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How to Protect Leather Car Seats
When you purchase a vehicle with cool, leather seats, you love the way they look and feel, but over time, that can change. Sometimes, vehicle ownership comes with a few added tasks that can make maintaining it more challenging, including learning how to protect leather car seats. This task does not have to be hard to do with a bit of attention to the details. If you have leather seats, here’s how to keep them looking and feeling their best.
Why Car Interior Cleaning Is So Important
Car interior cleaning is an important part of maintaining your vehicle. Without proper steps here, your vehicle’s value can fall significantly. You may also find yourself facing damage to the seats that are expensive to repair. Cleaning leather car seats is important for several reasons. If there is an event that causes damage to the seats, such as a spill or moisture buildup, this requires immediate steps to get rid of the potential damage.
Most of the time, car manufacturers also recommend conditioning the leather. Leather conditioning is a process of applying a topical product to the leather. This helps minimize damage to it and keeps the surface soft to the touch. Check with your manufacturer about steps to take to keep the leather looking its best.
Will Auto Insurance Pay for Cleaning Leather Car Seats from a Professional?
It is not common for auto insurance to pay for cleaning leather car seats or leather conditioning. This is considered a type of routine maintenance process the owner is responsible for maintaining. Most of the time, car insurance does not pay for leather cleaning, leather repair, or leather conditioning when it is a part of routine maintenance.
There are some situations where filing a claim with your car insurance may help. For example, if you have a vehicle that suffers damage from a covered event, like a storm or a fire, your policy may cover repairs to the seats as well. For example, a fire may occur in the car through no fault of your own. Your auto insurance covers the fire. There’s water damage from the fire on the seats. In this case, the policy will pay to repair the seats or replace them as needed.
If you feel your car insurance is responsible for the damage, be sure to contact your agent. He or she can work with you on filing a claim.
Using Car Leather Cleaning for Routine Maintenance
Car leather cleaning is an important part of maintaining your vehicle. Just as you would clean the floors or change the oil, make it a point to routinely clean the leather. Some moderate-quality leather seats require nothing more than wiping down the leather with a damp, clean cloth. However, some manufacturers recommend using specially designed auto leather cleaning products for this. These products help to remove dirt and debris without damaging the leather itself. They also work to minimize the amount of moisture these seats are exposed to – which is critical in minimizing wear and tear on the leather itself.
Using Car Leather Conditioner to Protect the Leather
It is always best to use your car’s owner’s manual to know if and when conditioning is a part of cleaning the leather in your car. Car leather conditioner is available in many auto shops or parts providers. This product does not specifically clean the car seats, but rather adds a level of protectant over the top of the leather. This does several things. First, it helps to make the surface a bit more pliable and soft. Without this type of oil-based moisture, the leather can dry out and crack. This is damaging.
Also, leather conditioner works to add a somewhat thin layer of protectant on the seats themselves. This works to protect the surface from moisture damage, abrasions, and normal wear and tear. If you notice discoloration of the leather from day-to-day use, this type of product may work to fix that.
Leather Seat Cleaner and Stain Remover for Trouble Areas
Leather seat cleaner and stain remover products are something to consider having on hand. First, never use a product like this if the manufacturer doesn’t recommend them. And, always test them out on an unnoticeable area of the car before using them over a large surface. The type of leather and the quality of that leather may cause interacts with these cleaners.
In all cases, you should wipe up the surface of the leather as soon as anything is on it. This includes removing spills and food particles as soon as possible. Even with cleaning products and leather conditioner, these types of spills can damage your leather.
Learning how to protect leather car seats is an important part of maintaining a vehicle with them. The best way to do so is to turn to a professional to manage the process or follow the recommendations from the owner’s manual.
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