Even if the passenger compartment of your vehicle is made of different materials, leather is actually always part of the game. At the latest on the steering wheel (Tip: This is how the leather steering wheel becomes correctly prepared!), the handbrake lever, the center armrest or the gearshift bag, you will have to deal with leather and thus also with leather care. In a vehicle with leather seats, leather-covered dashboards or footwells, there are even larger leather surfaces that need to be looked after. There are different ways to freshen up the leather in the car and keep it hygienically clean! We present them to you below.
Leather upholstery is always a luxury
Every driver has his own idea of what the passenger compartment of his car should be equipped with. A leather interior or a mix of leather and Alcantara are considered to be very high quality and luxurious. Fabric seats are a NO-GO, especially in a luxury vehicle. Leather is of course expensive because it is complex to work with. And leather always feels cold in winter and warms up faster in summer. These are the disadvantages of the material. On the positive side, the leather-covered components inside a car are particularly robust and also repel moisture. Stains are easier to remove. And many love the smell of leather, which is reason enough to choose the cover fabric.
The resale value of the vehicle is usually significantly higher with leather upholstery if the potential buyer sees the high-quality equipment in the passenger compartment. In order for the leather to retain its value-increasing properties and high-quality appearance for a long time, it must be cared for regularly. If you don't do that, there is a risk of cracks. The surfaces become unsightly and brittle over time. As with any material, regular cleaning is therefore a must with leather. But leather care has certain special features.
When you are out and about, use leather care cloths
The first product we are going to introduce to you here for the care of the leather interior is the leather care cloths. The dispenser box should always be resealable to prevent it from drying out. Incidentally, the box should generally not be used for longer than a few months, since the wipes also slowly but surely dry out with the closure option. The cloths are particularly recommended for use on the go and in between. Cabriolets with leather upholstery often require spontaneous cleaning of the leather elements. Leather care cloths clean, care for and preserve the leather in the car sufficiently. The jojoba oil contained in it ensures a good smoothness without the surface of the leather becoming slippery and unsightly greasy.
Leather care milk gently cleanses and cares intensively
You can achieve more intensive cleaning with a high-quality leather care milk from a well-known manufacturer. You carry out a gentle cleaning and intensive care for smooth real leather and also for artificial leather. This product impregnates and at the same time protects against rapid re-soiling.
The application of the leather care milk!
- Shake the bottle
- Pour milk onto a microfiber care pad or microfiber cloth
- apply evenly
- always treat the whole area with it
- If necessary and in the case of heavy soiling, you should repeat the process.
- Let the leather care milk soak in for 10 minutes.
The jojoba oil in leather care makes the leather smooth without making it slippery. The leather retains its original appearance and the familiar grip. Most of the products can be used on both synthetic and real leather and this also applies to smooth and perforated leather if the car has a seat ventilation owns. Even better for ventilated car seats, however, is cleaning with a cleaning foam. Such leather care is usually not suitable for aniline, nubuck, suede and suede!
Which leather care should be preferred?
Everyone can of course choose the type of leather care themselves. Which product is most suitable, however, depends on the type and extent of the leather interior in the vehicle. For small areas with leather, a few good leather care cloths are sufficient. They are also suitable as a supplement to the more complex personal car care ranges, especially for on the go. The car owner, who is less demanding, gets along well with the leather care milk and acquires it. But if you want to tackle dirt and re-soiling intensively, you should buy a premium leather care set. The manufacturers have described the application in detail for each of their products.
Home remedies can also be used for cleaning
You can also use various home remedies to remove stains. Did the child throw up on the noble leather seats? Here can a Glass cleaner To remedy the situation. Simply spray on, let it work in and then dab off. If the stain is still there, just repeat the process. But not rub on the stain! This can cause permanent stains. And you can also get the chewing gum out again. For example with cold packs. To do this, wrap the battery in a cloth, place it on it and wait until the chewing gum is hard. Then it should be solved. And even cat litter and shampoo can help. Cat litter absorbs moisture quickly and can then be sucked away. And a simple shampoo can be worked into the seats and vacuumed away after drying. Hands off, however alien Cleaners. Never use a rim cleaner, perishable fats or oils to care for the leather upholstery. Tip: This is how the perfect car interior cleaning succeeds.
In summary - this is how you care for the leather in the car!
- Car leather is often smooth leather with a surface with a layer of color (easier to care for than suede or suede)
- New cars do not require any special care within the first 3 years (cleaning with a light care seal is sufficient)
- Older vehicles with dark leather covers should be treated with leather care no more than 1-2 times a year (light leather covers, on the other hand, should be cleaned and sealed approx. every 3 months)
- use a soft brush (must not hurt your own skin)
- the procedure for cleaning the leather interior:
- Vacuum or brush off leather seats
- Apply mild leather cleaner from seam to seam in one direction with a sponge
- Use cleaner sparingly to avoid white discolouration
- Apply care products sparingly and over the entire area
- Clean old, heavily soiled items with a stronger cleaner
- If possible, clean ventilated car seats with cleaning foam (holes do not become blocked)
- Particularly clean leather steering wheel, gear stick, handbrake bag
- later wipe the seats with a damp cloth
- Clean artificial leather with a special artificial leather cleaner
- Slight cracks can be filled with liquid leather
- save Use shoe polish for leather and color care
- Suede or perforated leather is prone to staining
- clean stubborn stains with benzine (benzine) - Care milk with UV filter protects against fading (for convertibles)
- Use refatting (available for matt and shiny leather)
- Leather care set with sealant, cloths, cleaner, benzine and care milk for refatting should be around 40 to 50 euros
- the care products are sufficient for several applications