5 Easy Steps To Cleaning Your Leather Car Seats | Turtle Wax

In this article you will learn:

• How to clean and protect your leather car seats and upholstery
• The importance of maintaining your leather interior
• The best cleaners and conditioners to use on your leather upholstery

Whether you're embarking on a road trip or taking your daily commute, there’s nothing better than sitting in a plush, leather car seat as you’re driving to your destination. Leather is a luxury; that’s why we’re willing to pay extra for it! Unfortunately, leather is much more susceptible to everyday wear and tear and damage from exposure to the sun.

To prevent your leather from cracking or fading in the sun, it’s important to clean and protect your leather car seats and upholstery once every three months. Luckily, leather is much easier to clean than cloth covered upholstery. Just follow these 5 simple steps to keep your leather car seats and upholstery in pristine, showroom condition!

What You Need to Know

Just like your skin, leather can become dry and brittle after prolonged exposure to the sun, causing the material to crack and fade. Just as you use lotion to hydrate your skin, leather car seats require special care to maintain their resale value.

The more traffic you have in your car seats, the more often you should care for your leather interior. Meaning, if you take your kids to and from school and sports practice, you’ll need to clean and protect your upholstery every month instead of every three months. If you typically run lots of errands, you’ll need to give your driver’s seat extra attention and care.

The best way to keep your leather car seats plush and protected is to use a cleaning and conditioning spray like Luxe Leather or Hybrid Solutions Leather Mist. These leather cleaners are infused with gentle stain removers and hydrating agents, such as aloe vera and neatsfoot oil, to clean and protect leather surfaces inside your car. You can pair your cleaner with a gentle scrubbing tool like the Scrub Ninja Pad or a fresh microfiber towel.

Pro Tip: If you’re wearing pants with metal buttons or have sharp objects in your pockets, be extra careful when getting in and out of your leather car seats! These items can scratch or tear your upholstery.

Step 1: Vacuum Any Loose Dirt and Contaminants

Start by using a portable vacuum cleaner to suck up any dirt, crumbs or other loose soils from your car seats. Use the handheld upholstery attachment to reach deep between the cushions to clean as much dirt and dust as you can with the vacuum cleaner.

It’s important to vacuum your car seats first to avoid damage from rubbing abrasive contaminants into your leather finish. Breadcrumbs and grains of sand can leave tiny scratches in your leather cushions that are difficult to hide or remove.

Step 2: Apply Leather Cleaner and Conditioner

Once you’ve finished vacuuming, apply an even coating of leather cleaner and conditioner onto each panel of your leather interior. If you’re using a Flarisol spray bottle like the one that comes with our Hybrid Solutions Leather Mist, use short bursts of product to cover smaller, more intricate spaces and one, continuous spray to cover larger surface area. Use a higher concentration of product on any stains or soils, making them easier to remove.

Step 3: Gently Scrub Your Leather Car Seats and Upholstery

Use your Scrub Ninja Pad or a folded microfiber towel to gently scrub away dirt, oils and grime using soft, circular motions. Continue to spray and scrub stubborn stains and soils until any tough spots on your leather car seats and upholstery have been removed.

Step 4: Wipe Away Excess Product and Soils

Use your microfiber towel to wipe away any excess product and soils. Any abrasive particles loosened during the cleaning process will be drawn into the gentle fibers of the microfiber material, protecting your car seats from scratches for the smoothest possible finish.

Step 5: Buff Leather Surfaces to a Supple Shine

You’re almost done! Flip your microfiber towel over to a clean side and buff your freshly cleaned leather to a beautiful, glossy sheen. Taking the time to perform this crucial step allows the softening and hydrating agents in your leather conditioner to penetrate every nook and cranny of your leather upholstery, protecting it from cracking or fading from prolonged exposure to harsh, UV rays.

And just like that, you’ve given your leather car seats the extra care they need to stay plush and luxurious!

Be sure to follow these 5 easy steps throughout the year to protect your leather investment, or any time you want to give your leather interior a quick refresh!