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How to Clean and Condition Leather Car Seats

How to Clean and Condition Leather Car Seats

Posted by Aaron Snow on Mar 26th 2014

Is your car considered your second home? You know, the place that you spend most of your time, whether commuting to the office or driving the kids to their extracurricular activities. If so, then those leather car seats that you paid a pretty penny for at the dealership can find themselves in a less than optimal condition. Luckily it is possible to clean your car leather very easily, bringing the beauty back to one of the favorite options on your car.

Why Clean and Condition Your Car Leather?

You might wonder why you have to take special care of your leather car seats. Aren’t they just like any other seats? The answer is an emphatic no! Leather car seats are worlds apart from any other car seat and without proper care will end up dried, cracked and looking, just plain ugly!

Cleaning Your Car Leather

Your first step in the process is to find a good leather cleaner. Yes, there are good and bad cleaners. You do not want to use one that has a high level of chemicals in it because they could do more damage to your seats than any of your children could do on their worst day. A natural cleaner that is mild yet packs a punch is Chamberlain’s Straight Cleaner No 2. A good leather cleaner will get down into the pores of your car leather helping to loosen and remove all that dirt and grime that has built up over time. If you don't use a cleaner first, you can trap those collected clogging substances with the leather conditioner you choose to use. Once you have chosen your cleaner, it is time to get cleaning! Grab yourself a soft cloth and start applying the cleaner liberally to your leather. Try not to scrub hard, simply use soft, circular motions to clean your car leather and finish by wiping it with a clean cloth. On light car leather you can use a soft- bristle brush to rub in the cleaner to get the dirt out of the grain and crevasses followed by a wipe with a soft cloth.

Conditioning Your Car Leather

As you take a step back and admire the cleanliness in your car, that if you have kids will only last a few minutes, smile and be proud. But do not sit down –you are not done! Yes, those precious leather car seats need a little more love. They need their natural oils replenished. This is done with a good leather conditioner like Chamberlain’s Auto Refreshener No. 4 which not only conditions the leather but also provides protection from harmful sun rays with natural UV Protectant. Once the leather seats have completely dried, using the same technique, apply the conditioner in soft, circular motions and wipe it clean when you are all done. This will give your leather its natural beauty back – giving you that new car feeling for 2.5 seconds if you have kids. If you do not have kids and you are a neat freak – this feeling could last for quite a while; enjoy it!

Contributors
Stephanie Clarke
Chris Repp (www.leatherhelp.com)