Cleaning and caring for car leather

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When is this guide right for you?

Regular cleaning and care is the easiest way to keep car leather in good condition for a long time. This article shows you which products you need and how to proceed with new leather as well as older interiors.

99.9% of car leathers are surface-coloured smooth leathers with a final colour coat. In the past, all car leather was vegetable-tanned. In recent decades, however, chrome-tanned leather has become established. When cleaning and caring for leather, the tanning method is not decisive; the age and condition of the leather are.

Every care treatment starts with cleaning. Depending on the level of soiling, we recommend Colourlock Leather Cleaning mild for everyday dirt or Colourlock Leather Cleaner strong for visibly heavier deposits. This prevents dirt from being worked into the leather by the care product and becoming permanently fixed.

For dirt that is deeply embedded in the grain, the Leather Cleaning Brush is particularly helpful.

New leather (0 to 3 years)

New car leather does not require replenishing with oils. It is still optimally equipped at the factory. The greater problem with new leather is wear: typical signs of wear often appear on the entry bolsters of the driver's seat within the first three years. Light-coloured leather is also frequently affected by colour transfer from clothing.

Both can be effectively prevented: treat new leather with Colourlock Leather Shield. It protects the surface from abrasion and colour transfer and should be used regularly during the first three years: on the driver's seat every 3 months and on the remaining leather every 6 to 12 months.

Older leather (from 3 years)

Over time, leather loses moisture and becomes brittle. Older car leather should therefore be cared for with Colorlock Leather Care every 3 to 6 months. The care milk with UV filters and tanning agents keeps the leather supple, protects against fading and noticeably slows the natural ageing process.

Important for all care products:
Applying them regularly and sparingly is more effective than doing so infrequently and in large quantities. More product does not help leather more.

For convertibles, we also recommend Colourlock Elephant Leather Preserver. It provides strong waterproofing for the leather and helps prevent mould formation, a risk that should not be underestimated in open-top vehicles.

If the colour on the driver's seat is wearing away or the first scratches are visible, simple care is no longer sufficient. For these cases, read our guide “Repairing colour damage to car leather”.

Product recommendations

Note:
(Clicking on products adds them to the shopping basket, where they can then be ordered.)

New leather (0 to 3 years)

  • New Leather Care Set

Contents:

  • 1 x Leather Shield 100 ml
  • 1 x Leather Cleaner mild 250 ml
  • 2 x Viscose cloth
  • 1 x Foamer Bottle/foam dispenser bottle
  • 3 x Cleaning & Application Sponge small (43x43x67mm)
  • Leather cleaning brush brown

Older leather (from 3 years)

  • Smooth Leather Care Set

Contents:

  • 1 x Leather Cleaner mild 250 ml
  • 1 x Leather Care 100 ml
  • 2 x Viscose cloth
  • 1 x Allrounder Scrubber
  • 1 x Foamer Bottle/foam dispenser bottle
  • Leather cleaning brush brown

Important for all products: our products are highly effective. It is therefore important to apply them regularly and sparingly, rather than infrequently and in large quantities. Regular, sparing cleaning and care (every 3–6 months) is the best protection.

Illustrated examples

Depending on the level of soiling, clean with Colourlock Leather Cleaner mild or Colourlock Leather Cleaner strong.
Colourlock Leather Shield protects new leather from wear and signs of use.
Elephant Leather Preserver additionally protects and waterproofs leather in convertibles.
For dirt in the grain, the Colourlock Leather cleaning brush brown is a great help. However, we always recommend using the brush.
Never clean perforated leather too wet; allow it to dry in a well-ventilated place. A small amount of cleaning foam on a sponge is sufficient here.
For colour transfer from clothing or marks made by pens, Colourlock Leather Cleaner strong is not always strong enough. Read our separate guide on “marks and stains caused by ink and ballpoint pens”.
Tyre marks cannot be cleaned away. Read here about dealing with tyre marks.

A video about cleaning and caring for leather with a greasy sheen.

COLOURLOCK Leather Fresh and COLOURLOCK Fluid Leather can be used to remove
moderate signs of wear from plain-coloured smooth leather effectively.