Leather seats have been a stylish fixture of automobiles for decades. Well maintained leather will retain its flexibility and smoothness, and give a level of comfort and class to the car's interior. Poorly maintained leather will become rough and cracked, and detract from the overall aesthetics of the vehicle. Proper maintenance will assure that the seats won't crack and continue looking new for the life of the car. Leather, like any other type of animal skin, has pores, so it's important to keep it from being either cracked from dryness or shiny from grease.
Test the cleaner on a small, unnoticeable location. Some cleaners don't react well with certain colors of leather, especially lighter shades. It's important to assure that the cleaner won't stain the leather.
Use a soft sponge or a vacuum cleaner to remove any excess dirt or dusk that may be caught in the crevices of the seat. Dirt that already is there may be brushed into the surface instead of from it.
Apply cleaner to the seat. Don't use too much as it may grease up the pores. You want a mild, water-based cleaner, not an oil or waxed-based one or anything with silicone, such as furniture polish. If you wouldn't use it on your own skin, don't use it on your car's. If using a spray bottle, spray onto the towel instead of the seat to prevent spotting. Spray enough to make the towel damp but not drip.
Wipe the area down. Work in small circles. Follow the manufacturer's directions on the bottle. It sounds rudimentary, but all manufactures have their own instructions.
Dry the seat with a clean, dry towel.
Allow the seat to dry. This may take some time depending on the heat and humidity of the day.
Apply a generous amount of conditioner to the either a dry towel or soft sponge. Avoid two-in-one cleaners/conditioners.
Massage the seat with the conditioner. Don't worry too much about excess conditioner as the leather will soak it in.
Let the conditioner sit for a while. Again, follow the manufacturer's instructions as printed on the bottle.
Buff the seat with a clean towel.
