There are many ways to clean your car leather upholstery in a do-it-yourself manner. First off, you should get a bucket of warm water and mix it with liquid dishwashing soap or Castile soap.
From there, use a ratio of 1 part soap and 5 parts of water. Dampen your cleaning cloth with the cleaning solution and then wipe your seat. Keep this up every other day or every day and you won't have to deal with major touchups or replacements in the near future.
Don't saturate the leather with the cleaning solution though because the water could end up in your cushions and encourage the growth of mold. Excess water stains leather as well. Just a little will go a long way. Dampen the cloth but don't inundate it. Then dry everything thoroughly with a separate dry microfiber towel.
Other DIY Ideas You Should Try
- Another Type of DIY Leather Cleaner: Instead of mixing Castile or dishwashing soap with water, you can instead mix ½ cup of olive oil with ¼ cup of vinegar into a spray bottle. Spray it on your seat, let it settle in there for five minutes to really get rid of the sticky dirt and grease, then wipe it clean afterwards. No, the sourness of the vinegar won't remain after wiping.
- Preventing Stains on Your Seat Leather: As soon as those soda spills hit your seat, wipe them off with baby wipes or a rag. Tissue paper tends to leave a mess of clumps so use paper towels instead since they're thicker. However, stains can still happen even if you're a quick draw when it comes to seat cleanup. You should use the following items for some DIY stain removal on your precious leather seats and upholstery.
- Toothpaste Stain Removal: Did you know that you can use non-gel toothpaste to remove stains on a soiled area? Just dab it and use a used toothbrush to gently scrub away at the stain. It's as effective as bleach on plastic or silverware except it's much safer to use on leather compared to bleach. You can also use it on scuffs. Don't forget to wipe the area with a clean cloth after you're finished then dry it off with a towel for good measure.
- Lemon Juice and Cream of Tartar Cleaners: This mix has a bleaching effect so use this on light upholstery only. Mix cream of tartar and lemon juice into a pasty concoction not unlike toothpaste. From there, you can apply it to the soiled area with or without the toothbrush. Use a sponge to remove the paste then a towel to dry. When all else fails, just buy KevianClean Leather Cleaner and Conditioner for quick, residue-free cleaning that's environment-friendly to boot.