It’s one of the great ironies that while leather is one of the toughest materials that can be found in a car it’s also one of the most susceptible to cracking. And trust us – you don’t want cracks in your leather seats. Each crack makes it harder to clean your leather seats and provides a little crevice for bacteria, dust, and other nasties to call home.
By the time your car seat leather is at that point, it’s a little too late for car detailing service in Mesa that cleans and conditions leather seats. You’ll still get your car clean, but you won’t be able to do anything about the cracks. So, let’s make sure your seats never get to that point. We explain why your leather cracks, how often to treat it, and the steps that ensure your leather stays in tip-top condition for longer.
Why Does Leather Crack?
Leather usually cracks because of moisture and its own natural oils. Or, more accurately, the lack thereof. The problem occurs because leather, though tough, is also an extremely porous material. And that porosity varies depending on the type of leather you have in your car. According to a 2015 study published in the Journal of the Society of Leather Technologists and Chemists, full-chrome crust leather is more porous than vegetable-tanned crust leather, likely due to the chrome tanning process providing less of a filling than the vegetable-based alternative.
Why does any of that matter?
Porous materials soak up whatever touches them, but will also dry out when they’re prevented from absorbing some sort of moisture. On the one side, that means your leather seats are soaking up all of your body’s natural oils when you sit on them, in addition to those already in the leather. On the other, there are the effects of your own rear end in that seat – you sitting on leather means it’s blocked from soaking in enough moisture to remain supple. These two factors combine to make your leather brittle, leading to the cracks you hate so much to see.
Basically, your leather seats react to moisture and dryness like your own skin.
How Often Should You Treat Your Leather Seats?
So with the concept of leather being like skin, you should know if you don’t treat it well, it’s going to start showing signs of aging far faster than it otherwise would. That makes sense when you remember that natural leather is essentially an animal hide that’s been treated and processed for use in your car. That leather “skin” dries out, weakens with age and exposure to sunlight, and starts to crack when it doesn’t have its own natural oils.
Treating your leather is like applying moisturizer to your skin – it revitalizes the material and gets rid of the issues that lead to cracking…temporarily.
We say “temporarily” because treating only lasts so long before your leather seats start drying out again. So, our advice is simple:
Treat your seats at least once every three to six months, ideally sticking closer to every three months than every six.
Treating Leather Car Seats – The Steps
Being told that you need to treat your leather seats doesn’t necessarily mean you will be able to do it properly yourself. But if you follow these five steps, you’ll reduce the likelihood of cracking in its tracks so your seats look pristine for longer.
Step 1 – Vacuum First
The biggest mistake we see when treating leather seats is forgetting to vacuum the seat first. That’s a problem because there’ll be all sorts of grit and dust sediment built up on your seat, which you just wipe around if you start treating immediately. Doing that just leads to premature wear, so it’s always a good idea to run a vacuum over the seat you intend to treat before doing anything else.
Pro Tip – Use a soft-bristled brush to get into the crevices of your leather, allowing you to loosen any dust and grit that you then get rid of using your vacuum.
Step 2 – Apply Your Leather Treating Solution
There are plenty of ideas for homemade leather-treating solutions out there, but we always recommend using a store-bought product made specifically for the purpose. Most of these treatment solutions come as sprays, so you just have to point and shoot per the instructions on the bottle. A light coating should do the job, though you may want to spray a little more on stained areas.
Step 3 – Wipe With a Soft Cloth
Note the use of the word “soft.” Abrasive materials can scratch leather, making cracks more likely in the future. Stick with a microfiber cloth and use it to gently wipe the treated leather using a circular motion to massage the treating solution into the material.
Step 4 – Wipe Away the Excess
Once you’re happy that your leather has absorbed as much of your treatment solution as it can take, give it another wipe-down with a clean microfiber towel. That eliminates the chance of residue forming on your leather seats due to bits of your solution that aren’t absorbed.
Step 5 – Buff the Car Seat
Again, you just need a clean microfiber towel for this last part of the process – buffing. With the residue wiped away, give the seats a good buff to allow your treatment solution to penetrate deeper into the leather’s pores.
Your Alternative Solution – Vehicle Detailing
It’s possible you can get leather treatment down to a fine enough science that it only takes you a couple of minutes per car seat. However, those who don’t want to take (or can’t find) the time also have the option of having their car detailed by a professional. A mobile car upholstery cleaning detailer often includes treating your leather seats, leaving you with healthier leather and an overall cleaner car.
