How to Protect Leather Seats

Leather seats are both elegant and stylish, whether in a home or automobile. With age, leather upholstery takes on a new look, adding charm to its appearance. However, if a leather protector is not applied as part of a regular maintenance, the fabric will dry and begin to crack. The cleaning techs at Nutley-based Elegant Cleaning Services offered these easy-to-follow steps.

Things You'll Need

• Leather cleaner Leather conditioner Gloves Terry cloth towels

Instructions

Cleaning and Protecting Leather Seats

1. Test the leather cleaner and conditioner in an inconspicuous spot. Some cleaners and conditioners should not be used on suede leather.

2. Wet a terry cloth towel with a fair amount of cleaner. Many leather cleaners come in spray bottles with directions to spray directly on the furniture. However, for best results (and to limit the possibility of spotting), spray the cloth to apply to the leather.

3. Wipe the leather with small circular motions. Work a small area at a time. Avoid using too much cleaner. The cloth should be damp, not dripping wet.

4. Dry with a clean terry cloth towel.

5. Allow the seat to dry. Depending on the humidity conditions, this can be as short as 10 minutes but should not be longer than 1 hour.

6. Apply a small amount of leather conditioner to a clean, dry terry cloth towel. As with the cleaner, for best results do not apply the conditioner directly to the leather.

7. Massage the conditioner into the leather. This may be applied liberally.

8. Buff dry with a clean terry cloth towel. The more buffing, the better the shine.

Tips & Warnings

• All leather conditioners are not created equal. For better protection, choose a conditioner that offers SPF protection from sunlight. Top-of-the-line leather cleaners and conditioners can be found at automotive parts supply stores.