How to Clean Leather Car Seats
When you invest in a vehicle with leather seats, you’ll want to take the proper steps to maintain their luxurious look and feel. The new vehicle inventory at Hendrick Buick GMC Cary includes many options with leather seats, including popular SUVs like the Buick Enclave and the GMC Acadia. Once you get behind the wheel, we can help you care for your new vehicle’s interior with leather seat care tips. Join us down below to learn how to clean leather car seats!
What Products Are Approved for Leather Seat Care?
Before pulling your car into your Charlotte driveway to clean the leather seats, let’s review what products are safe to use for leather seat care. If you’re in need of a very thorough wash, mix warm water with a small amount of mild soap or a designated leather cleaner to wipe the seats down. For added assurance, you might find information on what products are safe to use within your owner’s manual.
Perhaps more important than what to use for leather seat care is what not to use. Here’s a quick list of products to avoid:
- Household cleaning products
- Laundry detergents
- Dark or color-dyed cloths
- Brushes with sharp bristles
- Furniture polish
How to Clean Leather Car Seats: Step-by-Step
After you’ve determined what to use for your leather seat care, follow these simple instructions to refresh your car seats:
- First, use a vacuum cleaner to clean crumbs, dust, and dirt from hard-to-reach crevices and surfaces. If you’re using a brush attachment, make sure it’s soft-bristled.
- After ridding the interior of any debris, you can start washing the seats by applying a pH-neutral cleaner to the upholstery. Be careful not to allow the cleaner to pool on your seats. If you have perforated leather seats, don’t let the cleaner soak into the perforations.
- Using a clean, dry microfiber cloth and a soft-bristled brush, gently work the cleaner into the leather.
- Now that you’ve cleaned the leather, it’s a good idea to condition it. Pick up an OEM-recommended leather conditioner and work it in with another clean, dry microfiber cloth. Allow it to dry for a bit, then buff it in completely. Why apply a leather cleaner? After stressing the leather by vacuuming it and cleaning it, the conditioner helps it to stay supple and prevents cracking.
More Leather Care Tips for a Like-New Interior
- Keep an emergency cleaning kit in your vehicle, complete with a travel-size bottle of cleaner and a few clean microfiber cloths. If a spill happens while you’re out and about in Cary, you can take care of it right away.
- Whenever possible, park your car in a covered area or garage. Avoiding extreme temperatures and direct sunlight will extend the life of your leather and keep it supple.
- Building off of the above, look for shady parking spots when you’re out in Raleigh. At the very least, use a sun reflector in the windshield when you’re away from the car to keep the sun out.
Learn More About Car Maintenance With Us!
From tips on leather seat care to cleaning your windshield, you can count on Hendrick Buick GMC Cary to help keep your car in stunning condition. Check out our online service information hub for more useful articles, or contact us to get in-depth answers to all of your car care questions!