Guide To Detailing Your Leather Car Seats and Mats Like A Pro!

Stains, mud, dirt, and crumbs: whenever your car floor and seats are soiled, it is best not to postpone a well-needed clean-up! Getting a tidy and shiny interior is no magic trick: one must take good care of their car and not neglect regular cleaning. 

Among the dirtiest parts, which require particular attention, besides car seat covers, are the seats themselves - especially leather ones - and the dashboard plastic components.

The Upkeep Of Your Dashboard Plastic Parts With A Car Cleaning Kit

The first step when undertaking care and maintenance of your car interior is always to start by dusting off all its plastic parts with the help of a microfiber cloth. Once that is out of the way, you can proceed with proper cleaning. To do so, get either a cleaning product specifically designed for plastics or prepare a homemade mix of water and soap. Then, get yourself a soft-bristled brush and fetch the microfiber cloth you used earlier.
  1. Dip the cloth into your soapy solution or soak it with the commercially-available dashboard cleaning product of your choice and apply it to your door panels, which tend to be some of the filthiest parts of your car interior. When the cloth does not cut it, scrub persistent stains with your brush.
  2. Move over to your dashboard, once the above is dealt with. Using your rinsed-off cloth that you will have soaked with your plastic part cleaning solution, wipe down all the plastic parts, leaving the speedometer and other electronic components aside, as a dried-out cloth is more indicated.
  3. Finally, finish it off by cleaning your steering wheel and gear lever knob, which become oily over time due to the repeated friction of your hands on them. Again, with the help of a lightly-soaked cloth of your soapy solution or preferred product, wipe the wheel and lever.

Add Cleaning Wipes To Your Car Glove Box

For quick daily in-between clean-ups, you can very well use cleaning wipes. Not only do they not take up much space but they help you maintain the cleanliness of your interior until future thorough care.

How To Go About Cleaning Car Seats?

To ensure your seats remain clean and dust-free, here are some options at your disposal:

- pH-neutral car upholstery lotions that both clean and nourish leather-covered seats specifically but also leather floor mats;

- As mentioned earlier: cleaning wipes. Not only are they affordable but they also allow for quick daily clean-ups;

- Balms or creams that restore both the tone and feel of leather seats and mats.

Once you have made your choice, and before undertaking the cleaning, remember to thoroughly vacuum clean your seats beforehand. When ready:

  • Only use products designed for your specific type of car seat material;
  • When applying the advised product, test out the product on a discreet part of your seat, follow the instructions that come with the product to the letter, and get yourself a cloth and a brush, if need be.

How To Maintain Leather Car Seats?

First, carefully make sure your seats are not showing signs of wear and tear: you would not want your watery cleaning product to seep through them. If you are unsure how to treat them, you might be able to find valuable pieces of advice in your car user manual as to what products to use and how to apply them the right way.

It goes for the seats the same way it does for the plastic parts of your car: be sure to pick up the recommended cleaning products. Only they can bring back the shine, soften the leather, protect it from UV damage, and waterproof it.

Extra Advice For Leather Car Seats

To ensure your seats have the longest possible lifespan, here are two additional pieces of advice:
  1. Every week, think about dusting your car seats off. You will not need any specific product: a cloth very lightly soaked with water will suffice;
  2. Every three months, do not forget to nourish your leather seats to give them shine and flexibility. Massaging the surface with a balm or cream designed for leather will help the product penetrate deeper and get you the most satisfying results.

How To Rejuvenate Leather Car Floor Mats and Seats?

Despite your efforts, if your custom-made car floor mats and seats seem to have lost their shine, there is still hope you can get them revamped, however. To do that, start by choosing a leather renovation kit containing a pH-neutral water base, as products filled with petroleum distillates, silicone or polish will do more harm than good.

As we have already seen, a good renovation product will nourish your leather-made seats and mats, give them flexibility, and bring back their original aspect. Stay clear from low-cost solutions, as they may contain shoddy chemicals.

Once you have got yourself a product fit for the purpose, proceed as follows:

  • After ensuring that you have not overloaded your cloth or sponge with the renovation solution, apply it to the mats or seats you wish to clean. Pouring an excessive amount of it will only leave you with oily car seats, as leather absorbs minimal quantities.
  • Before you circularly polish your mats and seats with your cloth, let the treated leather rest for an hour, give or take, or overnight if you feel inclined. Doing so, you should see satisfactory results!

Do Not Use Your Leather Car Seat Cleaning Kit Elsewhere!

There is a good reason why cleaning products meant for leathery surfaces should never be applied to other areas of your car interior: they can prove corrosive and eat away fabric or metal parts.

Call On A Car Floor Mat Specialist For The Best Advice

In doubt, turn to professionals for recommendations. At Lux Auto Mat - a specialist in custom-made fitted car floor mats for Toyotas, Chevrolets, BMWs, Kias, Mini Coopers, Jeeps, and many more - we offer custom-fitting full car floor mats and present clients with adapted cleaning kits and car accessory examples as well! Do not hesitate to get in touch with us if you wish to enjoy your set of mats or need further advice!