Best Leather Cleaners and Leather Conditioners of 2019 (Reviewed & Tested)

A car's interior says a lot about the owner’s efforts to maintain it. When you look at modern cars, you will realize that they have an exquisitely finished interior. Also, you’ll find that the car makers use the best leather that they can find to give the interior of the vehicle a fine touch.

This makes it easier to maintain the car’s interior. Moreover, with the use of a quality leather cleaner and conditioner, you can keep your car looking as good as new. 

There is no doubt that most folks love to keep their automobiles looking sharp. For this reason, we have compiled a list of some of the best leather cleaners as well as conditioners. With these products, you are going to keep your car’s interior looking brand new and clean. 

Automobile makers prefer using leather than cloth because it is durable, elegant and easy to clean. Be it pure or vinyl leather, your vehicle interior is subject to getting dirty at some point. This dirt ranges from grime, grease to dust. 

Though it may not be easy to clean and restore the leather to its original factory condition, it is possible. All you need to do is have the appropriate leather cleaner to give your leather back the shine it deserves. 

Cleaning your vehicle's interior leather only isn’t enough. You’ve got to take it a notch higher by protecting with a superb conditioner. In case you don’t have a clue concerning the best leather cleaner and conditioner, here are five exemplary products that can leave your car's leather looking flawless.

#1 OBSSSSD Leather Cleaner & OBSSSSD Leather Conditioner

As we were testing the best leather cleaners and conditioners, we came across the OBSSSSD cleaner and its conditioner. What caught our eye with this product is that it works extremely well with all types of leather. It is just as good for heavy-duty cleaning tasks as it is for light cleaning. 

It gets better, as this cleaner is not only water-based but also PH-neutral. What this means is that you can use it to clean stubborn grime, grease, and other forms of dirt without interfering with the quality of your leather. This product does not ruin the color or dampen the appeal of your leather. 

It is easy to use this cleaner as you just need to apply it to the area that needs cleaning. You don’t need to apply a thick coat because this product is quite effective. You then proceed to use a soft brush to scrub your leather. After scrubbing your material gently, you will be surprised at how easily this cleaner wipes out the dirt. 

Once you are done, use the OBSSSSD conditioner to give the leather a soft feel and restore its grandeur. If you're looking for the best possible cleaner at an affordable price, look no further than these two incredibly effective products.

#2 Swissvax Leather Cleaner and Swissvax Leather Milk

If you car's leather seats are made out of exotic leather, then Swissvax Leather Cleaner & Swissvax Leather Milk are the right products to clean them. At first glance, the ingredients of Swissvax Leather Cleaner may seem mild, but make no mistake as this special leather rejuvenater is endowed with powerful cleaning properties. 

Swissvax Leather Cleaner is PH neutral and is made of biodegradable components laced with glycerin. Further to that, this is one of the safest cleaners you’ll ever use. Designed for luxury car's, it is developed to thoroughly clean your leather without causing any discolouration to the dye. Therefore, your leather is intensively cleaned and left without a single blemish that other cleaners can potentially cause.

Solvents are known to be ruinous to leather when used regularly. However, Swissvax cleaner can be used to clean your leather frequently, without destroying both its texture and color. 

With just a little bit of Swissvax Leather Milk, the shine on your old leather is restored. Some of the people who may have seen it before might assume that you replaced it with brand new leather - and we're not exaggerating. If you’ve been wondering how to revamp your old leather, these products may be the ultimate solution. 

Swissvax Leather Milk does not require any specialized application method. You just apply it after cleaning your leather seats, and you are good to go. What sets it apart from most similar products is that it contains emulsifiers, vitamin E, glycerin and antioxidants. These ingredients are vital for ensuring that your leather is well nourished for years to come.

Most people make a common mistake of wiping the conditioner soon after applying it. You should steer away from this as leather needs time to absorb the Swissvax Leather Milk. Allow it to dry by itself for the best results. 

The only thing that you may not like about this product is that it’s a bit pricey. For all its worth, you might have to fork $70 for a bottle. This is a bearable price to pay, especially if you are dealing with exotic leather. You will be tremendously pleased by the outcome you get from using Swissvax Leather Cleaner & Swissvax Leather Milk.

#3 Griot’s Garage Odor Neutralizing Leather Cleaner + Leather Care Spray

Dirt on your car's leather can feel like your automobile interior is aging pretty quickly. But with Griots Garage Leather Care Kit, you can change that. This kit allows you to not only clean, but also get rid of any odor emanating from your vehicle. 

Over time, dirt makes your leather lose its classic touch, it gets stained and you may wonder how to clean it up properly. If you find yourself in this predicament, there is no need to worry about it, as the Griot’s Garage Neutralizing Leather Cleaner + Leather Care Spray can easily help you solve your problem, leaving your leather as spotless as it was when you bought your car. 

This leather kit is everything you could wish for in a leather cleaner. Apart from getting the dirt on your leather, it also neutralizes odors and thus restoring the original smell of the leather. 

Moreover, you don’t have to worry about ruining the color pigmentation of your leather as it is specially formulated to leave anything that isn't dirt, soil or oil intact. Your car will be left clean for your eyes and fresh for your nose. 

While using the leather spray, its best to spray it on a clean piece of cloth, then wipe it on the leather. After a short while, you can wipe it off. It is an excellent product for leather that is new to about 3 years old. It helps keep your leather in great condition with each spray and can be used regularly.

#4 Chemical Guys Leather Cleaner & Chemical Guys Leather Conditioner

When it comes to leather care, Chemical Guys Leather Cleaner and Chemical Guy Leather conditioner rank among the leading leather cleaning solutions. In case you haven’t used these products, you are bound to be impressed by their superior quality. 

Chemical Guys care for their customers to such an extent that they have gone an extra mile by setting up a YouTube channel to showcase various car detailing tips. 

No matter how cheap you think the leather on your vehicle is, you can be sure it is much more expensive to 

replace than it is to take care of it. 

Now, this leather cleaning solution that is offered by Chemical Guys can help you maintain, and keep your leather clean. 

Leather pores are notorious for trapping and holding all sorts of dirt, which makes it difficult to clean them. If you just use a regular off the shelf cleaner, you may get poor results.

You can avoid this by grabbing a 16oz bottle of the Chemical Guys Cleaner plus the Conditioner. This incredible cleaning product cleans and protects your leather from harsh conditions. Part of its potency can be attributed to its balanced PH formula. With these products, your vehicle's leather will remain in good condition for as long as you need it!

#5 Lexol Cleaner & Lexol Conditioner

Any good leather cleaner and conditioner ought to come with a balanced PH. Sometimes, this makes the product expensive. With Lexol Cleaner and Lexol Conditioner, you don’t have to pay extra for quality leather cleaning products. It comes in 2 affordable bottles that can be used for both your car and home. Also, this product does not contain any harmful additives such as waxes, silicone or alcohol. 

Whether you intend to use this product on vinyl or original leather, you are going to be satisfied with the results. 

There has been a mixed reaction to this product. A few people say that it doesn't work that well on heavily soiled or old leathers while many others are happy customers. The application of this product is also somewhat complicated, and for this reason, you should familiarize yourself with it before you decide to use it. Its price, however, is quite friendly as long as it works well for you.

Ultimate DIY Leather Cleaning & Maintenance Guide

You can agree with us that leather doesn’t come cheap, and that is why it is always wise to keep it clean to preserve its durability. Even though leather is used by car makers because it’s easy to clean, it helps to know how to clean it properly.

 

So, how do you get rid of the notorious types of stains that your leather is prone to? In this section, we are going to show you how clean your leather regularly and thoroughly. 

If you intend to clean your car leather regularly here is what to use; 

1. Vacuum with an upholstery nozzle attached 
2. A quality, gentle leather cleaner, the likes of OBSSSD Leather Cleaner or Chemical Guys Leather Cleaner are excellent choices. 
3. Microfiber cloths
4. Detail brush

Manufacturers may have their reservation on how frequent to apply a particular cleaner, but there is a standard timing which ranges between 3 to 5 weeks. Cleaning once a month should do it. 

Vacuuming

How to do it; vacuum the leather carefully, paying attention to any types of loose debris. Using a detail brush is recommended, especially for the sake of removing the dirt that sticks in between stitching, crevices, and cracks. 

Cleaning

The next step is to wipe the leather using a clean white microfiber cloth with your select leather cleaner.

Use enough cleaner to avoid soaking the leather as this can ruin the foam beneath torn areas. 

We recommend a white microfiber cloth because its color doesn't come off and can’t end up on your leather. This is common with colored pieces of cloth. 

Most importantly, it has to be soft as you don’t want to leave scratches on the leather. 

How to Remove Stains from Leather Car Seats

Even when you clean your vehicle's interior routinely every month, some areas are bound to need more attention than others. So, what do you do? 

There are those common areas that you touch each time you get in your car. These are the areas that easily accumulate dark spots. These areas include armrests, steering wheel and so on. 

The leather in your car may get dirty in several ways. Sometimes, you may be enjoying a cup of coffee, and then you accidentally spill it. You casually wipe off the spillage but a mildly sticky patch is left on the leather surface, which attracts more dirt. This is why there are specialized cleaners for leather. OBSSSD and Swissvax cleaners are some of the most effective leather cleaners that you can use in 2019. 

Test Your Leather Cleaner or Spot Remover

It is important to follow the manufacturers’ guidelines on how to use the one you choose. Let us explore the standard procedure of using a leather cleaner to remove stains or stubborn spots. 

If you are not familiar with a particular cleaning product, the rule of thumb is to first test it on a small patch of leather before you go all in. You don’t want to discolor your precious leather in the process of cleaning it. Once you are satisfied with the product, you can move to the next step.

Perform a General Cleaning of the Leather

Start with your routine cleaning. The reason for this is to avoid spreading the dirt to other areas of your leather when removing a stain. Furthermore, using the spot remover before your routine cleaning can erode the dirt and deposit on other areas. 

Apply Your Leather Cleaner or Spot Remover

After vacuuming and wiping, it is time to go all in with the spot remover. 

Start by applying an appropriate amount of the cleaner to the affected area, and clean it with a dedicated brush. 

Apply the cleaner carefully to steer away from soaking the leather, and ensure that the cleaning agent is wiped off before it dries on the leather. 

Work step by step, clean methodically, section by section. This reduces the time that the cleaner remains on your leather. Since you want the stain remover to be left on the leather for a short duration, then it’s wise to split the task into small manageable sections. 

Some stains are really stubborn and need a little bit more of the cleaner than others. The trick is to apply the cleaner on a white piece of cloth or brush, instead of applying it directly on the surface. This allows you to have more control over the amount of cleaner you use at a given time. 

Watch out for the more sensitive areas such as the perforated leather surfaces. Heated seats are also sensitive. In such a scenario, you want to keep the leather as dry as possible. This is because foam beneath the leather can be easily soaked, leading to undesirable discoloration or even electrical problems with your heated or ventilated seats.

The key to cleaning a leather surface is doing it gently with a dedicated brush or piece of cloth. If you scrub too hard, you tend to stretch the leather and leave some stretch marks on it. For pigmented and tinted leather, exercise more caution as you don’t want to erode the coloration. The goal is to scrub moderately for the sake of lifting dirt through the foam that’s created when scrubbing.

Mind the areas with lines or cracks. These are permanent and if you scrub hard, you risk causing more damage. Try to clean the dirt in between the crevices of such areas. Once the dirt comes off, they will be barely visible. 

Use a clean, white piece of microfiber cloth to wipe the cleaner off before it dries.

For the perforated areas, use a light wipe. If not so, first blot the area before wiping to avoid an undesirable outcome. 

Let It Dry 

After cleaning, allow the leather to dry. Do not be tempted to use the leather surfaces immediately. And once it's dry, condition it. This protects it from losing moisture and becoming easily breakable. 

How to Use a Leather Conditioner 

• To ensure that the leather is thoroughly cleaned, read the manufacturers guidelines and follow them diligently throughout the application process. 
• Let the conditioner soak as directed by the manufacturer. 
• Carefully remove the conditioner and polish the surface with a clean and dry piece of cloth. 

How often should you use a leather conditioner? This depends on the humidity of the area you live in. If the area is humid, the leather dries slowly. In less humid areas, the leather dries faster. For the sunny and hot areas, the drying process is even much faster. 

General Tips to Follow for Conditioning Your Leather Seats

• If you live in a fairly dry area, condition your leather once or twice a month. 
• If you live in a humid area, once in 3 to 4 months will do. Conditioning your car's leather regularly gives it a better feel and appearance. But, don’t overdo it.

Some conditioning products bring back the original smell of new leather, making your car smell as though it is new.