What to Know While Cleaning Your Car’s Leather

Leather seats certainly add a sense of luxury to any vehicle. Of course, that luxury comes at an extra cost. If you’re going to pay the extra money to have leather seats, it’s important you take care of them to protect your investment for many years to come.

Cleaning your leather seats is a great way to keep them in excellent shape. Vacuuming the seats to remove dirt and debris is a good start, but you should also regularly apply cleaning solutions. Rather than using cleaners that contain bleach or ammonia, you should use commercial leather cleaners or dish soap mixtures. Simply dampen the cloth with the solution and wipe down the surfaces, being careful not to saturate the leather, as too much water could seep into the cushions and cause irreparable damage.

Ultimately, the best way to keep your leather seats clean is to prevent stains. You should wipe up spills as soon as they happen—the faster you do it, the less severe the stain will become.

Here are a few handy tips from a mechanic in Minneapolis, MN involving household items you can use to clean up your leather seats and prevent stains from forming in your vehicle:

• Toothpaste: Yes, you can use toothpaste to clean your vehicle’s leather seats! Dab a small amount of non-gel toothpaste on the spill, then use a toothbrush (obviously not the same one you’ll put in your mouth later!) to lightly scrub away at the stained spot. Once you have completed the process to your satisfaction, wipe the area with a clean cloth, then dry it off with a towel. Toothpaste is also a handy way to remove leather scuffs, so keep that in mind.
• Nail polish remover or rubbing alcohol: You can use either nail polish remover or rubbing alcohol to remove stains from leather. Dip a cotton swab in the substance and then blot the stain. Once you’ve succeeded in lifting the stain, you can then proceed to clean the area with a mixture of liquid dish soap and warm water—usually five parts water to one part soap. Finally, wipe the area with a clean, damp cloth to remove all of the cleaning mixtures.
• Lemon juice and cream of tartar: You can mix equal parts of lemon juice and cream of tartar to form a paste that you then apply to the stain to lift it. However, you should only use this method on lighter upholstery, as it has a bleaching effect. After applying the mixture, let it sit for a half hour before using a damp sponge to remove the paste.
• Baking soda: If you have oil or grease stains on your leather upholstery, you can sprinkle some baking soda on the dirty area, then rub it with a damp cloth. Let the mixture sit a few hours so the baking soda absorbs the oil, then wipe away with a soft cloth. Use a damp cloth to remove any residue as necessary before drying.

For more tips about cleaning leather vehicle upholstery, contact Quality Coaches, Inc. to speak with an expert mechanic in Minneapolis, MN today.

Categorised in: Mechanic

This post was written by Sharon Morgan