Take advantage of summer’s warmth and give your car’s leather upholstery a thorough cleaning and conditioning. During the cooler months your car takes a beating inside and out, especially when the ice and snow on the streets and sidewalks is dragged into the vehicle, along with salt and sand meant to improve walking and driving. In addition to the harsh chemicals and grit, your automobile leather endures freezing temperatures and exposure to harmful UV rays, contributing to cracking and stiffening. Also most of us eat, drink and work in our vehicles, resulting in stains, spills and debris.
If you are captain of your own boat, add the watery spray of the wakes and waves, sunscreen and other consequences of a happy day on the lake or river--gasoline and motor oil, bait and fish residue, beach sand and tar, and scrapes and scuffs from water toys and sporting equipment. You have invested much in your modes of transportation, and wand to enjoy the smooth, supple leather upholstery for many years. What are the best ways to clean and condition car and boat leather?
Effective Leather Upholstery Cleaners
The first step in maintaining your automobile or boat leather is to clean it gently but deeply. A good choice for extremely soiled areas is a high quality saddle soap. Try Saddle Soap Plus from Bickmore or a tin of Moneysworth & Best’s basic saddle soap. With both products use a soft cloth or brush to work the soap into the leather, and then remove the dirt, grime and residual soap with a clean cloth.
Another option is Woly Natura Lemon Cleaner, a plant-derived solution that is gentle on your leathers and your skin--it has been tested by dermatologists. Or use Bickmore Leather Cleaner, Bick 1 as it is also known, and marvel as even the dirtiest and most stained leather upholstery becomes clean and clear grained. Massage in and then wipe off with a soft cloth to see the dirt and ground in stains lift off.
Condition and Protect
Once your vehicle or boat’s seats and other leather areas are clean they are ready for a thorough conditioning to keep the upholstery soft and supple, protecting against future cold weather abuse and the harm caused by relentless sun rays. Great choices include Woly Natura Leather Lotion, keeping leather conditioned with safe, natural and dermatologically tested ingredients or leather conditioners, the highly effective leather conditioner from Bickmore. Leather Honey is another good choice, solvent free and proven to bring back even the most dehydrated and worn leather to a healthy and smooth condition.
Collonil and Woly both have specialized products that remove salt or provide waterproofing and soil resistance. With the hard work your vehicle or boat does for you, it makes sense to take the time to condition its leathers and prepare them for the challenges ahead with these useful products.
Two in One Convenience
Finally, we offer a choice of products that both clean and condition, making upholstery care in your car or boat a snap. Consider Collonil Nano Complete to deep clean and condition in one easy step, maintaining leather extremely well with little stress or strain. Woly and Saphir both have a Leather Balm in their respective ranges that cleanses and makes leather supple, soft and ready for another adventure with one application. Using these products is so straight forward and simple you may find yourself looking forward to regular sessions, keeping your leather upholstery clean and conditioned at all times, resulting in a longer life for your valued boat or car.
