Leather is one upgrade in a vehicle that is well worth paying for, as it’s easy to clean and maintains a beautiful appearance for quite a long time. However, in order to enjoy the advantages of this upgrade, it’s important to take care of the material. Leather in particular requires a bit more care than traditional cloth does, so the tips below can help you with maintaining the quality and appearance you desire.
1. Invest in Leather and Vinyl Cleaner
A high quality product is going to keep your leather looking great, but more importantly, it’s going to help enhance the quality of it. Most high-end cleaners are created with special conditioners that enrich leather and keep it healthy so it’s less likely to become ripped and damaged over time. Use this regularly, although it’s important to make sure you read the directions on the product you buy in particular to use it properly.
Tip: Avoid cheap cleaning products that contain petroleum distillates, silicone or gloss agents. While these might be budget-friendly, they can leave a greasy finish that ruins your clothing and leather.
2. Use a Microfiber Cleaning Cloth
With leather, it’s important not to use abrasive cleaning brushes. Microfiber cloths are by far the best choices, as they are gentle on the material and won’t cause any rips or scratches.
3. Clean Up After Messes
As soon as a drink is spilled or food is dropped, it’s important to clean the area that was impacted. By doing so, you’ll avoid the liquid on the food/drink from absorbing into the leather and damaging it. For this reason, it’s beneficial to keep a package of microfiber cloths on hand to use at any time.
4. Vacuum on a Regular Basis
While it’s easy to wipe off crumbs or dirt off of leather, you should vacuum it on a regular basis. This will get the tiny pieces out of the corners and creases of the material so they aren’t able to contribute to damage.
5. Cover for Pets
If you plan on having pets in your car, then it’s recommended to lay down a seat protector. Even the most gentle animal can cause damage because of long nails, drool, or accidents in the seat.
6. Keep the Sun Away
The sun can cause leather to dry out and become brittle, which will eventually lead to ripping. It’s for this reason that it’s important to keep your leather conditioned in the summer and block the sun from shining on your seats for a long period of time. A sun shade on your front windshield should be enough to help.
7. Go in for Detailing
Treat yourself to professional car detailing as often as your budget will allow. The cleaners will take excellent care of your leather by cleaning and conditioning it thoroughly.
Do you love leather in your vehicle? It can last a lifetime if you take great care of it using the tips above. Although it may be more work than caring for traditional cloth, it will be worth it for the look and comfort that leather has to offer. What’s even better is that maintaining this material can pay off when it’s time to trade-in or sell your car in the future.
