It’s a no-brainer that your brand new leather seats will crave an abundance of attention from you – and that too, very soon. Leather materials are natural magnets for stains, dust, and grime. But, the real chaos starts when people fail to figure out the best way to clean leather car seats. On the other hand, it’s never cheap to acquire professional help every other month. Hence if you want to remain as lucky as you are now, you need to take matters into your own hands.
Worry not; we have listed some of the best DIYs that will leave your car’s leather seats squeaky clean and looking brand new and conditioned at all times.
Ah, the joy of running your hands over clean leather car seats and cover! Let’s not wait any longer and see how it’s done!
How to Clean and Protect Leather Car Seats
One of the best ways of knowing how to clean and protect leather car seats is to opt for DIY solutions. A simple homemade mix can do wonders in getting off even the most stubborn stains from your car’s leather seats. Unlike others, these concoctions are easy to access, mix, and use, minimizing your professional assistance costs.
Best Way to Clean Leather Car Seats
There are plenty of methods that people use worldwide to save a few bucks and multiple trips down to the professional shop. You can opt for any of these solutions based on which one’s closest to you and the availability.
However, there are a few points to note about the cleaning solutions and conditionings before jumping in on the trend. Let’s look into these dos and don’ts and get a clearer picture of the best way to clean leather car seats.
Leather Car Seat Cleaner and Conditioner
Leather car seat cleaners are needed for the solution to penetrate deep within the leather material to eradicate odor, grime, stains, and dirt.
Generally, these cleaners are followed by a leather conditioner. Conditioners are needed to rejuvenate the leather material, especially where users spot cracks or dries. Over time, the leather loses its moisture due to weather and regular wear and tear.
Therefore, conditioning adds another layer which acts as a protectant and restores the moisture.
Here are some criteria that car seat leather cleaners must have.
- The concentration must be fragrance-free and non-toxic.
- The product must work on both old and new leather.
- It must be able to clean all kinds and colors of leather.
- Spray concoctions are easier to use and wipe away.
- These cleaners must be free of harsh chemicals.
Cleaning Leather Car Seats DIY
In order to know the best way to clean leather car seats and succeed in it, we have a few ways to go around it. Let’s check these DIYs first.
- Toothpaste –
Take some non-gel toothpaste and dab it upon the infected area. Scrub the stain using a toothbrush and wipe it off when done. Toothpaste is excellent to eradicate scuffs too. - Cream of Tartar and Lemon Juice –
This concoction has some bleaching effect; therefore, avoid using dark upholstery. Mix equal parts of cream of tartar and lemon juice. Apply the solution to the stained area and leave it for 30 minutes. Wipe away afterward. - Baking Soda –
This mix will remove grease or oil stains easily. Sprinkle some baking soda on the greasy spot and rub it with a damp cloth. Let the solution sit overnight. Wipe off the soda with a soft cloth. The soda should be able to absorb the grease. - Rubbing Alcohol –
Blot the stained area with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol. Once you notice the stain evaporating, clean the spot with a solution of warm water and liquid dish soap. Wipe with a damp and clean cloth.
Car Seat Cleaning Solution
The best cleaning solution is a mixture of castile soap and warm water. It’s easier to place the solution in a bucket as the ratio has to be 1 part soap to 5 parts water.
Another DIY solution that’s been very popular for its effectiveness is the olive oil and vinegar mix. Simply mix 1/4 cups of vinegar with 1/2 cups of olive oil and place it in a spritz bottle. Spray the mixture on the leather seats and let it sit for around five minutes. Afterwards, simply wipe away with a clean cloth.
Using a dampened cloth to clean the leather car seats can also release much of the user’s hassle. Moreover, it’s suggested to avoid overusing the mix on the leather, which might create a pool of unwanted water and an even bigger mess later.
What Do I Need When Cleaning Leather Car Seats?
You will require the following materials to get started.
- Two clean washcloth
- A bucket
- Any good quality, commercial leather cleaner or castile soap
- Warm water
6 Easy Steps to Cleaning Leather Car Seats
Keeping your car’s leather seats neat and tidy at all times can be an enormous responsibility. On the other hand, if you have children who are prone to spills, you might have to clean more often than regular.
What’s underwhelming about this is that professional help to clean these foul messes can cost you a fortune. On the brighter side, homemade concoctions and DIYs can eradicate filthy grime, dirt, and stains off your leather car seats in no time.
Besides, leather seats are luxury items which require the best care. However, it still seems a bit extreme to be pouring even more money into this already costly item by taking professional help. This is why DIYs for leather seats are so popular and the best part – they actually work!
So without further ado, let’s see the best way to clean leather car seats.
Step# 1:
Start with vacuuming the seats. This will eliminate any existing dirt and dust from the surface of the leather seats.
Step#2:
Next, you can either use a commercial-based cleaner or a mixture of castile soap and warm water. You must opt for cleaning solutions that aren’t ammonia-based or contain bleach.
Step#3:
If you are using your own mix, take 1 part soap and 5 parts of water in a bucket.
Step#4:
Take a clean washcloth and dampen it with the solution to wipe down the affected areas of the leather seat. Remember, you must not saturate the seats with this concoction. It will create a pool of water and soap that will be challenging to get rid of if you do.
Moreover, it can also seep into the leather seat’s cushions, which can create an irreversible error. Excess water also has a tendency to leave stain marks on leather seats.
Step#5:
Use a second damp cloth to clean it thoroughly.
Step#6:
Take a clean and dry towel and wipe it one final time.
How to Care for Leather Car Seats?
As we understand by now, leather seats can attract and disseminate dirt quite quickly. The trick is to know when and how often you must condition and clean the seats in order to maintain them. One way to care for leather car seats is to deep clean and condition them.
First, you must vacuum the seats and apply a leather cleaner on the surface. After wiping it dry, you must wait for a day for the seats to dry down completely. Using a good quality conditioner is a must too. After cleaning and drying the leather seats, ensure that you’ve coated the seats with a generous layer of conditioner. Wipe off the excess, and you should be left with shiny seats!
Similarly, cleaning and conditioning must be done in 2-3 months, depending on how often you use your car. If you rarely use the vehicle, you can get away with deep cleaning them every 6 months. However, it’s wiser to attend to them immediately in case of spills. Spills are significant reasons for stains.
Tips for Cleaning Leather Car Seats
While cleaning your vehicle’s leather seats, here are a few things to note.
- Don’t overuse the cleaners or DIY mixture and make a liquid pool atop the seats.
- Avoid using cleansers that are too harsh on the leather.
- Keep in mind that bleaching elements in cleaners can lighten the leather’s color.
- Use clean washcloths and towels for the DIYs.
- Maintain a few months’ worth’s of gap with deep cleaning based on the intensity of usage.
- Try to tend to spills as soon as possible.
Dos and Don’ts of Leather Car Seat Cleaning
Let’s settle the basic dos and don’ts before you jump in with the deep cleaning. Even though maintenance is vital, it doesn’t come easy for leather seats. Let’s clear the fluff and see what you can and can’t do while cleaning them.
The Dont’s –
- Research the type of leather your car has, don’t guess it.
- Avoid using cheap wax, oils, and cleaners.
- Avoid using brushes with rough and stiff bristles on the seats.
- Don’t soak the cloth or the seats with the cleaner solutions, as it can cause mildew.
- Never let the cleaners dry on the leather seats.
- Avoid scrubbing the leather seats vigorously.
- Don’t spray anything directly on perforated leather seats.
- Conditioners with wax or petroleum are a big no-no as they cause buildups.
The Dos –
- Condition the seats occasionally but clean them regularly.
- Ensure that the cleaner doesn’t contain any toxic or harsh chemicals. Opt for organic, natural, and non-toxic products.
- Use microfiber washcloths as they’re soft to touch and not rough on the seats.
- Clean in small sections.
- Vacuum first thoroughly to avoid scratches from the dirt rubbing against the surface.
- Always spot-test the cleaner on the leather seats to check suitability.
How Do I Clean Perforated and White Leather Seats
Perforated seats are the tricky kinds. But, with some guidance, even an amateur can succeed in cleaning them. So, here’s the best way to clean leather car seats, focusing on the perforated areas.
- Step 1: Vacuum the seats thoroughly, especially the perforated parts.
- Step 2: Use high-end and high-quality leather brush and cleaner to eliminate dirt and grime. Spray the cleaner on the leather seats, let the dirt soften up, and brush them out.
- Step 3: Wipe off the excess using a clean microfiber towel when you’re done brushing the seats and are satisfied with the results.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
Q1. How to Identify Your Car Seats Leather?
A) Leather material doesn't look and feel rough. They have no backing but have a suede-looking exterior.
Q2. Why Is It Difficult to Remove Leather Car Seat Stains?
A) Leathers are natural absorbents of contaminants, and liquids. This is why some stains are impossibly stubborn.
Q3. How Can I Make My Leather Seats Look New?
A) Applying thin coats of retouching fluid or diluted leather recoloring on the leather seats will turn them as good as new.
Q4. How to Protect and Remove Stains from Leather Car Seats?
A) A DIY mix that's effective is a concoction of 1/4 cup of vinegar and 1/2 cup of olive oil.
Q5. What Household Items Can I Use to Clean the Leather in My Car?
A) To clean stains off leather, you can either use lemon juice, vinegar mixes, non-gel toothpaste, or nail polish remover.
Q6. How to Clean Leather Car Seats Naturally?
A) Mix 1/4 cups of vinegar and 1/2 cup of olive oil and replace it in a spray bottle. Spritz and let it sit on the seat for a few minutes, and wipe away.
Q7. How Often Do You Need to Condition Leather Car Seats?
A) The general rule is to condition them every three months. If your car is used frequently, you can also switch it for up to two months. Similarly, if your car is used on an irregular basis, conditioning them every six months is appropriate.
Q8. What Should You Not Put on a Leather Car Seat?
A) A few things to never put on leather seats directly are sprays of any kind, conditioners with wax or petroleum, and any other wet solutions.
Final Words
Be honest, now that you know the best way to clean leather car seats, doesn’t it all seem easy? In contrast to having to make multiple trips to the professional shop every now and then, these alternative DIY solutions are not only cost-effective but will save you a ton of time too!
One vital point to note is that you must opt for an organic mix while using commercial cleaners. Moreover, purchasing a low-cost cleaner or conditioner will never do any good to your car. It will do the opposite and cause the leather seat’s quality to deteriorate over time. Therefore, if you’re not up for using DIYs, ensure that the commercial cleaner and conditioner are top-notch quality.
Having said that, delay no longer. Your leather seats are dying for a deep clean, and you’re the only one who can do it!
