Leather seats have been used in vehicles for almost over ten decades. They are attractive to look at and quite comfortable to sit on. The biggest advantage of leather is that when the weather is hot, leather seats absorb perspiration. And, there’s nothing like the smell of a car’s leather interior.
Leather, however, requires maintenance, certainly more than vinyl seats do, in order to keep up their luxurious appearance. Because leather is an organic product, it may deteriorate over time because it loses its natural oils. As a result, we recommend that you clean and condition your car’s leather seats frequently.
Most people do not treat their leather often. This is why you see so many older vehicles with old, stiff leather seating. You can easily avoid that fate by conditioning your leather at least twice per year. Think of it as a maintenance thing, like oil and filter changes, that you can take care of yourself, so here’s how to do it:
Cleaning
Cleaning leather is best done by using a specifically designed, excellent leather cleaning fluid. There are a plethora of cleaners on the market and they are designed to gently re-hydrate whatever gunk and grime build up on the seats. After these products rehydrate the grime, the leather may be cleaned off. Use only leather products on leather, do not use all-purpose or vinyl cleaners, as these products tend to be too harsh for leather.
The basic procedure for leather cleaners is to apply a small amount of the selected cleaner to a damp cloth and work up a good lather on all leather surfaces. After sitting for a few minutes, remove the excess cleaner then give the leather a good cleaning with clean water and a sponge. After about ten minutes take off any residual moisture with a clean towel and allow all leather surfaces to dry for about an hour.
Restoring Lost Leather Oils
Once your leather has been cleaned, you should definitely restore the lost oils with a great leather conditioner. Fortunately, applying a leather conditioner is easy. Here’s what you do: put a small amount of it on a cotton cloth or applicator pad and work carefully into the surface. Don’t be afraid to really saturate the leather. Then allow for absorption for several minutes and finally wipe off the excess.
If You Haven’t Attended to Your Leather in a While
If your leather has needs serious softening or has hardened, there are multiple products on the market to help you with that. These products are paste-like and are designed to seriously penetrate into the leather surface. Typically, you coat the old leather surfaces with a thick coat of the product and let it sink in for about 24 hours. Depending upon the leather’s condition, it may require numerous extra applications to do the trick. With luck, you should be able to bring back the old leather you began with and have a softer, more appealing surfaces to use.
Article Courtesy: Interstate Dodge