There is no denying the fact that leather car seats add a certain element of luxury to your car. Since leather seats are priced rather exorbitantly, it makes sense to take proper care of them, doesn´t it? It is definitely difficult to keep leather car seats looking showroom perfect without frequent cleaning.
Nothing ruins the appearance of a leather seat more than dirt and debris. Hence, it is essential for you to clean and maintain them properly. So, how can you keep them clean? Is it possible for you to clean them with soap and water? Or, will you need specialty products to get the job done?
Well, it is not necessary for you to use a commercial leather cleaner. In fact, it is ill-advised for you to use harsh cleaners. Harsh, powerful cleaning agents can play an atrocious role in damaging and discoloring the leather. Therefore, you should be extra careful when using different cleaning agents.
While cleaning leather seats, it is imperative that you don´t strip the leather of its natural oil. If you want to ensure that the leather retains its natural oil, you should put a small amount of laundry detergent on a cloth and rub the leather seats in a circular motion. Then, you should proceed to remove the detergent immediately with a slightly wet cloth.
Without beating about the bush any further, let´s talk about the easiest way to clean your leather car seats. Fortunately, you need not spend a pretty penny to clean the leather seats of your car. It is possible for you to clean your leather seats with simply soap and water.
Cleaning leather car seats with soap and water
Before cleaning the car seats with soap and water, it is of paramount importance for you to vacuum the seats first. You should attempt to remove the dirt and debris from the crevices. However, you should only vacuum the seats using an upholstery attachment to prevent damaging the leather.
As we mentioned earlier, soap and water is all you will need to clean your seats. A dish soap can efficiently and effectively perform the role of a cleaner. First, you should proceed to add a bar of soap, or a squirt or two of dish soap with warm water. After mixing the solution, you can use it to wipe away the dirt on your seats with a soft white cloth. However, before wiping the seats, it is recommended for you to wring out most of the water and ensure that the cloth is damp and not soaking wet. A diluted dish soap solution is well capable of cutting through the accumulated sweat and grime on the seats. You can also use a microfiber glove to further help you in the cleaning process. After you are done with your cleaning process, you must dry out the leather pronto with another white, soft cloth.
If the seats in your car are heavily soiled, you can even apply gentle soap directly onto the damp cloth before wiping away the stains, marks, and dirt. If this process still fails to produce favorable results, you can use household substances that have been particularly manufactured to remove specific problems such as mildew and ink.
However, you should be well aware that it is not advisable for you to repeatedly use soap on your leather seats. Doing so can cause the leather to become stiff. Now, we do not want the leather to become stiff because the stiffer it is, the more prone it becomes to crack and tear. In addition to that, the application of excess soap and water can also leave a stain behind.
Basically, you have to be proactive when dealing with leather; you should wipe up the spills as soon as they hit the seat.
Useful tip
Of course, you would want to keep your car leather seats as clean as possible round the clock. If you want to protect the leather from the sunlight, heat, and drive-through spillages, and extend its life and shine, we would strongly recommend you to apply a moisturizing and leather conditioning treatment once every three months or so.