Your automobile is an investment, and you must keep it in pristine shape for it to maintain its value. You have it detailed regularly. Nonetheless, you know your leather interior is at risk to crack when the mercury drops. How do you prevent your leather interior from cracking in the winter? Let Banister’s Upholstery help you keep it soft and supple all year round.
Clean the Seats Carefully
You might be tempted to clean up messes using a car vacuum or the hose of your household machine but this can damage the leather. If your car vacuum has a soft bristle attachment, go ahead and use it gently to remove debris, dirt, dust, and other messes. If it doesn’t, use the soft bristle attachment to your household vacuum to handle the job. Make certain the attachment’s bristles are soft, as stiff ones will scratch the leather.
To clean the leather seats regularly, purchase a high-grade leather seat cleanser. Do not use anything other than the best. Cheap cleaners or soap will damage your leather seats, as will gloss agents, petroleum, or silicone chemicals. Avoid cleaners with any of these ingredients at all costs because they will damage your seats, which can lead to winter cracks. Dampen a soft cloth – soft – with the cleaner and wipe your seats gently.
Condition
Condition your vehicle’s leather interior after you’ve cleaned it. Use a high-quality conditioner that is pH balanced properly for the type of leather interior in your automobile. Make certain the solution is water-based and apply the conditioner per the manufacturer’s recommendations. The instructions should tell you the best way to apply the conditioner, how long to let it seep in, and how often to condition the leather.
Things to Avoid
Even the best cleaned and conditioned leather can still suffer from winter cracking, so keep a few other things in mind to prevent this from happening. Do not eat or drink in your vehicle, and don’t allow your passengers to do so either. Spills, crumbs, and saucy or oily drips can ruin the leather, so avoid the drive-thru lane. If you have to have a morning cup of coffee during your commute, use a sealed commuter cup.
The sun can also dry your leather and encourage it to crack. Even in the winter, put up your sun shade when you’re parked and use window screens in all the windows to minimize sun exposure and damage. You can also drape towels across your seats and dashboard when your vehicle is not in use if you feel the shade and screens do not protect the interior enough.
Finally, for expert care and repair, stop by our shop. Banister’s Upholstery is located in East Point, GA, and we’ve been serving the Atlanta Metro area for 65 years. You cannot beat our expertise, so visit us today or give us a call today.
