How to Keep the leather seats in your Car looking Brand New?
Apart from the mileage, paint job, accessories, and overall look, the first thing that anyone notices in a car is the leather-appointed interior. Doesn’t matter how good the paint job is or how well you have maintained your car, just removing the leather-appointed interior is going to take away the premium look of the car. And when one specific part of your car can be the difference between a premium looking car and an old and dull-looking car then you must learn how to take care of the leather-appointed interior, especially the seats.
From bespoke to basics, nowadays, car manufacturers are offering a wide variety of styles when it comes to leather seating for comfort and style. Earlier, rich and wealthy people relied on untreated aniline leather for their vehicles but since these types of leather were hard to maintain, they were soon abandoned by all the car owners.
Nowadays, all the leather seats are treated and properly coated for shine, less maintenance, and durability. This allows you to spend less time on leather seat maintenance and more on enjoying the comfort and premium look. But still, you should be aware of the basics of leather seating maintenance and this is what we are going to discuss in this blog post.
The deep clean method
Step -1
Vacuum
To begin on the right foot, you should start with vacuuming up any loose dust and debris. But always ensure to set the vacuum on a low power level since you are not going to deal with tough stains and thick layers of dust.
If it’s been a while since you cleaned your leather seats then it must have picked up some unwelcome travelers and if you are going to clean the seats without removing them then it will make the situation worse.
Step-2
Use a leather cleaner
The market of car maintenance has become so advanced that you might even don’t need to take your car to the repair shop and the same can be said about the leather seats as well. Just search for good quality leather cleaner or buy a proper leather repair kit and that’s it.
You can apply the leather cleaner on the leather seats of your car by using a soft-bristled brush but use it only at the problem areas, not on the whole seat. The most common spots where you might have to deal with an issue are the places where the skin and hairs come regularly in contact with the seats.
Step-3
Wipe dry
The last step in the deep vacuum process is to use dry and clean microfiber to get rid of any type of excess moisture. This is necessary because the seats are going to stay damp to the touch unless they are properly coated.
You should never try to get rid of the excess moisture as soon as possible as this might ruin the coating layer. Give at least 24 hours for the seat to dry as the time taken by the seat to dry mostly depends on the climatic condition.
What to do?
Always go for spot testing before using any type of cleaner for the leather seat.
Never skip the vacuuming process before using any type of cleaner on the leather seat.
Go slowly and work in small sections instead of pouring the whole cleaner on the leather seat
If you are making your own solution then always mix one part of water with two parts of vinegar.
Clean regularly and condition occasionally. You should clean the seats more than once a month and conditioning should be done twice a year.
What not to do?
Just buying the best leather repair kit and using a deep vacuum process is not enough as there are a few things that you must avoid when it comes to leather seat maintenance.
It doesn’t matter what the product label says, never spray anything directly on the leather seats, especially if you have perforated leather. Always dampen a microfiber cloth with the spray and then apply it evenly.
Don’t just use any product on the lather seat, especially if you are not sure which type of leather has been used in your car. If you have doubt then don’t shy away from getting in touch with the dealer.
Never skimp when it comes to price. A good quality leather seat will always last long and it will require less maintenance as well.
Never soak the cloth with a cleaning solution. Applying too much liquid on the seat surface can damage the leather.
Since leather seats are the first thing anyone is going to notice while entering your car, you should use the right solution and process for keeping the leather look brand new.
