Leather Car Seat Care
Car Leather Care Made Simple

With the rise of luxurious leather interiors in today's vehicles – from sleek sports cars to family-friendly vans – keeping those seats in top-notch condition has become a real focus for many drivers. 

It's amazing to think that just a decade and a half ago, the indulgence of leather car seats was reserved for only the most exclusive automobiles. Now, it's practically everywhere! However, this widespread availability has also brought a wave of confusing information, leaving car owners feeling uncertain and even a bit overwhelmed about the best way to care for their prized leather upholstery.

"The industry keeps you in the dark. Chasing your tail after the next best car leather cleaner or conditioner, despite these products being marketed based on outdated information."

Confused and overwhelmed to the point of inaction, many people have simply given up in frustration not knowing where to turn or what to do. Leather car seat care is actually very simple and straight forward due to the clear protective coating used when producing car leather in today's modern cars.

Leather Car Seat Care:
The big secret of the industry

Secret!!??

Yup! The industry has in fact kept all us car owners and consumers in the dark. By keeping us in the dark about leather car seat care, the industry itself can continue to sell us outdated products based on outdated information.

"Virtually every car made with car leather upholstery is made using leather that has a clear protective coating on it. This is very similar in concept as to the clear coating of your car paint"

What this means to you as a car owner attempting to learn proper leather car seat care is that all those special car leather cleaners and conditioners are not actually touching a natural material known as leather, but is touching a synthetic coating.

This leather is what is called coated car leather, and every car manufacturer from entry level to the most expensive exotics use coated car leather in the production on their cars.

Regardless of what the manufacturer calls their "special leather", is is still coated with a clear protective coating. Yes there many types of leather, many quality grades of leather, many ways in which leather can be dyed, but they are all still finished with a clear protective coating.

Leather Car Seat Care:
The good news and the bad news

The fact that your car leather is coated car leather is both the good news and the bad news. It all depends on how you look at this. The simple response from me is that leather car seat care is easier and simpler than ever, assuming you are getting information from the right source.

Good News: Personally I consider this good news as it means that leather car seat care is easier than ever. This clear protective coating allows your car leather to look "normal", smell like real leather (after all; it still is real leather), but means that your car leather upholstery is far more resistant to dirt, oils and other insults of daily use.

This also means that cleaning and conditioning your car leather (or more specifically; the clear protective coating on your car leather) is easier and simpler than ever. So long as you are willing to embrace this new information.

Bad News: The only bad news I can think of is for people stuck in old-school thinking deeply rooted in nostalgia of days gone by. If you are old enough to remember the days when you got a new baseball glove and accepted that you needed to "break it in" by rubbing and massaging special oils or conditioners. The goal back then was to transform your stiff, rigid baseball glove into a supple piece of equipment. There were endless protocols and "special" treatments people used to perform this initial task of breaking in their new baseball gloves.

This same mentality and thought process bleeds into car leather upholstery for many people of a certain age group. To which I can fully appreciate since I am old enough to be part of that era of time. And while the thought of finding the best car leather conditioner and massaging it into your new car leather might seem very appealing at first, I am willing to bet that this will get old very quickly for most of you reading this.

Leather Car Seat Care:
Breaking it down to the simple

Now that you know that your car leather is in fact coated with a clear protective coating, this changes everything. All of which will make your life easier and simpler if you are willing to follow along.

I am going to break this down into 3 very distinct areas of leather car seat care:

• Cleaning
• Conditioning
• Maintaining

Each of these areas of requirements are worthy of explaining and showing you how each area is also going to be different moving forward from what you have likely been taught or told, by some so-called expert or the industry itself.

Leather Car Seat Care:
The traditional and simple approach

Chemical Guys Car Leather Kit on Amazon

• Nine Powerhouse Tools: Consider these your trusty companions in the quest for pristine leather. They're ready to tackle any task, big or small!
• Leather Care, Activated: Imagine effortlessly wiping away grime with the Leather Cleaner, then breathing new life into your leather with the rich Leather Conditioner. And for those quick touch-ups? The Leather Quick Detailer has you covered. Plus, the soft Microfiber Applicators ensure gentle application, while the Horse Hair Brush adds some serious scrubbing muscle when you need it.
• Beyond the Car: Think your car's leather is the only thing that deserves this TLC? Think again! This kit is a champion for all things leather – from your favorite jacket and go-to boots to that comfy couch, stylish purse, and everyday bag. Leather treasures are everywhere!
• Restore the Look, Love the Scent: Say goodbye to harsh chemical smells! The Leather Cleaner works its magic invisibly, banishing dirt and oils from deep within the leather's pores. Then, the Leather Conditioner, with its subtle and luxurious leather scent, steps in to nourish and protect, helping your leather resist the wear and tear of daily life.
• Maximum Impact, Minimal Effort: Crafted by the pros at Chemical Guys, a little of each product goes a long way. That means this kit isn't just effective; it's an amazing value, giving you countless applications to keep all your leather looking its absolute best!

The dramatic before and after pictures from above illustrate what is possible if the right techniques are combined with the right products.

The amount of dirt on the above seat is very common and normal. Most people wait until their car leather seating has reached this point of dirt build-up before they take action.

But here you are, ready to take action!

Steps To Cleaning Car Leather

• Pre-vacuum to remove any loose debris and dirt from between the seams of the seat panels (It is always better to remove any dry dirt before introducing liquid cleaners)
• Section the seating into panels and clean one panel at a time to manage your liquid (this also helps you focus on smaller sections at time so you produce better end results)
• Spray each panel with a enough cleaner to cover the surface, not saturate the surface, and then scrub vigorously with scrub brush
• Mop up dirt using micro-fiber cloth
• Repeat as many times necessary until desired results are achieved
• Apply leather conditioner once you are satisfied with your cleaning following label directions.

Darren's Tip: In most cases I will have to repeat these leather cleaning steps numerous times to remove all dirt. Don't worry in thinking you are being too aggressive or that cleaning multiple times will damage your leather. That amount of dirt didn't accumulate in a single day. Repeated these cleaning steps multiple times will always be required.

Leather Car Seat Care Summary

Since leather car seat car is a top priority for any car owner with leather car seating, I hope you have become a much more informed consumer and car owner. If you know anyone else you think might benefit from this info, please forward the link or use the socialize it buttons to share at your favorite site.

Thank you for tuning in!

Sincerely,

Darren Priest