Keeping your leather car seats looking like new is easy so long you take a few steps to maintain their supply condition. Left untreated, overtime the leather will become unsightly.
4 Steps for leather protection:
- Vacuum crumbs, sands and debris regularly to prevent scratches
- Use a specialised leather cleaner to remove grime and replenishes natural oils
- Condition the leather every three months to protect against wear and UV damage
- Learn the top causes of leather wear to see how you can prevent damage to your car leather
Top 6 causes of car leather wear
While all leather will eventually show wear, taking note of these top 5 causes will help you to prevent premature aging and damage to your leather car seats. Of the key points to remember is to always ensure your leather is regularly treated so that it remain supple and flexible. By their design, leather on car seats gets a great deal of wear from both being sat as well as movement while in transit. This constant use and stretching of the leather makes it more vital to pay attention to the causes of leather wear.
- Parking in the Sun. Direct sunlight causes colour fading and will also deplete leather of natural oils
- Excessive heat inside the car will dry out leather, causing it to become tough, or to shrink.
- Debris such as sand, dirt and food crumbs can scratch the leather. Some food trapped in creases may even cause mould to grow
- Air Conditioning not only dries out air, it also dehydrates the leather interior.
- Most clothing is safe on leather, however some fabrics that are covered in sequins or studs can result in deep scratching
- Lack of cleaning and conditioning. Cleaning and conditioning will remove potential hazards and restore suppleness to leather. Conditioning will also provide protection against heat, air conditioning, shrinkage and other causes of leather damage
How to protect leather car seats from the sun
Damage from the Sun’s UV rays is often the number one cause of premature aging of car interior leather. The Australian sun is particularly harsh on this natural car covering. Here are the steps you can take to reduce potential damage from UV rays:
- Park in the shade
- Tint your car windows and apply a sun visor when parking your car
- Condition your leather seats regularly. You may need to reapply conditioning treatment more frequently in the hotter seasons.
How often should I condition car leather?
Car leather interiors including car seats should be treated with a quality leather conditioner about every three months. In the Summer months, you may find that you need to provide an extra treatment to prevent the leather from drying out in the extreme temperatures.
Leather conditioner will permeate into the leather to rehydrate and soften the leather
What happens if I don’t maintain my leather car seats?
Car seats that have no been cared for or maintained may end up with cracks, scratches, hardening and shrinkage. This type of damage may well be prevented by regular conditioning of the leather car seats
Can I just use dishwashing liquid to clean my leather?
A quality leather cleaner has a delicate balance of cleaner and also moisturisers. A standard cleaner, on its own – such as dish soap will effectively strip the leather of its natural oils. While the seat may be clean, it will be prone to cracking, splitting and become very brittle.
