Care for Your Car’s Leather: Keep It Looking New!

Last updated on February 26th, 2024

In today’s post, I will discuss how to care for your car’s leather and keep it looking new! I will talk about tricks, tips, products, frequencies, methods, and reasons for cleaning & conditioning the leather surfaces in your vehicle.

Caring for my vehicle’s leather is essential because it is where I spend much of my time. I would estimate that I spend more than 520 hours a year sitting in my car behind the steering wheel. That figure only accounts for my daily drive back and forth to my place of business on weekdays. As mentioned, I spend far more time in my truck than 520 hours annually.

Affiliate Marketing Disclaimer: I am an affiliate marketer with links to online retailers on my website. When people read what I have written about a particular product, click on those links, and buy something from those links, I earn a small commission from the retailer at no extra cost to the buyer.

Gather Your Leather Car Care Cleaning Products.

There are products and tools I prefer and use to accomplish this job, like other detail jobs I have written about in previous posts. In this case, I like to use a few products from the Chemical Guys. I use products included in the new all-leather car care interior cleaning kit. You can see them pictured and listed to the right and below.

Each of the products is included in the kit.

• Leather cleaner for removing dirt, grease, body, and skin oils. This product dries well, leaves no residue, and has no chemical smell.
• A premium soft horse hair cleaning brush to help get deep into the leather’s cracks, holes, and crevices.
• Leather Conditioner treats the leather seats, dashboard, door panels, steering wheel, center console, and other leather car parts. The conditioning formula restores and replenishes the leather surfaces affected by the harsh sun’s UV rays. Also, it softens the leather, which helps to prevent the leather from splitting or cracking.
• This kit also includes two microfiber sponge applicators and three microfiber towels.
• The final product in the kit is a small bottle of the Leather Quick Detailer. It is an all-in-one cleaner, conditioner, and protectant used to safely maintain the original state of the leather in your vehicle.

Recommendations & Tips for Cleaning Leather Interior.

There are several recommendations for these products; as with other chemical cleaners, shake the chemicals well and test them in a small, inconspicuous area. Always apply the product to your microfiber towels or applicators so as not to overspray areas that you otherwise do not want leather cleaner or conditioner.

My reasoning for using a product designed exclusively for cleaning and conditioning vehicle leather as opposed to some home remedies is time and performance. My time is valuable, and I like to use proven products from proven manufacturers that produce excellent results.

I have had success with Chemical Guys products on my vehicles. I looked into many other leather care products on the market but found others that did not compare. Chemical Guys’ leather cleaner and conditioner worked equally well on my synthetic leather living room sofa, sectional, and chairs. After thoroughly cleaning and conditioning our living room furniture, we were impressed by the results, and this is now my go-to product for leather cleaners and conditioners.

Vacuum and Dust the Leather Surfaces to Remove Dirt and Debris.

Before we get into the steps to care for your car’s leather & keep it looking new,

I start by thoroughly dusting and vacuuming the loose dirt from all the surfaces. After cleaning, I do this so the dust does not stir up and back onto the surfaces.

I have a dog; he is a 95-pound Weimaraner who loves to ride in cars, so I use great tools with the vacuum nozzle to remove all dog hair. One of the tools is an Analan Mini Pet Hair Remover light style for dogs and cats, car detailing, carpets, lint, couches, and other furniture. It is in the picture. Also, I use the brush from Chemical Guys, the professional rubber pet hair removal brush.

Steps to Clean & Condition the Leather Surfaces.

Now that we have finished step one, which includes dusting and vacuuming from the top of the car to the bottom, we can move on to the other steps in the process.

1. Dusting and vacuuming (from top to bottom).
2. Apply leather cleaner to remove dirt, grease, body, and skin oils. (Use your brush for the more stubborn spots.)
3. Wipe and dry the surfaces thoroughly with your clean microfiber towels and inspect for missed spots.
4. Spread a coat of the conditioner evenly over the leather surfaces with your sponge applicator. (Allow a few minutes for drying.)
5. After the conditioner dries, buff the surfaces with a dry microfiber towel.

To Recap

Cleaning and conditioning your vehicle’s leather interior is easy if you follow the simple steps outlined in this post. Cleaning dirty leather seats can be done relatively quickly, especially after the first time you perform the job. If you complete the cleaning more frequently, remember that you can use the Chemical Guys Leather Quick Detailer.

I talk a lot about products that work for me, but I want to hear about the products you use to care for your car’s leather: keep it looking new! I always try new products, so please check for future articles.

Please share my website with your friends and add questions or comments below. I look forward to hearing about your experiences on this topic and others from Detail Your Rides.

Regards, Matt