How To Clean Leather Seats
Leather seats, whether automobile seats or indoor recliners, are beautiful and durable, but they do require special cleaning. As a rule, leather doesn't do well if cleaned with a lot of water. In addition, it is sensitive to abrasive cleaners and may fade or stain if you use heavy-duty cleaners not meant for leather. Fortunately, if you do use the right cleaners (which are readily available) leather seats do not take much effort or time to clean--indeed, fabric upholstery generally takes more time and effort than leather. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Clean cloths
- Soft-bristled toothbrush
- Leather shampoo
- Leather conditioner
Instructions
-
-
1
Dust off the seats with soft clean cloths to remove crumbs and surface dirt.
-
2
Use a dry toothbrush to remove debris around seams, buttons and in cracks. Use gentle pressure only--scrubbing too hard may damage the leather.
-
-
3
Place a small amount of leather shampoo on a clean cloth. Apply the product all over the leather seat. You may have to scrub (gently) a bit with the cloth if seats are exceptionally dirty.
-
4
Wipe the seat down again with a fresh clean cloth. This is to remove excess shampoo from the seat.
-
5
Apply a leather conditioner to the seat. This makes the color appear richer and will protect the leather from drying out.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Auto detailing supply stores are good places to find leather shampoos and conditioner. Use a weak solution of vinegar and water to clean perspiration stains. Simply pour some of the solution on a cloth, and wipe the leather down. Instead of using a toothbrush or cloths to brush dirt from leather, you can use a hand vacuum, if you own one. Some leather shampoos contain conditioners--if you are using this kind of shampoo, you can skip Step 5.
Only use cleaners made for leather or leather seats. Some cleaners, such as those containing ammonia, can damage leather. Allow the seats to dry at least overnight before sitting on them--otherwise, cleaners and conditioners may transfer to clothing.
