Q&A for How to Clean Leather Car Seats

Use a horsehair brush for the deepest clean. These kinds of brushes work the best on leather because they can clean deep material's pores and scrub out tough stains.

Before adding a cleanser of any sort to the mud-stained areas of the leather car seats, brush off as much of the mud as possible using a soft household brush (of the sort that comes with a dustpan), or use an old toothbrush. Sweep the mud that comes off easily into a bag or simply onto the ground outside the car. Make a mild cleanser by diluting a few drops of Dawn detergent (or similar mild detergent) in a small bucket of warm water. Dip a cleaning cloth into this mixture, wring out the water to remove as much liquid from the cloth as possible, then rub gently over the muddy parts of the seat. Rinse, then dip into the detergent mix, wring and repeat until all mud has been removed. Wipe all wet areas of the seats dry with a soft cloth or chamois, then finish with leather re-conditioner to restore the leather’s condition.

Household items that can be turned into a cleaner for leather include vinegar, olive oil, gentle soap, Woolite, coconut oil, etc. However, each of these ingredients usually needs to be mixed with something else like water, to make the cleaner. To help you, just check out the recipes for leather cleaners using household items in this article: How to Clean Leather Naturally .

Dog saliva dries into a filmy, glossy appearance on leather and is most noticeable on dark leather. To remove it, try using wipes made specifically for leather cleaning and just wipe these over the affected area. If you’d rather use a homemade solution, a little dish soap added to a lot of warm water can make a good mix, then dip a cleaning cloth in, wring it well, and wipe over the drooled-on areas to clean it off. Wipe dry with a clean cloth. Re-condition the leather if needed.

While Windex is a fairly mild cleaner, it contains ingredients that can damage leather. For example, its alcohol content can dry out the leather, while its ammonia base can discolor the leather and weaken any plastics near the leather, such as the seat belt cases. It is best to leave the Windex for window-cleaning and use a proper leather cleaner for your car seats.

White leather can be cleaned with liquid or non-liquid cleaners. The liquid cleaner can be made by combining 1 part mild soap with 8 parts warm water, then sprayed lightly on the stain, and gently rubbed. Non-liquid cleaners include “Magic Eraser” cleaning sponges, saddle soap or cornstarch, added to the stain area, then rubbed gently. For detailed help on cleaning white leather, see How to Clean White Leather .

Grease on leather car seats can be removed by blotting first, then applying a de-greasing solution (Dawn detergent added to warm water is a great choice) and gently rubbing off the grease. Wipe off with a damp cloth. For exact details on this cleaning process, see How to Remove Grease and Oil From a Car's Interior .

For cloth car seats, try ¼ cup of baking soda mixed with 1 cup of warm water and make a paste. Layer this over the stain, then let it sit for 15 to 30 minutes. After, it has set, use a toothbrush to gently scrub at the stain and brush off the baking soda paste. You can also try mild laundry detergent or a commercial upholstery stain remover. For leather seats, look for a commercial leather stain remover or check out How to Clean Leather Stains for more help with removing specific types of stains.

You can use a vinegar and water solution, provided you remove it after using it for cleaning. To make the solution, combine ¾ ratio of vinegar with ¼ ratio of warm water in a spray bottle. Shake the bottle well before using, then spray the solution over the the car seats at a short distance away. Keep the spraying light because the seats should not be soaked, as too much liquid can spoil the leather. Gently rub in the solution using a soft cloth or chamois, then wipe off with a damp soft cloth and leave the seats to air dry. It's a good idea to use a leather polish to buff up the shine afterward.

My suggestion is to call around or look at auto parts stores. They should have or can recommend where to find a suitable product(s) in your local area. Otherwise, you can always order online.

Use paper towel to wipe of the extra. If it doesn't work, use a clean cloth.

The best time to clean leather is when it is warm out, it allows leather to breath more/absorb conditioner.

Shoe polish works perfectly. Use a neutral color so that it does not stain your clothes.

Weiman leather cleaner and polish (available at supermarkets) is good for removing stains, even ink. I imagine there may be some ink that won't come out, but so far we have had good luck with this product.

Squirt on some hand sanitizer. Let the goop sit for a little while, and then use q-tips to scrub at the spot. Then wipe it up with a wet paper towel. You may have to do this a few times, and you'll want to wash your car thoroughly afterward.

Get a wet rag and place it on top of the frosting for a few minutes. Come back and try to wipe off the frosting with the wet rag, and use a second wet rag if you need to. Then wipe the spot with a clean cloth and buff with leather polish.

I suggest using Clorox Wipes. It worked for me, but it might depend on the type of lotion.

Wipe it off with a damp paper towel before the sunscreen can sink into the leather.

Mix one part white vinegar and two parts linseed oil and use a soft brush to agitate after applying it, then wipe clean. If this doesn't work, use some saddle soap from a saddle shop or buy it online.

Mix one part white vinegar and two parts linseed oil and use a soft brush to agitate after applying it, then wipe clean. If this doesn't work, use some saddle soap.