subject: Car Leather Cleaning – The Importance Of Regularly Cleaning Your Car Leather [print this page] Car Leather Cleaning The Importance Of Regularly Cleaning Your Car Leather
If you are the proud owner of a car with leather upholstery, the chances are high that you will want to keep your leather in good condition.
Leather, when it is new, is definitely in a class above other upholstery coverings such as vinyl or fabric. But, after a few months of wear and tear, leather somehow, doesn't seem to look as good as it did when you first drove the car off the showroom floor. It starts losing its natural sheen, dirt starts appearing in the grain and somehow, the new leather-look mysteriously fades away.
Most People Are Unsure When It Comes To Car Leather Cleaning
One of the biggest fears facing owners of leather upholstery is, not knowing how to go about cleaning and maintaining leather. Many tanneries are not very forthcoming about care instructions and are very quiet when it comes to advice on maintaining leather.
So it's completely understandable that car owners do one of two things:
Use household products, which can seriously damage the leather or
Do nothing and allow the grime and soiling to accumulate on the surface of the leather.
Both of these options will accelerate the deterioration of your leather and shorten its wear life.
To help you better understand your upholstery, here are some important points to consider
Car Leather Is Similar To Your Skin
Think of the leather in your car, as being similar to your own human skin. Most people spend a lot time maintaining their skin by showering, washing their hands and faces etc. Imagine what your skin would look and feel like if you decided not to bother with personal hygiene for about a year! I don't need to describe that picture to you, do I?
Leather Needs Maintenance Too
The truth is, the leather in your car is also skin skin from a cow, namely cow hide'. And just like human skin, cow hide or leather, also needs to be regularly cleaned and moisturised to keep its flexibility and suppleness.
Furthermore, like human skin, the leather in your car is porous. What this means is, any products you apply over the surface of your upholstery will seep through the pores and into the substrate below.
By following this line of reasoning, you'll quickly see that using cleaning and conditioning products which a chemically incompatible with your leather or by leaving the soiling to accumulate on the surface, then just like human skin, you'll cause premature aging and deterioration.
If you are serious about keeping your car leather in top condition, then, just like your own skin, leather needs to be regularly maintained with an approved cleaner and conditioner.
