Best Leather Care for Car Seats

Leather car seats have one enemy that most people overlook: the sun coming through your windshield. The sun fades the leather, dries it out, and eventually leads to the cracking along seat bolsters that's so common in high-mileage vehicles.

The other enemy is neglect. Car seat leather that isn't regularly conditioned becomes brittle long before it should. The good news: it's completely preventable.

LEATHER BLACK vs. LEATHER CLEAR FOR CAR SEATS:

If your seats are black: Use Leather Black. It cleans, conditions, re-dyes the deep black color, and waterproofs. It is the ultimate UV protector against the sun through your windshield. One 4 oz bottle does a complete auto interior 2 to 3 times.

If your seats are tan, gray, brown, white, or any other color: Use Leather Clear. It cleans, conditions, protects, and waterproofs all in one easy formula. It leaves a soft satin finish and does not darken the leather or change the patina.

TIPS FOR CAR SEAT APPLICATION:

- Apply in the shade or a garage, since direct sunlight heats leather and causes product to dry too fast

- Pay extra attention to seat bolsters: these take the most abrasion and fade first

- Apply to door panels, center console leather, and steering wheel while you're at it

- Follow the One-Hour Rule: it's touch-dry in seconds, but leave it about an hour, then lightly buff to pick up any excess you might have applied and to seal the waxes.

- On black interiors, use what's left on the sponge for rubber trim and weatherstripping

GOOD TO KNOW:

Seats starting to crack: Leather Black and Leather Clear keep the leather from cracking further, but they do not fix leather that is already cracked. For cracks, tears, burns, holes, and scratches, use the Multi-Color Re-Dye & Repair Kit by Doc Bailey's.