Avoid These 5 Things to Make Your Car's Leather Seats Last Longer

There's nothing more elegant than the look of leather seats in your car's interior. Not only do they look and feel good to touch, but their musky, "new car" smell also adds that touch of "homey" ambiance inside your vehicle. Still, these seats are not indestructible. In fact, they can be extremely vulnerable, especially to these five things:

1. Dyes

Leather and non-color dyes don't mix--ever. And when they do, the result is a disaster. And by the way, don't underestimate the ink from magazines and newspapers, since they can also stain your leather when mixed with moisture.

Tip: Once you see a stain, remove it immediately with a dye remover. This is important, because sometimes, using plain water can aggravate the stain and cause it to spread more on the leather's surface.

2. Temperature changes

Abrupt changes in temperature can excessively take moisture away from the leather, which can lead to cracking.

Tip: Slather your leather with a good leather protector and conditioner regularly. This helps avoid cracking, especially when the temperature suddenly drops. Also remember to apply sun protection when you know you will stay out under the sun for some time.

3. Pets and Children

We know you love animals and kids, but when you find your leather seats tattered, shredded--or even colored--then you know it's a big problem.

Tip: Add extra protection to your leather by covering it with either fabric or plastic before your kids and animals get inside.

However, if the damage has been already done, then the best you can do is hope that they can still be repaired by a professional.

4. Perspiration

Sweat may relieve you of heat, but it's not something that leather likes. Your perspiration is mostly water, but it also contains minerals like lactic acid, urea, sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. It's also moderately acidic to neutral in PH level. So when you combine them together on your leather seats, they can damage its fibers and strip off its protective coatings over time.

Tip: The best way to prevent this is to first place a piece of cloth, like a rug or blanket, on the leather seats before you sit down. It's also a good idea to wipe off the sweat and place a leather protector after you've sat on them for some time.

5. Sun's Rays

We all know how prolonged exposure to the sun's UV rays can damage the skin. Leather, which is from an animal skin or hide that has been treated with chemicals, will also react that way. The only difference here is that it won't get skin cancer (and sunburn) compared to humans.

However, what these UV rays will do is make the leather brittle and dry to the point of cracking. It will also make the leather's color fade unattractively.

Tip: Invest in leather protectors with UV filters, and add leather conditioner to prevent cracking. While it might be difficult to avoid the sun altogether, know that there's a way to restore its original color once it fades. Of course, it might cost you a little, but at least it will look good again.