Whether you're driving a retro classic or the most recent model, you want your leather car seats looking as good as new, right?
Thing is: your leather upholstery demands a little more care than standard seats, and not just any old cleaning material will do. Leather demands a special kind of love and attention.
But the good news is that cleaning leather car seats isn't as difficult (or expensive) as you might think.
Let's find out how.
A Necessary Chore
Let's be honest: the inside of your vehicle often gets a little . . . overlooked.
After all, the whole world's going to see your dirty alloys and windows, but who's going to care about some dusty seats? Especially when half or more of those seats aren't going to be regularly used.
Plus, cleaning the outside of a car is a heck of a lot easier. Hose, sponge, a bucket-full of hot, soapy water, and plenty of space in which to move. By contrast, a car interior is crammed and hard to move around in.
But leather deserves the right amount of attention if it's going to look its best, and if you're on a PCP or car lease deal, you want to return the car in the best condition.
What Equipment Do I Need?
Not an awful lot, to be honest.
In fact, you probably already have some of the necessary equipment at home.
You need:
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A vacuum cleaner (plus an optional air compressor)
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A set of microfibre cloths (soft, not rough and ragged)
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A soft-bristled brush (and maybe an optional toothbrush for those 'hard to get at' spots)
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An effective cleaning product for leather
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Leather conditioner
1. Vacuum Your Seats
First thing's first . . .
It's no good having crumbs, hair and bits of dirt on the leather before you apply any kind of soap or water, so you'll want to grab a heavy duty shop-vac or a handheld vacuum (basically anything with a hose) and get to work.
Vacuuming is an important first step because it stops substances from getting ingrained into the leather and messing up its texture. You can’t clean your car’s leather seats effectively if dirt or debris ends up in the material. And be sure not to miss those hard to reach spots in the creases between your leather seats' sitting surfaces and back surfaces.
If you don't have a handheld vacuum or nozzle, you could just resort to using the dust brush on your regular vacuum, as its soft bristles won't scratch or gouge the leather (definitely avoid hard bristles, by the way).
2. Apply Cleaning Solution
Once you’ve got your chosen cleaning solution that you've decided you want to use (we'll talk about relevant leather-cleaning products in a minute), the next step is obviously applying it directly onto the leather seats, whilst also applying it on other leather areas of the interior like the centre console and dashboard. Then you have to let the solution sit for about thirty to sixty seconds in order for it to break up any contaminants on the leather.
When spraying onto door panels and leather dashboards, you're best applying the solution in small bursts or even onto an applicator pad or microfibre towel. This is to help avoid overspray and to make sure that the solution doesn't end up on the windshield or any of the windows. But if that does happen, then just wipe off with a damp towel.
3. Wash With a Microfiber Cloth
Dampen a microfiber cloth with the cleaning solution and apply to the leather seats. Scrub away at any dirty spots or stains until completely removed. Assuming that they haven't settled fully into the leather, this should only require a minimal amount of elbow grease. Tougher stains will need some additional scrubbing to fully get rid of.
One thing to avoid though is overdoing it by putting too much of the cleaning solution into the seats. After all, soaked leather takes a long time to dry and could eventually become mouldy. So don't go overkill.
4. Wipe Clean and Dry
After scrubbing, there will still likely be some moisture left inside the fabric, which is perfectly normal. And it’s important to remember that you can't allow the seats to dry by themselves or leave them like that overnight, as this could potentially warp the leather and cause it to crack.
Instead, the best thing to do is dry the seats with a fresh microfibre cloth in order to lower the chance of mould or any material damage.
5. Protect Your Leather with Leather Conditioner
Almost done, we promise.
So you've now got nice and shiny leather seats, and it's time for some conditioner.
The point of conditioner is to add a protective coating to your newly-cleaned leather seats, giving it that extra sparkle – just like how you would wax the exterior of your car to protect the shiny paintwork. Conditioning the leather temporarily shields it from heat and abrasion.
To properly condition the seats, all you have to do is massage the conditioner in with a microfibre cloth using circular motions. Once you've applied it, leave it for around five or ten minutes in order to let it cure and soak fully into the leather. Then, with another fresh microfibre cloth, buff up the leather so as to wipe away any excess conditioner. The seats should now feel supple and won't have that unappealing 'greasy' look.
Note: if the leather seats in your car are coloured, you should be able to get hold of conditioning products with special colouring compounds.
Store-Bought Leather Cleaners
So, what cleaning products should you actually use?
If you want to use store-bought, manufactured products, then make sure that they are specifically intended for cleaning leather car seats.
The best thing about these as opposed to 'homemade' DIY leather cleaners is that they are a quick, easy choice and are available at most auto stores. Be warned though not to purchase one with either bleach or ammonia, as these products contain compounds which can actually damage your leather seats.
Leather Honey
Leather honey cleaner contains a honey texture which is non-toxic and water-repellent, and its thickness makes it an excellent product for restoration. So this is an ideal product to use if your leather seats have endured years of wear and tear.
Carfidant Ultimate Leather Cleaner The particular cleaning product has a less aggressive chemical mixture, which means that no colour dyes are used in the product and that no scents are left after cleaning. This would be ideal if you have allergies or want to avoid using products that leave any kind of strong smell.
DIY Leather Cleaners
Instead of purchasing an actual leather-cleaning product, you could also use more 'homemade' cleaning solutions. These will likely make use of household items which you might already have in your kitchen or cupboards, making for a more cost-effective solution. Then it's mostly a case of mixing these household liquids with warm water and soap. You'd be surprised at what can work.
Just be wary of generic, multi-surface soap products. These have a greater chance of drying out the leather upholstery and leaving it prone to damage. Also, stay away from wax or overly-greasy products.
Baking soda
Its power for natural stain removal makes baking soda a popular choice for cleaning stains. It sucks out dampness and dirt from seats and is best used as a conditioner. When it comes to applying it, you can either sprinkle it over and allow to absorb before wiping away, or you can mix up a paste with several drops of water. Just be careful with more fragile material, in which case sticking to more mainstream leather-cleaning products might be better.
Coconut Oil
Often praised for the fantastic benefits it can have on your skin and hair, so it's no wonder that it also works well on leather. It's great as a conditioner if you just apply it gradually and rub in with a dry cloth. But if coconut oil sounds too exotic, then even olive oil can work well.
Vinegar
Yep, vinegar goes down like a treat due to its tremendous antibacterial properties.
It's a simple case of filling up a spray bottle to about three-quarters full with vinegar, and then topping up the rest of the bottle with warm water. Spray it onto the areas you want to clean, then wipe away with a clean, dry cloth. Nice and easy . . . so definitely worth a try if you're keen not to shell out on mainstream cleaning products.
Vinegar won't cause any damage to your seats, but it can have a strong smell, so maybe best not using it on a scorching hot day.
Rubbing Alcohol
Works wonders for blotting out stains on leather seats. Just use a ball of cotton wool or a dry, lint-free cloth to apply it to the chosen area. And after doing so, apply a liquid soap solution with warm water to clean it off.
Flaxseed Oil
It's effective because it gets absorbed into the 'pores' of your leather seats, leaving them with a gorgeous shine. Plus it protects from any humidity damage. Flaxseed oil is also unlikely to cause any allergies, unlike some mainstream store-bought products.
Laundry Detergent
Or if you don't have that, then dish soap could even work. Just grab a spray bottle and fill it up with warm (but not boiling) water, then adding with one whole teaspoon of laundry detergent or dish soap. Shake it up and you're ready to go.
Summary
Hopefully, you now have a good idea of how to keep your leather car seats squeaky clean.
As you can see, taking good care of them does require time and resources, but it's still a fairly accessible task. And as long as you take the right steps, there's no excuse for them to look trashy. Giving your leather seats a regular clean will keep them (and you) happy for a long time to come, offering decent resistance against any natural or unforeseen deterioration.
So, if you have a couple hours to spare, best get down to it.
You'll thank us later!
FAQs
What is the best way to clean your leather car seats?
Vacuum, clean, wash, wipe, condition.
What household products can you use to clean leather?
Quite a few, including saddle soap, soft, cloth, rubbing alcohol, and cotton swabs.
Can you use washing up liquid to clean leather car seats?
You could, but it definitely shouldn't be your first port of call.
How often should you clean leather seats?
If your vehicle has a dark-coloured leather interior, then you're advised to clean them at least 3-4 times per year. Light-coloured leather needs more cleaning, so maybe once every month in that case.
What should you not clean leather with?
The main products you want to avoid when cleaning leather include white vinegar, cream of tartar, and lemon juice. Also, never use ammonia or bleach-based products.