Care for Leather Seats
Although beautiful, leather seats do require special cleaning and care to keep them looking their best. There are several things that can ruin a seat's appearance--unlike most synthetic materials, natural leather upholstery contracts and becomes brittle if it is not cared for properly. Learning to care for leather, therefore, is important for protecting your investment. Does this Spark an idea?
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Leather Shampoo
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Leather shampoos (also called leather cleaners) are formulated to clean leather without drying it out. Most contain a surfactant to draw the dirt out from the leather's pores and natural oils to replenish the leather.
Using leather shampoo is simple--apply it to the leather with a soft cloth (or spray the cleaner on the seat directly), brush the shampoo into badly soiled areas with a soft brush (a sponge will usually work as well) and wipe it clean.
Leather Conditioner
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Leather conditioners are similar to leather shampoos, but these have extra moisturizing oils and, therefore, are an additional way to keep leather from drying out and cracking. Apply the conditioner to clean leather only and work it into the leather with a soft, damp cloth. After it dries, buff the seat with a dry soft cloth.
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Leather Repair Kits
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If leather is scuffed, torn or damaged, you can often fix the seat at home with a leather repair kit. Repair kits usually contain some kind of colored compound or glue to repair rips and/or worn areas. You can find these kits, as well as leather shampoos and conditioners online or at many automotive detailing stores.
Warning
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Moisture, heat, stains and even UV light will wear down leather upholstery. Avoid allowing leather to remain wet for long periods of time--even if it is finished leather. Park cars with leather seats out of the sun, or use sun shades.
Do not use regular upholstery cleaner on leather--unless the label specifically says it is OK. In addition, if the seat is trimmed with suede or NuBuck, use leather cleaners suitable for those when cleaning the seat (some products suitable for smooth leather may stain these).
Prevention/Solution
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Prevent stains on all leather seats by cleaning spills as quickly as possible. Avoid using water to clean NuBuck or suede leather, unless doing so is absolutely necessary--blot spills with soft towels until you get as much of the liquid up as possible.
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