the more damaging it becomes. For general leather cleaning including regular maintenance, use the following products and tips below: Use scrub brush to get better results regardless of your choice in cleaners.Use scrub brush to aggressively scrub and clean leather car seat after you have sprayed area with All-purpose cleaner.

Yes, it is completely safe to clean leather car seats with. Simply another alternative to the scrub brush above.Without the use of some form of scrub brush, you will never clean leather car seat with acceptable results unless of course your car leather isn't really dirty to begin with.Most people think car leather is a very delicate and fragile. Trust me, your car leather can be scrubbed very aggressively with either of these brushes. If in doubt, simply go easy and work your way into it. Heavy Duty Leather Cleaning: If you have car leather upholstery that you know is excessively dirty, and you want to see what I use for excessively dirty car upholstery regardless of material, you can go to: heavy duty car leather cleaning Don't Forget: Just wanted to let you know I spend a lot of time putting together my videos on my You Tube channel to bring the information to life so you can learn the actual techniques. Please make sure to subscribe to my channel as I will be constantly updated it with more and more instructional videos.